God’s Accommodation for People with Disabilities: a New Interpretation of Leviticus 21

The qualifications outlined in Leviticus 21:16-23 for the priesthood have unfortunately led to the formation of negative perceptions towards people with disabilities. This perspective portrays people with disabilities as flawed, impure, profane, sinful, cursed, or even immoral. These representations contribute to a distorted and unfair image of disability and those who are differently abled and discourage evangelizing people with disabilities and family. This article offers fresh insights into interpreting Leviticus 21:16-23 by exploring God’s merciful accommodation for people with disabilities. It argues that the restrictions on priests with disabilities reflect God’s inclusivity rather than exclusion. By analyzing key Hebrew terms like “defect” and “desecrate,” it establishes that priests with disabilities were prevented from performing certain duties. It also discusses how the priesthood system in Israel differed from other religious priesthoods of the ancient Near East and how God’s mercy for people with disabilities is exemplified through his accommodations, drawing parallels with Calvin’s divine accommodation and ADA employment accommodations. Hopefully, these insights can lead to a more nuanced and compassionate understanding of God and people with disabilities, help to shape our attitudes towards disability, and foster evangelical effort to share the gospel of the Lord Jesus with the marginalized group.