God is not silent on the topic of disability, nor should the Church be! The Bible teaches us much about the theology of disability. There are many stories featuring people with disabilities. Below you will find ten of the more significant passages and their takeaways.
1. The Paralyzed Man Lowered Through the Roof (Mark 2:1-12)
- Four friends lower a paralyzed man through the roof of a house where Jesus was teaching. Jesus, seeing their faith, first forgives the man’s sins and then later heals him, allowing him to walk again. All the people were amazed and praised God.
- Disability: Paralysis
- Key Points: (1) Stopping at nothing to advocate for your friends with a disability will be rewarded by God. (2) Jesus didn’t see the man’s disability as something that needed to be fixed.
2. Mephibosheth and the King’s Table (2 Samuel 9)
- Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan and grandson of King Saul, was disabled in both feet. Despite his disability, which typically disqualifies people from being in the presence of the King, King David shows kindness by allowing him to eat at the king’s table for the rest of his life and providing for his every need.
- Disability: Physical disability
- Key Points: (1) Disability does not disqualify people from being a part of God’s family. (2) God will go out of His way to meet the needs of people with disabilities.
3. The Man Born Blind (John 9:1-12)
- Jesus encounters a man who was born blind. His disciples ask whether the man’s blindness was caused by sin. Before healing the man, Jesus responds that it was neither, but that God’s works might be displayed through him.
- Disability: Blindness
- Key Points: (1)Disability is not caused by sin. (2) Disability is a divine opportunity for witnessing the power of God.
4. The Great Banquet (Luke 14:1-24)
- The religious leaders of Jesus’ day attempt to trick Jesus in one of the final meetings they had by bringing a man suffering from dropsy before him on the Sabbath. Jesus heals him and teaches them who belongs in the family of God.
- Disability: Physically disabling condition
- Key Points: (1) Despite being ruled unclean, Jesus embraced the man with the disabling condition. (2) Jesus urges the leaders of his day to prioritize including people with disabilities.
5. Moses and His Speech Impediment (Exodus 4:10-12)
- Moses, chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, expresses doubt about his ability due to his speech impediment. God not only reassures him, saying that He will help him speak and teach him what to say, but God also claims to be the author of disability.
- Disability: Speech impediment, possibly dyslexia
- Key Points: (1) Disability does not disqualify people from doing God’s work. (2) God does not call the equipped, rather He equips the called.
6. Jacob Wrestles with God (Genesis 32:22-32)
- Jacob wrestles with God and is left with a permanent limp after the encounter. Despite this, he is blessed and renamed Israel.
- Disability: Physical disability
- Key Points: (1) Jacob’s disability comes before his blessing from God. (2) Jacob’s disability causes him to rely on God daily.
7. Bartimaeus, the Blind Beggar (Mark 10:46-52)
- Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, calls out to Jesus as he passes by, asking for mercy. Many people told Bartimaeus to be quiet, but he never gave up! Jesus stops and heals Bartimaeus, restoring his sight. Full of joy Bartimaeus follows Jesus.
- Disability: Blindness
- Key Points: (1) Jesus treats Bartimaeus with dignity by giving him a voice and not assuming what he wants. (2) God rewards people with disabilities when they self-advocate and are persistent in efforts to get the help that they need.
8. The Lame Man at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-15)
- Story: A man who had been unable to walk for 38 years lies by the Pool of Bethesda, waiting for the water to stir so he could be healed. Jesus asks him if he wants to be healed, and upon the man’s affirmation, Jesus tells him to pick up his mat and walk, healing him instantly. Of the great number of disabled people there that day, he was the only person Jesus healed.
- Disability: Paralysis or the inability to walk
- Key Points: (1) Do not let a lifelong disability cause you to give up hope, for whether in this life or the next, Jesus will bring wholeness and a life without suffering. (2) Jesus always prioritizes the condition of the heart over the person’s disability.
9. Jesus Heals Many before Feeding the 4,000 (Matthew 15:29-32)
- Just before Jesus feeds the 4,000 by the Sea of Galilee a large crowd brought to him people who were blind, disabled, and unable to walk or speak. Jesus felt compassion for them and healed them all. The people are amazed and praise God.
- Disability: Various disabilities
- Key Points: (1) We should be compassionate towards the struggles of people with disabilities, just as Jesus was. (2) Working with people with disabilities is amazing and brings glory to God.
10. Jesus Heals a Man Who Could Not Hear or Speak (Mark 7:31-37)
- Jesus heals a man who is deaf and has difficulty speaking by placing his fingers in the man’s ears, spitting, and touching the man’s tongue. Jesus then commands the man’s ears to be opened, and the man is immediately able to hear and speak clearly.
- Disability: Deafness and speech impairment
- Key Points: (1) Jesus treats the man with dignity by leading him away from the crowd, ensuring he is not made into a spectacle. (2) Jesus used personal and intimate nonverbal communication to reassure the man that he understood his suffering and would heal him.
