Lameness

A physical condition impairing leg movement.

Causes of lameness

Congenital

Acts 3:2, Acts 14:8

And a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those entering the temple courts.

In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked.

Accidental

2 Samuel 4:4 See also 2 Samuel 9:3, 2 Samuel 9:13

And Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the report about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she was hurrying to escape, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

Care for the lame

General care

Job 29:15 See also Jeremiah 31:8; Luke 14:13–14

I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.

Healing

Matthew 11:5–6 parallel Luke 7:22 See also Matthew 4:23–24, Matthew 8:6–7, Matthew 9:2–8 parallels Mark 2:1–12, Luke 5:17–26; Matthew 15:30–31, Matthew 21:14; Acts 3:6–10, Acts 8:7–8, Acts 9:33–34, Acts 14:8

The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me.”

The spiritual significance of lameness

Relative importance of lameness

Mark 9:45

If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.

Parallel to weakness

See also 2 Samuel 5:6–8; Isaiah 35:2–3; Hebrews 12:12–13

As a parallel to fools' words

Proverbs 26:7

Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

Ultimate healing in heaven

Isaiah 35:6

Then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue will shout for joy. For waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.

Lameness in animals

See also Deuteronomy 15:21; Malachi 1:7–8, Malachi 1:13