Graduate Theological Education and the Human Experience of Disability represents scripture poorly. It is one of the most disappointing books on theology and the Bible I have yet to read.
But there is one example of quoting scripture that is particularly problematic. On page 9, in an article written by the late Harold Wilke, he has begun a discussion of the passage in Leviticus 21 which outlines 12 diseases or disabling conditions that would prevent one of Aaron’s descendants from becoming the high priest.
It is a difficult passage. But when rightly understood as pointing to the perfect High Priest, Jesus, the difficulty melts away in the extraordinary goodness and beauty of God. I may write on this as I did 2 Kings 5 at some point in the future.
Unfortunately, in a pivotal sentence in Leviticus 21:22, the proofreader completely blew it! Here is what is in the book, quoting from the Goodspeed and Smith Translation:
He may at his God’s food, some of the most sacred as well as the sacred. . .
It should read:
He may eat his God’s food, some of the most sacred as well as the sacred. . .
In other words, God himself is guaranteeing that those descendants of Aaron who have disabling conditions may eat of God’s food, even the most sacred. Several thousand years before the ADA was passed, God is making a legal statement about his creation with disabilities and specifically protecting their economic interests. But you won’t see that in Wilke’s article because the proofreader missed an awkward sentence and didn’t double-check the scriptures for accuracy.
In God’s providence, I wonder if God wants that awkward sentence to be placed in Wilke’s article in that book. Might at least some scholars (this is a book for graduate students) read the awkward sentence above and realize a mistake was made? And in looking up the actual wording, become exposed to the power and wonder of a sovereign God?
I pray that is the case. But overall, I hope nobody is reading that book.
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The Works of God 
Bad Books Still Deserve Good Proofreaders and Editors
Posted in Scripture, tagged commentary, leviticus 21 on September 6, 2009| Leave a Comment »
Graduate Theological Education and the Human Experience of Disability represents scripture poorly. It is one of the most disappointing books on theology and the Bible I have yet to read.
But there is one example of quoting scripture that is particularly problematic. On page 9, in an article written by the late Harold Wilke, he has begun a discussion of the passage in Leviticus 21 which outlines 12 diseases or disabling conditions that would prevent one of Aaron’s descendants from becoming the high priest.
It is a difficult passage. But when rightly understood as pointing to the perfect High Priest, Jesus, the difficulty melts away in the extraordinary goodness and beauty of God. I may write on this as I did 2 Kings 5 at some point in the future.
Unfortunately, in a pivotal sentence in Leviticus 21:22, the proofreader completely blew it! Here is what is in the book, quoting from the Goodspeed and Smith Translation:
He may at his God’s food, some of the most sacred as well as the sacred. . .
It should read:
He may eat his God’s food, some of the most sacred as well as the sacred. . .
In other words, God himself is guaranteeing that those descendants of Aaron who have disabling conditions may eat of God’s food, even the most sacred. Several thousand years before the ADA was passed, God is making a legal statement about his creation with disabilities and specifically protecting their economic interests. But you won’t see that in Wilke’s article because the proofreader missed an awkward sentence and didn’t double-check the scriptures for accuracy.
In God’s providence, I wonder if God wants that awkward sentence to be placed in Wilke’s article in that book. Might at least some scholars (this is a book for graduate students) read the awkward sentence above and realize a mistake was made? And in looking up the actual wording, become exposed to the power and wonder of a sovereign God?
I pray that is the case. But overall, I hope nobody is reading that book.
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