Leviticus 21:16-21

This section focuses on some of the physical qualifications for the priesthood. In brief we can say that if any of Aaron's sons were physically disfigured or deformed, that this disqualified the man for the priesthood. To be physically disfigured or deformed marred the picture of what God in His holiness is. God is perfect in body, and He wants those who represent Him in this office to be perfect as well.

What would happen if a priest—let us say working around his house—broke a finger or a hand or an arm? He was disqualified. He could not work around the altar until it was healed and he was a whole man once again. It did not disqualify him forever, but he was not allowed to do anything around the altar until it was healed.

What we are seeing here is that there are boundaries being set. These statements here, in Leviticus 21, are very much like, "This far and no farther"—setting standards regarding physical imperfections required to keep a man away from doing those responsibilities.

So those who serve a holy God in a holy place must be as far removed from unclean or profane as possible, even physically. They must reflect a high human measure of perfect holiness as our savior Jesus Christ and the Father did.

Leviticus 21:17-21

Blindness is one of the several disabilities that prevented someone born into a priestly Levitical family from offering bread in the priestly service.

Leviticus 21:17-21 describes how when a man had a defect he could not approach and offer bread in the sanctuaries. A blind man, lame man, one who has any limb too long, or broken leg, or foot, hunchback or dwarf were not to function in that way. They were able to receive food, but they were not able to present it because of the purity that God required in His temple.