Are vaccine mandates Biblically acceptable?
Let me start with the obvious. The Bible does not mention vaccines. They did not exist in either Old or New Testament times, so there is no direct Biblical command to use them or to refrain from using them.
So instead of trying to find vaccines in the Bible, I seek general principles about any kind of community health standards or mandates. And I do believe there are general Biblical principles that can help us understand community health standards.
Especially since the Covid epidemic, vaccines have become a political hot topic and not just a medical issue. I try hard to stay away from direct political commentary on candidates, but I do believe that it is appropriate for a pastor and Bible teacher to take the teachings of the Bible and apply them to current situations. I write today in response to one state (Florida) which has announced plans to end all state vaccine mandates, including those for children in school. Their state already has exemptions in place for religious and medical reasons, so it’s deeper than a religious freedom issue. Their state surgeon general went as far as to say that a vaccine mandate “drips with disdain and slavery.”
I strongly disagree—on Biblical grounds.
The Bible allows—and even commands—community health standards. Leviticus 13-15 (read all three chapters to understand the principles I refer to) gives explicit instruction on what to do with rashes, diseases, burns, bodily discharges, and medical situations which might put the community at risk. The specific commands may seem old-fashioned in today’s world, but they make perfect sense when you understand their purpose—keep the overall community healthy even if it temporarily restricts an individual.
Commands are given to the individual—report to a priest or voluntarily isolate yourself if there is a medical issue or cause. Commands are given about what to do with items such as clothing or bedding which might be contaminated and spread disease. Further instructions are given to the priests (who had both religious and community health responsibilities) to isolate the person when necessary.
The objective is not to take away individual freedom but to keep the overall community healthy, even if it does temporarily restrict the medical freedom of an individual.
Americans believe in personal liberty, so there has always been tension between individual medical freedom and the needs of the community. Clearly, though, the Bible allows the community to set standards to protect the community.
The application to vaccines—I believe—is clear. A community or a state has the right to set standards which are designed to keep a school or a state healthy. We can debate what those standards should be (and I would hope we would debate on the basis of scientific and medical data rather than political rhetoric), but community health standards are Biblical.
I’m not a doctor. I haven’t studied medicine in any detail. But, as a pastor, I have never had to perform a funeral for a child who died from polio, diphtheria, rubeola, rubella, pertussis, mumps, tetanus, or measles. Those funerals were common for pastors in previous generations before vaccines became commonplace.
I don’t want to return to that kind of world.
Politicians aside, nearly every doctor and every medical researcher agrees that vaccines have proven themselves to be safe and healthy for individuals. They also agree that vaccines help keep contagious diseases out of the schools and communities where they can spread rapidly. A vaccine mandate is not “slavery” and does not show “disdain” either for the individual or the community. It’s a logical and medical step to keep our communities safe.
I can’t say with honesty that “vaccines” are either Biblical or unbiblical. But I can say with certainty that it is Biblical to have community health standards.
PS. I had my annual checkup last week. (I’m in pretty good shape!). My doctor did recommend certain vaccines. Since I get my medical advice from doctors and not politicians, I will get them this week. I do so for my own health and as an act of love for my family and for those in my church community.
By Pastor Jack Marslender ·