Introduction
Lying is of course not condoned Biblically. We are told in Numbers 23:19 that God Himself cannot lie:
God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
We read also in a number of places that to lie is in contradistinction to Biblical instruction. For example, one of the Ten Commandments clearly tells us that we are not to bear false witness (lie) against our neighbor (Exodus 20:16). Also the prophets admonish against falsities in any form (see, e.g., Jeremiah 9:4-9, and Zechariah 8:16).
However, there are a few isolated instances in the Biblical record where lying was seen to result in praise. How do these instances differ from the general instruction against lying? What were the circumstances and criteria surrounding these seeming approvals? Is there such a thing as a “justifiable lie” in God’s economy? Let’s look at some Biblical examples where lying was seemingly condoned.
Examples of Biblical Character Lies
Tamar, the daughter-in-law of Judah. Tamar was actually a Canaanite woman who was married to Er, Judah’s first born son. Er was wicked in the sight of God, and God killed him. Judah’s second born son, Onan, told by Judah to marry his brother’s wife (in accord with Torah at Deut. 25:5-6, the Levirate Marriage), did so, but subsequently did not follow through on Torah in that he “emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother (see Gen. 38:9).” This displeased God and Onan also was killed. Judah’s third born son, Shelah, was too young to marry at the time, so Judah told Tamar to return to her father’s house until Shelah is grown. But Judah feared that his last son might meet the fate of the other two, so withheld Shelah from Tamar. Judah’s wife, Shua, later died, and Judah went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers. Thus, Tamar was despondent for lack of ability to carry on the lineage of her deceased husband. She posed as a harlot on the road Judah was traveling to Timnah. Judah went in to Tamar (not realizing she was his daughter-in-law) and she conceived. Tamar had asked for a pledge from Judah. Later, it was learned by Judah that Tamar was with child. Judah’s first reaction was to have her burned. But Tamar produced the pledge, and Judah had to acknowledge that she was more righteous than he, and that she had acted because Judah did not give Shelah to Tamar to carry on the first born son Er’s name, in accord with Torah (Gen. 38:8; Deut. 25:5-6; Ruth 3:10-11; 1 Chron. 4:21).
As the Biblical record shows, Tamar birthed twin sons, Perez and Zerah. Perez, it turns out, was in the lineage of King David. See the Book of Ruth, Chapter 4:11-21; and also Matthew 1:1-5.
Rahab, the harlot of Jericho. Rahab became the one who hid the spies on her roof top from the king of Jericho. She then lied to the king as to their whereabouts to save their lives. Rahab acknowledged the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of the children of Israel. She made an oath with the spies – protection of her household for a safe escape of the spies. See Joshua 2:1-21 for the Biblical account.
Rahab became the great-grandmother of King David (see Matthew 1:1-5). She was instrumental in the conquest of Canaan – the Promised Land. Rahab’s actions were praised because of her faith in God, and her protection of the spies.
The Hebrew Midwives. We read in Exodus 1:15-21, where the midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, did not follow Pharaoh’s commandment to kill all the Hebrew male babies at birth. When Pharaoh inquired as to the reason why, the midwives lied to Pharaoh, stating that the Hebrew women gave birth before the midwives could get to them. And, we see where God dealt well with the midwives for their actions (v. 20-21).
The Birth of Moses. Subsequent to the command of Pharaoh to have the midwives kill all Hebrew male babies, another command went out to cast all Hebrew male babies into the Nile River (Exodus 1:22). It was at this time in Egypt that Moses was born to Levite parents, the youngest of three children. His older brother was Aaron, and his older sister was Miriam. The mother of Moses hid this youngest child for three months, but could no longer conceal him as Moses grew older. She fashioned an ark of bulrushes, covered it in pitch, placing Moses in it and setting it afloat in the Nile River. Miriam secretly followed it as it floated down river. The little ark came to rest, caught in the reeds, right where Pharaoh’s daughter came to bathe. One of her maidens saw the ark, opened it and realized it contained one of the Hebrew babies. Pharaoh’s daughter had compassion on the child. Miriam then asked Pharaoh’s daughter if she wished to have a Hebrew woman to nurse the child. She consented, and offered to pay wages for such, on the condition he be returned at the time of weaning. Miriam took her brother back to his mother for nursing. Later, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted Moses and he was raised in the royal household of Egypt. See Exodus Chapter 2:1-10 for the Biblical account.
Miriam is credited with saving her brother Moses by withholding the full truth (a form of lie, under the circumstances).
Biblical Criteria for Justifiable Lies
Under the above cited Biblical references, where lying was seemingly condoned or praised, what were the circumstances and criteria common to these instances?
To save a life or lives that were in the process of doing God’s will, or would be in the future (our God is in the business of life; see Deut. 30:11-20; Psalm 119:50, 133:3).
Those who did lie feared God, and thus made choices to lie, seemingly for reasons of furthering God’s plans or purposes. The question that must be raised here is: Did they in each case fully understand that by their actions they were indeed furthering God’s will? If not, what led them to act as they did?
To protect the lineage of a family of God in accord with Torah instruction.
Can Lying be an Acceptable Course of Action?
To answer this question we must first seek the reason(s) that lying was condoned in the above Biblical examples. Was it the lie itself that in each case was praised or condoned, or was there some overriding compulsion underlying the action taken that resulted in a lie? In other words, was the lie the end, or the means to the end; an end that, perhaps, carried a greater weight of authority than commission of the lie itself?
In the case of Rahab, for example, the call to preserve the lives of the spies seems to have had a higher value than truth at the moment. For that matter, it seems that Rahab had a faith/trust in God (and we can only presume it may have extended to her family as well), and it was by reason of that faith, not the lie, that she was praised. She strove through her belief in God to honor Him by protecting His people – those who strive to follow His ways.
Is it probable that Rahab, or for that matter Tamar, would have known at the time that their progeny would be in the lineage of King David? Probably not.
Conclusion
Did God see and discern in the above examples, Biblical characters whose lives were of such a stature that they could be used of Him with confidence, and thus were moved into the lineage of the seed of the woman (Gen. 3:15) from most unlikely backgrounds – all because of their faith? Was it not faith/trust that was accorded to Noah and to Abraham, and thus credited to them as righteousness?
Can we say with any level of confidence today that, as individuals, we possess the faith and character qualities necessary to discern when it would be acceptable in God’s eyes to commit a lie? Just where does that weight of authority rest that would tip the scale of judgment to commit a lie? That of course is ultimately left for each individual to decide. But, I would caution that a decision of this type carries with it considerable gravity, one that requires tremendous soul searching; and, one that is not to be taken lightly or even considered, absent an in depth understanding of the whole counsel of the Bible, in its full and proper context.
Finally, considering the examples cited above, coupled with the whole counsel of God’s written word, just what is the Biblical lesson on lying? Is it that one should not lie, except in isolated instances? Or rather, is it that lying was not the lesson at all in these instances? As previously stated, the Bible is clear that lying is not condoned, according to the preponderance of the Biblical text. So what is the answer?
The answer I submit is imbedded in the text itself, and it is this: for one who is so faith-connected to the God of the Bible through covenant relationship, and striving to honor God’s ways in every aspect of their life, if and when the call comes to deviate from the Biblical instruction on lying, it will at that moment be evident, and he or she will act in accord with that leading. Otherwise, do not lie! The decision to deviate, if we should be confronted with it, becomes a case of deciding for the weightier matter (1) - preservation of life and/or furtherance of God’s will – over truth (in a particular instance).
(1) See Mat. 23:23, and corresponding Prov. 27:3, wherein the “weightier matter” referred to in Greek is bar-ooce’ (Strong’s No. 926 – meaning “heavy, weighty”) nomos (Strong’s No. 3551 – meaning “law”); and in the Hebrew is kaw-bade (Strong’s No. 3515 – meaning “heavier”) Torah, or ko’-bed (Strong’s No. 3514 – meaning “heavy”) Torah.
Comments