Contributor: Hortensius F. Mandaru, SSL

Editor: Vince Ellysabeth

The theme of lying is one of the ethical issues that remains relevant in human life, whether in a social, political or religious context. In contemporary reality, people are confronted not only with the practice of lying, but also with the moral complexities behind it: when is lying considered wrong, and are there specific situations in which lying can be justified? This discourse becomes all the more intriguing when considered within the context of the Bible, a collection of ancient documents that reflect the dynamics of human life in relation to God and one’s fellow human beings.

It is important to emphasise from the outset that this discussion does not aim to seek theological legitimisation for the practice of lying. Rather, the primary focus is to explore how the Bible, particularly in its legal, wisdom and narrative texts, constructs a realistic and contextual understanding of lying, without formulating it into rigid universal ethical principles.

Definitions of Lying and Honesty: The Intentional Dimension

Conceptually, honesty can be understood as the act of communicating something that is consistent with what the subject believes or feels, and which is accepted by the other party as the truth. Conversely, a lie is not merely the communication of incorrect information, but involves the intention to mislead. The element of intent is key in distinguishing between misinformation and a genuine lie. Thus, from a biblical perspective, a lie is judged not only by the content of the statement, but also by the motivation and purpose behind the act.

The Prohibition of Lying in Legal Texts: The Judicial Context

In the biblical legal tradition, the prohibition against lying is explicitly found in the Ten Commandments: ‘You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour’ (Ex. 20:16; Deut. 19:16–21). However, it is important to note that this prohibition has a very specific context, namely within the judicial sphere.

In ancient Israelite society, a witness’s testimony played a crucial role in determining a person’s life or death. Consequently, lying in this context was regarded as a serious offence that threatened justice and life. Nevertheless, no universal formulation is found in the biblical legal texts that absolutely prohibits lying in all situations.

The Wisdom Literature Perspective: Lying as Something Abhorred

In contrast to the contextual legal texts, the wisdom literature offers a broader moral assessment of lying. The Book of Psalms and Proverbs consistently affirm that lying is something disliked, even detested, by God.

Proverbs 6:16–19 lists the ‘lying tongue’ and the ‘false witness’ as among the seven things that are an abomination to the Lord. Similarly, Proverbs 12:22 states that  lips that speak lies are an abomination to the Lord. However, it should be noted that these texts are normative and reflective in nature, rather than universally binding legal legislation.

Biblical Narratives: Moral Realism and Ethical Ambiguity

The Bible’s primary strength lies in its realistic narratives. Biblical figures are not portrayed as morally perfect, but rather as human beings with ethical complexity and ambiguity.

Condemned Lies

Several narratives explicitly criticise lying, particularly when driven by selfish or malicious motives:
* Gehazi, the servant of the prophet Elisha, lied for material gain and was ultimately punished with leprosy.
* Joseph’s brothers deceived their father out of hatred and jealousy.
* Potiphar’s wife falsely accused Joseph with a lie that ruined another person’s life.

In these cases, lying is associated with malicious intent and results in negative consequences.

Lies Not Explicitly Judged

Interestingly, there are many narratives in which lies are not explicitly judged by the narrator. For example, when Jacob deceived Isaac to obtain the blessing, he was not directly condemned in the narrative. However, as the story unfolds, Jacob experiences a reversal of fortune when he himself is deceived by Laban.

Here, the narrative operates implicitly: the reader is invited to judge through the consequences, rather than through direct judgement.

Tolerated Lies: Extreme Cases

One of the most intriguing aspects of the Bible is the presence of situations where lies appear to be tolerated, or even serve a positive purpose.
1. To Save One’s Own Life
* Abraham lied about Sarah’s status to protect himself in a foreign land.
* David pretended to be a messenger of Saul or even acted like a madman to avoid death.
In these cases, lying became a survival strategy in situations of extreme threat.

2. To Save Others
* Zipporah and Puah, two Hebrew midwives, lied to Pharaoh to save the Israelite babies, and were in turn blessed by God.
* Michal, David’s wife, deceived her father Saul to save her husband.
* Judith used a ruse to defeat Israel’s enemy.
In this context, lying serves as a means of liberation from oppression.

3. In the Pursuit of Justice
Tamar disguised herself to secure her rightful place in Judah’s lineage. Her actions were acknowledged as right by Judah himself.
Here, lying becomes a means of demanding justice within a failing system.

Theological Reflection: The Tension between Principle and Reality
The Bible does not provide a black-and-white answer to the issue of lying. Rather, there is a tension between the general moral principle that lying is wrong, and the complex realities of life.

Modern moral principles, such as absolute honesty (for example, in the Augustinian tradition), are not fully reflected in the Bible. Instead, the Bible presents a more contextual and narrative approach, in which lying is still regarded as problematic. However, in extreme situations (particularly those concerning life and justice), lying may be tolerated. Consequently, moral judgement is often left to the reader. This is reflected in the theological principle stated in 2 Samuel 22:27: ‘To the upright you show yourself upright, but to the crafty you show yourself crafty.’

Conclusion

The Bible presents a testimony of faith through characters who are so realistic: real human beings with all their complexities, not flawless, idealised figures. When it comes to lying, the Bible does not lay down a rigid, universal prohibition, but presents a broad moral spectrum.

Lying is fundamentally viewed negatively, particularly when driven by malicious intent. However, in certain situations—especially those involving the saving of lives, resistance to oppression, or the struggle for justice—lying may emerge as an ambiguous yet understandable ethical choice.

Thus, we can see that the strength of the Bible lies precisely in the realism of its narratives: it does not oversimplify morality, but invites readers to grapple with, weigh up, and reflect on ethical decisions within the complexities of real life.

This article is adapted from Bincang Alkitab. Watch the full video version on LAI’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/y3CIe3ChWYQ?si=EFOIhBQWJcNRa1TD