Question:
A doubt arose in me after reading the book of Judith, where she appears to deceive Holofernes (cf. Jdt 10:12 ff.). The question is: is the Bible saying that lying is licit in some cases, for example, to an enemy?
Answer:
Dear friend,
I am grateful for your query, because it is an interesting topic that no one had asked about until now.
The general principle is very well established by Saint Thomas (drawing upon the admirable writings of Saint Augustine on lying: De mendacio and Contra mendacium) when he says: “It is written (Sirach 7:14): ‘Be not willing to make any manner of lie.’ I answer that, An action that is naturally evil in respect of its genus can by no means be good and lawful, since in order for an action to be good it must be right in every respect: because good results from a complete cause, while evil results from any single defect, as Dionysius asserts (Div. Nom. iv). Now a lie is evil in respect of its genus, since it is an action bearing on undue matter. For as words are naturally signs of intellectual acts, it is unnatural and undue for anyone to signify by words something that is not in his mind. Hence the Philosopher says (Ethic. iv, 7) that ‘lying is in itself evil and to be shunned, while truthfulness is good and worthy of praise.’ Therefore every lie is a sin, as also Augustine declares.”[1]
The principle of Saint Thomas, therefore, admits of no exceptions. In the case of persons who lie in small matters out of fear of great evils, the lie remains evil (even if venial), and we cannot justify or praise their action, but rather have compassion, as Saint Thomas has also explained in his commentary on Aristotle.[2]
It is interesting how Saint Thomas, always following Augustine, resolves the difficulties that some find in certain biblical figures who appear to have lied. I cite some of the Aquinate’s solutions.
1. The case of the Hebrew midwives who lied to Pharaoh to save the newborn Jewish children and were blessed by God (cf. Ex 1:21): “The midwives were rewarded, not for their lie, but for their fear of God, and for their good-will, which latter led them to tell a lie. Hence it is expressly stated (Exodus 2:21): ‘And because the midwives feared God, He built them houses.’ But the subsequent lie was not meritorious.”[3]
2. It appears that some holy biblical figures lied, such as Abraham when he said that his wife was his sister (cf. Gen 12:13-19; 20:2-5); Jacob lied by pretending to be Esau (Gen 27); and Judith is praised for deceiving Holofernes (Jdt 10:12). The Angelic Doctor distinguishes two kinds of figures:[4]
- Some are praised for their perfect virtue. Of these, therefore, one cannot think that they lied in any way. Either their actions have an explanation, though difficult, as in the case of Abraham, whose wife was also his sister according to Oriental terminology (cousin). Or their actions had a prophetic and figurative meaning, and the truth lies at the prophetic level. Such is the case of Jacob, who mystically passes himself off as Isaac’s firstborn (i.e., passes himself off as Esau) because the birthright belonged to him by right (which Esau had already sold to him); this assertion is made in a spirit of prophecy, signifying that the lesser people, that of the Gentiles, were to replace the Jews in the birthright.
- Other figures, such as Judith, are not praised for their perfect virtue, but for certain noble aspects, even though in some cases they performed reprehensible acts. Thus Judith is praised, not because she deceived Holofernes, but because of her desire to liberate her fellow citizens, for whom she exposed herself to so many dangers. Nevertheless, her words also contain a certain truth if we attend to the spiritual sense of Scripture.
3. And cannot the principle of the lesser evil be applied in a case where one had to choose between lying and allowing another to commit homicide, or to save an innocent person? Saint Thomas responds: “A lie is sinful not only because it injures one’s neighbor, but also on account of its inordinateness, as stated above in this Article. Now it is not allowed to make use of anything inordinate in order to ward off injury or defects from another: as neither is it lawful to steal in order to give an alms […] Therefore it is not lawful to tell a lie in order to deliver another from any danger whatever. Nevertheless it is lawful to hide the truth prudently, by keeping it back, as Augustine says.”[5]
As we see, the position of Saint Thomas on this matter is exceedingly clear and definitive.
Fr. Miguel A. Fuentes, IVE
[1] Saint Thomas, Summa Theologiae, II-II, 110, 3.
[2] Cf. Saint Thomas, Commentary on the Nicomachean Ethics, III, lect. 2, n. 394.
[3] Saint Thomas, Summa Theologiae, II-II, 110, 3 ad 2.
[4] Cf. Saint Thomas, Summa Theologiae, II-II, 110, 3 ad 3.
[5] Saint Thomas, Summa Theologiae, II-II, 110, 3 ad 4.
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