“And so a lie is to be thought of and used as if it were hellebore. If it is taken when a deadly disease is imminent it has a healthful effect, but taken when there is no urgent need it is the cause of immediate death. For we read that even men who were holy and most approved by God made such good use of lying that they not only did not commit sin thereby but even acquired the highest righteousness.” - Abba Joseph (The Conferences: 17.17.1)
Black hellebore is a poisonous flower, which was used in ancient times to cure persons who were seriously ill. Hippocrates used black hellebore as a purgative. Others used black hellebore in cases of paralysis, gout, and insanity. Nevertheless, black hellebore had some poisonous consequences, which included tinnitus, vertigo, stupor, thirst, swelling of the tongue and throat, vomiting, catharsis, and eventual cardiac arrest. Telling a lie is clearly dangerous, and we must discern, as carefully as a doctor would prescribe hellebore, when we should utter one.
How did Western Christianity come to teach that all lies are condemnable? Roman Catholic Priest Boniface Ramsey in his translator's introduction to Conference 17 comments, "Cassian's view of lying, unfamiliar as it may seem, was, however, by no means a singular one in Christian antiquity. Numerous other fathers of the Church--notably Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Hilary of Poitiers, and John Chrysostom--also believed that lying was justified in some circumstances, and Augustine was the first to take the contrary position in any systematic way." Thomas Aquinas also argues, "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 (Contra Mend. x)" (Summa Theologica, II-II, Q. 110, A. 3).
Contrary to Roman Catholic teaching there are many examples of necessary, beneficial lies that Abba Joseph cites from the Holy Scriptures: Rahab (Joshua 2:1-21; 6:17-25), Jacob (Gen. 27), David (1 Kingdoms [Samuel] 21:3, 9, 13), and Hushai (2 Kingdoms [Samuel] 17:14, 20). None of these lies were condemned. Rahab was included in the blessed line of the Savior; Jacob received a blessing of salvation; David was a man after God's own heart; and Hushai was blessed for saving King David's life from Absalom.
Therefore, lying is sometimes necessary. When Christians love others as the Apostle Paul did (c.f. 1 Cor. 10:33), they will eventually lie: "But if we fulfill the apostolic command by placing what is helpful to others ahead of our own well-being (c.f. Phil. 2:4), without a doubt the necessity of lying will be imposed upon us" (17.19.7). We need to condescend to others by laying aside our spiritual strictness, so that we may become "all things to all men" (c.f. 1 Cor. 9:20-22). The Apostles condescended to weaker brethren many times including circumcision (Acts 16:3), Jewish purification (Acts 21:23-24), marriage (1 Cor. 7:38), and using pagan poetry to share the gospel (Acts 17:23, 28). Under some circumstances we may be required to lie.
The holy fathers lied in order to save their own lives, gain a blessing, show mercy, conceal a mystery, zealously follow God, or probe the truth (17.25.1). The Apostle Paul concealed the things that God had revealed to him (c.f. 2 Cor. 12:2-4). Monks lie in order to conceal a fast (c.f. Matt. 6:3, 18), and they also credit others for their own miracles. Even God through the Prophet Jonah failed to keep a promise: "And Jonah began to enter into the city, going a day's journey, where he proclaimed and said, 'Yet three days and Nineveh shall be overthrown'" (Jon. 3:4, SAAS LXX). Not every broken promise can be considered false.
According to Abba Joseph the Christian can lie for the good of salvation or for the good of others:
"It is better for you to assume the damage of a lie or of an unfulfilled promise (which, once past, will neither be repeated again nor be able to beget other sins of itself), than to fall into the situation wherein a somewhat lukewarm life-style, as you say, will cause you daily and lasting harm" (17.8.3).
"For out of necessity one may pardonably acquiesce in the evil of a lie when, as we have said, the damage done by speaking the truth and the benefit conferred on us from the truth could not offset the harm that would be caused" (17.20.2).
Perhaps, permissible lies can be best understood in how God justifies. The Publican and the Pharisee provide clarity. The Pharisee listed off his good works, everything we presume will justify us, while the Publican cried out, "God be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13). Jesus declared the Publican justified not because of his actions, but because of his intention to obtain forgiveness: "God does not search into the outcome of the work but into the aim of the mind" (17.12.4)--see Rom. 2:15-16; Is. 66:18. May we weigh the intentions of our wills, as we seek to be united to Christ, even when we have to lie.
"For great is the value of deceit, provided it be not introduced with a mischievous intention." - St. John Chrysostom
"The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteousness deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie...." - 2 Thess. 2:10-11, NKJV
"But the Nazi is not owed the truth as to whether one is concealing Jews even when one is not. His mission is wrongful regardless of whether one conceals or not. He has no legitimate authority, that having been lost long time since by the regime and those who worked for it. Yet he is a human being, and a child of God, and one cannot assume that his soul is beyond saving. One's obligation, I hold, is to refuse to answer his question regarding the whereabouts of Jews (for he is owed no answer) and to tell him further that he is engaged in a wicked activity and to encourage his repentance." - Corrie ten Boom
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