Were Lies Allowed Only Under the Law?

It is no wonder that these schemes were properly used in the Old Testament, and that some holy men told lies commendably, or at any rate pardonably, since we see that many worse things were permitted to them because of the rough character of those times. Why should we wonder that when the blessed David was fleeing from Saul, and Abimelech the priest asked him, “Why are you alone, and no one with you?” he answered, “The king has given me a task and said, ‘Let no one know the matter on which you are sent by me,’ for I have directed my servants to such and such a place”? Or again, “Have you a spear or a sword here at hand? For I did not bring my own sword or my own weapon with me, because the king’s business required haste.” Or this, when he was brought to Achish king of Gath and pretended to be mad and raving, “and changed his appearance before them, and slipped down between their hands, and stumbled against the doors of the gate, and his spittle ran down on his beard.” Why wonder, when they were even allowed to enjoy crowds of wives and concubines and no sin was counted against them for it, and when, moreover, they often shed the blood of their enemies with their own hands, and this was thought not only worthy of no blame but actually praiseworthy? Yet all these things, we see, are utterly forbidden in the light of the gospel, so that not one of them can be done without great sin and guilt. [a]

In the same way we hold that no one can use any lie, I will not say rightly, but not even pardonably, however much it may be colored with the appearance of piety. As the Lord says, “Let your speech be yes, yes; no, no; whatever is more than these comes from the evil one.” And the apostle agrees with this: “And do not lie to one another.”