Tim Suffield argues here that when Abraham went to Egypt and agreed with Sarah that they would say she was his sister, that he was not lying and that he has unfairly got a bad press because of this. The basis of Tim’s case is that Abraham was in fact Sarah’s half-brother according to Genesis 20. He goes on to suggest reasons as to why Abraham would have taken this action, suggests that he has no other option and then reminds us that the primary aim in Genesis is to show us how God’s big purpose was being fulfilled. I agree with this last point. However, everything else he says up until that point is wrong.
First, of all Abraham does lie. Lying is about when we share falsehood, it’s about seeking to deceive. This is important because many lies, especially the successful ones are those which contain a kernel of truth. Abraham’s claim that Sarah was his sister was intended to deceive. It was given as the explanation for his relationship with her. By implication, the Egyptians did not need to assume that any other explanation, such as that they were married was necessary. In court, we swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. If we add something that isn’t true to a true statement or withhold crucial information, then we bear false witness. In court, this would amount to perjury.
Why does this matter? I want to suggest two reasons. First, it’s important for our understanding of how Satan tempts. It’s possible to look at Genesis 3 or the temptations of Jesus and argue that the devil offers propositions that are on one level true. Yet, the reality is that he is seeking to deceive. He is lying.
Secondly, we are often tempted to make excuses for ourselves and play down our lies. At its most serious, there’s a movement in some quarters to argue that God’s people are somehow permitted to deceive because truth is something we own and therefore, unbelievers are not entitled to it. We need to be clear in our minds and hearts that deception is not permitted.
And this is also important because Tim entitles his article “rescuing Abraham”. Yet, what he seeks to do is rescue Abraham’s reputation by excusing his actions. Yet, Abraham could have done things differently, he could have not gone into Egypt in the first place but instead trusted God to provide for him in the promised land. He could have been truthful from the start. He could have put the Egyptians right when they took Sarah off. He was there with his wife. Shouldn’t he seek hospitality on that basis. His concern seems to arise out of fear, he sees his wife’s beauty as a danger to himself. This is about self-preservation. Pharoah is clear that Abraham bears culpability. Indeed, it is also clear that God is able to protect Abraham and Sarah even with the truth out there, They should have at least learnt this lesson for the second occasion.
In this context it is worth noting that Tim argues that Abram will have assumed that Pharaoh would have honoured the convention (Tim refers to it as “common law” but I think that is to read something anachronistically onto Egypt) that the brother’s permission was needed for someone to wed his sister. However note that Abraham is rewarded and treated well which suggests the convention was followed. Attention to detail matters.
Indeed it is a strange piece of logic to suggest Abram would think that he would be both protected from murder and losing Sarah by his deceit. Surely if he refused consent, then a murderous Pharaoh would stil have killed to get what he wanted. It seems more likely that he was willing to put Sarah’s virtue at risk. A sister was available for marriage without you needing to remove her husband. That is the point.
Furthermore, we do not need to rescue Abraham with ethical gymnastics. Scripture is clear that God did that, he credited Abraham’s faith as righteousness. Abraham wasn’t perfect, a true and better Abraham was to come. Abraham wasn’t loved and blessed by God because he was perfect and sinless. God chose to love and bless him. That’s good news for us too.
Faithroots 
2 comments
Comments are closed.