SUBJECT:  Rahab’s Lie in Joshua 2      play      download      MP3

QUESTION: 
Is Rahab's lie justified? Can we glorify God by lying? Does James give Rahab credit for following her faith with works, (i.e., lying) about the spies?

ANSWER:

                     Lets consider the context of each passage:
 

                     Josh 2:1-7

                     1 ¶ Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, "Go,

                     view the land, especially Jericho." So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose

                     name was Rahab, and lodged there. 2 It was told the king of Jericho, saying, "Behold, men

                     from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land." 3 And the king of

                     Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, "Bring out the men who have come to you, who have

                     entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land." 4 But the woman had

                     taken the two men and hidden them, and she said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not

                     know where they were from. 5 "It came about when it was time to shut the gate at dark,

                     that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will

                     overtake them." 6 But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of

                     flax which she had laid in order on the roof. 7 So the men pursued them on the road to the

                     Jordan to the fords; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut

                     the gate.

                     James 2:24-26

                     24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was

                     not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent

                     them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith

                     without works is dead.

                     Answer to your questions:

                     1) "Is Rahab's lie justified?" Most definitely no. 2) "Can we glorify God by lying?" Again,

                     most definitely no. 3) "Does James give Rahab credit for following her faith with works,

                     (i.e., lying) about the spies?" Again, the answer is NO.

                     There are a number of things to keep in mind here.

                     First, it is doubtful that Rahab would have understand the nature and consequences of lying

                     having been reared in heathenism. It is not likely that she even considered her falsehood to

                     be wrong.

                     Second, I believe she was influenced by a desire to preserve her own life. Had she told the

                     local officials what she had done, she would have immediately been executed,

                     Third, she was attempting to place the army she knew was going to be victorious in

                     obligation to her and her family by saving the lives of their spies.

                     Fourth, and most importantly, I believe, James says that "a man is justified by works." The

                     "work" identified in Rahab's case was not the lie, but the harboring of the spies. The

                     commentator Keil observes: "The course she adopted was a sin of weakness which was

                     forgiven her in mercy because of her faith." I believe this to be an excellent comment.

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Also from my Notebook piece on “Little White Lies”

The “allowable lies” of the Bible Argument – bad theology

Some, in attempting to use the "good intentions" argument refer to the Bible and the lies of Abraham and Rahab.  Abraham lied to Abimelech in saying that his wife, Sarah, was his sister.  His motive was to keep from getting killed.  Some might think this justified, but as you read the account in Genesis 20, God had to intervene to keep Sarah from becoming Abimelech's wife.  It is Abimelech who is incensed with Abraham for his lie. "What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin?" (Genesis 20:9).

Then we have the case of Rahab of Jericho who hides the spies of Israel and lies to the authorities as to where they are.  I have witnessed a number of people who reference this account and say that lying for the good of God and/or His people is justified.  However, nowhere in God's Word will you see her praised for the lie.  Nowhere  will you find her lie justified.  She is praised in Hebrews 11 and James 2 for her faith and sending the spies out the other way.  Nothing about the lie.  Most every commentary and Internet site I consulted on the subject admitted that hers was an unjustified lie.  This can, in no way, be used to justify a little white lie.  Notice some commentaries [emphasis mine]...

The falsehood to which she had recourse may be excused by the pressure of circumstances and by her own antecedents, but cannot be defended.
(from Barnes' Notes)

Rahab's expedient lie was a sin of weakness in one whose conscience was just beginning to be awakened out of heathen darkness. A man of developed faith learns to answer without lying. 
(from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary)

The falsehood by which Rahab sought not only to avert all suspicion from herself of any conspiracy with the Israelitish men who had entered her house, but to prevent any further search for them in her house, and to frustrate the attempt to arrest them, is not to be justified as a lie of necessity told for a good purpose. (from Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament: New Updated Edition)