Did Abram sin in saying that Sarai was his sister?

[pmitch72402]

For reference, I’m referring to Genesis 12:10-20, when Abraham (at this point, called Abram) told Sarai to say that she was his sister instead of his wife. I always assumed this was a sin since it was a lie. However, I’ve heard other interpretations of this passage saying that Sarai was Abram’s niece, and that “sister” was a common name for one’s niece in this time period. I’d like to hear your thoughts on this topic.

 

[TheLittleLady]

We don’t know. Abraham did sin, as has/will every human (except Jesus and Mary). If this were or were not a sin is simply unknown. All lies are sins, the culpability of the sin varies.

 

[Elf01]

For reference, I’m referring to Genesis 12:10-20, when Abraham (at this point, called Abram) told Sarai to say that she was his sister instead of his wife. I always assumed this was a sin since it was a lie. However, I’ve heard other interpretations of this passage saying that Sarai was Abram’s niece, and that “sister” was a common name for one’s niece in this time period. I’d like to hear your thoughts on this topic.

Gen 20:12, says she was his half sister.

 

[Hodos]

For reference, I’m referring to Genesis 12:10-20, when Abraham (at this point, called Abram) told Sarai to say that she was his sister instead of his wife. I always assumed this was a sin since it was a lie. However, I’ve heard other interpretations of this passage saying that Sarai was Abram’s niece, and that “sister” was a common name for one’s niece in this time period. I’d like to hear your thoughts on this topic.

Yes, Abraham sinned. He knowingly deceived others with regard to his relationship to Sarah to such an extent that he almost allowed Pharaoh to marry her. It seems that Abraham did not trust in God’s provision to provide for him. He had already been promised at this point that his descendants would inherit the land of Canaan, but here he seems to take matters into his own hands. This would not be the last time this happens in Abraham’s life. Luckily God’s faithfulness does not rest upon our merit, but upon His grace.

 

[chrisjb]

Gen 20:12, says she was his half sister.

Correct, so he didn’t lie.

 

[JGD]

Altho it’s true what Abraham said wasn’t false, yet his purpose was to deceive Abimelech by withholding critical information about the relationship between himself and Sarah.

 

[CTBcin]

Altho it’s true what Abraham said wasn’t false, yet his purpose was to deceive Abimelech by withholding critical information about the relationship between himself and Sarah.

From the standpoint of ethical philosophy:

Deception and lying are two different things. Lying is objectively wrong. Deception is not necessarily wrong. Lies can involve deception, and deception can involve lying. However: Not all lies are deception, and not all deceptions are lies.

I certainly think that it’s possible that the withholding of this critical information could be sinful. I will not be the one to make that final judgement, though.

 

[JGD]

JGD:

Altho it’s true what Abraham said wasn’t false, yet his purpose was to deceive Abimelech by withholding critical information about the relationship between himself and Sarah.

From the standpoint of ethical philosophy:

Deception and lying are two different things. Lying is objectively wrong. Deception is not necessarily wrong. Lies can involve deception, and deception can involve lying. However: Not all lies are deception, and not all deceptions are lies.

Method/means may differ, but the intent is the same - specifically, to deceive.

Of course, motive for the deception, consequences of the deception, knowledge, and any other factors that may be involved, have a bearing on whether or not it was sinful and the degree of sinfulness. As you noted, judgement is not ours to make.

Interesting to do a word search for "deceive/deceiver/deceiving/deception etc. in both the Bible and the Catechism!!

 

[chrisjb]

His purpose was actually to protect his life and that purpose involved a necessary deception. The intention here is what counts. If the deception was at all a sin, it was heavily mitigated by his intention.

 

[JGD]

Yes, he was concerned more for his life than any suffering it might mean for his wife.

I think a bigger mitigating factor might have concerned his “knowledge”. Abraham lived before God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses.

 

[LilyM]

Well, it is not that he “just” withheld it - sometimes withholding information is as sinful as providing false information. For example, if a wife “just” withholds from her husband the information that she has had an affair and that her husband is not the father of her child when he thinks he is.

I think this story teaches that lesson - after all, as much as Abraham thought he was avoiding trouble, he actually created a lot of trouble when Pharoah, not knowing he was married to Sarai, wanted to marry her himself.