Ritröð Guðfræðistofnunar - 01.01.2013, Side 22

qu. 2,1 (to Ex 1,19-20)
quaeri solet, utrum talia mendacia
adprobata sint auctoritate diuina,
quandoquidem scriptum est deum
bene fecisse obstetricibus; sed
utrum pro misericordia ignoscebat
mendacio an et ipsum mendacium
dignum praemio iudicabat,
incertum est.
aliud enim faciebant obstetrices
uiuificando infantes paruulos, aliud
pharaoni mentiendo; nam in illis
uiuificandis opus misericordiae
fuit; mendacio uero illo pro se
utebantur, ne noceret illis pharao,
quod potuit non ad laudem, sed ad
ueniam pertinere.
neque hinc auctoritatem ad
mentiendum esse propositam mihi
uidetur eis, de quibus dictum est:
«et non est inuentum in ore eorum
mendacium».
quorundam enim uita longe inferior
a professione sanctorum si habeat
ista mendaciorum peccata, prouectu
ipso et indole feruntur, praesertim
si beneficia diuina nondum norunt
expectare caelestia, sed circa terrena
occupantur.
Normally, one might ask whether
such lies are approved by God’s
authority, since it is written: God
showed favour to the midwives.
However, it is not clear, whether
God, out of his mercy, merely
overlooked their lie or whether he
regarded the lie as such to be worthy
of reward.
Now it was one thing for the
midwives to save the lives of the
little children and it was somet-
hing else to lie to Pharaoh, for by
saving the lives of the children they
performed an act of mercy. They
used the lie, however, in their own
interest, namely to prevent the
Pharaoh from punishing themselves.
Such an action cannot be deemed
praiseworthy, but only can serve as
an excuse.
Likewise, in my opinion, those were
given no authorisation to lie, of
whom it is said: “In their mouths
no lie was found.” (Apok.14,5)
When sins such as lying are found in
the lives of people whose behaviour
falls well below the moral standards
of the saints, then, by advancing in
age and growing in character, they
may come to approach such moral
standards, especially when, having
not yet learned to expect God’s
heavenly rewards, they instead occupy
themselves with earthly rewards.
20