John the Baptist lied in the Bible. Is it OK for a Christian to lie?

[NewChapter]

Here is John 1:21 & Matthew 11:13-14...:

John 1:21
English Standard Version (ESV)
(21)And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

Matthew 11:13-14
English Standard Version (ESV)
(13)For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, (14)and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.

So John said of himself that he was not Elijah, and Jesus said of him that he was.

Does this mean that it is OK for a Christian to tell a lie?

NC

 

[wizanda]

The gospel of John is made up.

 

[Rival]

John didn't know he was Elijah, I'm tipping.

 

[jeager106]

If you weren't there how could you know?

 

[jeager106]

R U tipping or tRipping?

 

[arthra]

Recall that John was being asked a question by the priests...

Malachi 4th chapter has:

“See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes"

So this was a time of Messianic expectation.."... before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes", this day of the Lord is in my view the Day of the Manifestation of Jesus Himself.

"And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who art thou? Are you the Messiah? Are you Elijah? Are you the prophet?...

And he answered, “No.”

He really doesn't have to explain who he is to these priests who have their corrupt establishment and power. John isn't lying he's rebuffing them.

In the Gospel of Matthew 11th chapter:

(13) For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, (14)and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.

Jesus is explaining that John is indeed the fulfillment of the prophecy "if you are willing to accept it". Note He said "if".

Recall that in the Gospel of Matthew Jesus said:

7:6 "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you."

The priests were no better than swine.



A better scripture I think is the case in the Gospel of Mark where after Jesus heals a man He asks him not say anything:

1:42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.

1:43 And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; 1:44 And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

(King James Bible, Mark)

 

[Shiranui117]

Here is John 1:21 & Matthew 11:13-14...:

John 1:21
English Standard Version (ESV)
(21)And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

Matthew 11:13-14
English Standard Version (ESV)
(13)For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, (14)and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.

So John said of himself that he was not Elijah, and Jesus said of him that he was.

Does this mean that it is OK for a Christian to tell a lie?

NC

John the Baptist spoke correctly--no, he is not literally Elijah. Elijah never died and was taken bodily into Heaven, so how can John, who was born to a barren mother and an old father, possibly be Elijah who ascended into Heaven? Nor did Jesus lie--John the Baptist fulfilled Elijah's role, to pave the way before Christ. Hence, John the Baptist was Elijah--not literally or physically, but in the role he played.

 

[DawudTalut]

Here is John 1:21 & Matthew 11:13-14...:

John 1:21
English Standard Version (ESV)
(21)And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

Matthew 11:13-14
English Standard Version (ESV)
(13)For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, (14)and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.

So John said of himself that he was not Elijah, and Jesus said of him that he was.

Does this mean that it is OK for a Christian to tell a lie?

NC

Simple....IMHO
John (on whom be peace) said in literal sense.
Jesus (on whom be peace) said in metaphoric sense.
Both were right.

 

[ShivaFan]

Well I don't know from a Christian sense. However, in Hinduism I have seen these sort of discussions go on.

For example, the Bengali shoe shine is shining my sneakers (seriously, then he gets paid and it is great to have a Bengali shoe shine your sneakers) on the corner of Kyd Street and Chowringhee Lane.

This shoe shine is also a Guru.

"So, who are you?" he asks. "I am ShivaFan".
"No. You are Rama", he says.
"No, I am not Rama", I say.
"You are Rama. I am Rama. That one over there is Rama"...

Happens a lot.

 

[Sultan Of Swing]

Here is John 1:21 & Matthew 11:13-14...:

John 1:21
English Standard Version (ESV)
(21)And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

Matthew 11:13-14
English Standard Version (ESV)
(13)For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, (14)and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.

So John said of himself that he was not Elijah, and Jesus said of him that he was.

Does this mean that it is OK for a Christian to tell a lie?

NC

John the Baptist physically isn't Elijah, it's true, he's not some reincarnation or rebirth of Elijah. He's telling the truth.

And at the same time, John came 'in the spirit and power' of Elijah.

From Luke 1:
“Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

John the Baptist performed the same function as pointing people to the arrival of the Lord just as Elijah did, in "spirit and power", though John is not physically the same person as Elijah, and thus both verses are absolutely true.

 

[rusra02]

Here is John 1:21 & Matthew 11:13-14...:

John 1:21
English Standard Version (ESV)
(21)And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

Matthew 11:13-14
English Standard Version (ESV)
(13)For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, (14)and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.

So John said of himself that he was not Elijah, and Jesus said of him that he was.

Does this mean that it is OK for a Christian to tell a lie?

NC

There is no contradiction here. John was not Elijah raised from the dead. As Jesus stated, John did a prophetic work like Elijah, fulfilling the prophesy at Malachi 4:5,6. Before John's birth, it was foretold that " he will go ahead of him with E·liʹjah’s spirit and power, to turn back the hearts of fathers to children and the disobedient ones to the practical wisdom of righteous ones, in order to get ready for Jehovah a prepared people.” (Luke 1:17) In that sense, John was the Elijah who is to come.