Not entirely a lie. Not even mostly. Lies are most effective when used lightly, surrounded by an abundance of truth. You can tell nothing but the truth and still lead people astray.
My big problem with the bible, or any text, is that you can not directly impart an idea from one person to another. Spiritual knowledge must be obtained by one's self rather than granted by another. Others can help to guide one's learning, but if the internal drive to seek truth relentlessly is not present then one will invariably go astray.