ANSWERS: 24
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  • In the New Testament it does refer to men being able to leave his parents but cling onto his wife (singular) and then they become one body, so it's saying that A man and A woman join in holy matrimony and no more. Also it refers to the necessary qualities of a bishop, one of which is having only one partner. So if the holiest of poeple can only have one partner then surely that is a guide of how the rest of us should live. However before the New Testament it doesn't specifically condemn polygamy. Ethernium: Whether I agree with the scripture or not is immaterial. I have merely answered the question of what the Bible says on the subject at hand.
  • Polygamy is one of many things the patriarchs did that the Bible does not condone. The Bible nowhere explicitly forbids polygamy, but I am unaware of any passage that says anything good about it. As another post points out, the New Testament instructs anyone chosen for the office of "overseer," "deacon" or "elder" of a church should be "the husband of but one wife" (1 Tim 3:2, 3:12, Titus 1:6 NIV & NASB) making that situation pretty clearly preferred.
  • I would speculate that polygamy was one of the things God tolerated in His Saints, but did not necessarily condone. I believe that God's original design for the institution of marriage was when He made Eve for Adam. Never is there mentioned more than one wife for Adam, nor did he have a special friend named Steve. Eve was made as a helpmeet for Adam. To complete him, and be his companion. Adam loved Eve, because she was part of him, and created to be his companion and helper, and was literally of his flesh. God didn't make him more than one wife. There is precedent for God tolerating things but not condoning them in the Bible. In the case of divorce. Matthew 19:8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. Notice the last 8 words of the verse. Divorce was not part of God's plan for us, but it was tolerated.
  • Was it not speculation by the Jews that turned them against Jesus? Did not David have multiple wives? Does not the Bible say that David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and HAD NOT FAILED to keep any of the LORD's commands all the days of his life?except in the case of Uriah the Hittite. (1 Kings 15:5) Are you no different than the Jews in persecuting God according to the laws and ordinances created by mere men? To say to a man it is good to have only one wife is proper. But, will you not bring judgement upon yourself by dealing judgement that is not in accordance with the Word of God? Do you not fear God? Is it not written in Revelation 22:18, "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book." If you fear the Lord God of David, will you continue adding speculation to man's burden?
  • One of my earlier posts explained that there is a growth, development, progression in the Bible. What held for the OT/Hebrew Scriptures did not hold for the New in some areas, marriage being one. Slavery was NOT condemned by Jesus or Paul, but the Church came slowly to see that slavery was in conflict with human dignity and so the dark glasses came off and eventually slavery as institution was dropped- it still exists today if one looks at the sub-human wages paid by huge corporations to minimum wage folks who are exhausted, irritable and cannot be present to spouse or child(ren) OR are abandoned by the other spouse because it is culturally acceptable to say "divorce is okay" without calling one to accept responsibility for child-rearing, support and the rest, but the single parent must work two jobs to pay the basics or a couple cannot make it on slave wage pay! It helps to see one change like that to see how we came to understand human disgnity and its implications for marriage and other topics.
  • The bible doesn't specifically forbid it however if you look pretty much all the instances where men had multiple wives. (There actually arn't that many) it turned out pretty bad. Look at Leah and Racheal
  • (Answer to Ethernium) Come on, brother! Learn to properly divide the Bible... In 1 Kings 15:5 it is said that David had not turned aside from anything that God had commanded except in the CASE of Uriah the Hittite. The CASE included the precursor of lust, coveting his neighbors wife, and adultery. You are not defending those, are you, just because they are not mentioned specifically? The case also included plotting, deceit, and selfishness in the murder of Uriah, for which I'm glad this CASE took it's namesake as otherwise poor Uriah is almost forgotten... And the case ends with a polygamous act of David's marriage to Uriah's widow. I think we can reasonably assume that this Bible Patriarch indulged in several forbidden practices here. Case closed.
  • The multiple wife situation was a tribal situtaion to obtain power by force to defend ones tribe & family against the many enemies against Israel or the Israeli Jewish people at the time... If you want an idea about marriage look up 1 Timothy 3:2 about a Bishops office... Most people could only handle one wife... BACK THEN....
  • In the old testament there are examples of men with multiple wives. God did not expressly forbid multiple wives; but, he did desire that men have only one wife.(Dt17:17 He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray...) This verse is for the king but you can apply it to regular men too. All of the patriarchs had more than one wife or at least a wife and a concubine or slave girl who bore them children. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Israel) and his son's. In the new testament we are told to have only one wife.( Corinthians 7:1-2 1 Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. 2 But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.)
  • It is a very legitimate question. There are many Christian sources who try to cope with the fact that many important patriarchs in Old Testament were polygams and that polygamy is not explicitely forbidden in the New Testament, as anyone can see there for themselves. I suppose that they try to make the Bible tell what they would like it to say. For instance: http://www.eadshome.com/polygamy.htm Some Moslem scholars seem to present good arguments for the absence of an explicit prohibition of polygamy in the Bible. (Of course, their intention is to support the idea that the Christians have no reason to criticize polygamy in Islam) This is developed in the following source: http://www.quransearch.com/ntpoly.htm The Mormons fundamentalists (not the Latter-day Saints) support polygamy too, but their main reference is not the Bible but the Book of Mormon. Of course, my answer could shock: - "people who try to make the Bible tell what they would like it to say" (for instance, supporters of the view in my first reference) - people who do not understand why Moslem scholar should have something to say about this issue - Mormons (LDS) who could feel hurt if I am saying that the main base of their religion is not the Bible, but first the Book of Mormon. - Bible fans or people lacking lateral thinking who would consider that I should have looked for answers exclusively in the Bible, building my answer out of a serie of Bible quotations. It is not my purpose to shock these people. There have already many occasions to be shocked every time that they are leaving their own universe. I wanted maily to address those who have broader views, and present them interesting elements about the issue, which you could not obtain if you were limiting your field of research.
  • Yes. 1 Timothy 3:12 says, A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. Also you'll want to read Matthew 19:3-9. Hope this is helpful.
  • No ! The Bible does not specifically forbid polygamy. Why to people choose to embrace some parts of the Torah and not others. Yeshua said that not one dot or tiddle will be changed or destroyed until the end of days when the earth and the heavens pass away. If Hashem allowed Polygamy it is not a sin. He is the same,yesterday, today and forever. Man changed the laws, not The Lord. Monogamy was practiced in countries where dynasties were not shared with many. It was all about power and money. The Romans, Greeks, and other European powers did not want to share the inheritence with many wives and children. Those who practiced Polygamy , according to the stipulations of the Torah , did not commit adultry. Those who just took extra wives without obeying the Torah were sinning.
  • Yeshua also said that in the last days there would be forbidding of marriage. What do you think forbidding marriage to more than one wife constitutes. If the marriage partners choose to be married legally in the eyes of the Creator of Heaven and earth, why should they be penalized by man when God does not condemn them? Who has a heaven or hell to put you in - - God or man. Who would you listen to and obey? BiBiRaRi
  • There is no strict prohibition of polygamy, but it is definitely not seen as the ideal marriage. In Genesis 2: 24, straight after the creation of woman, we are told 24For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. Jesus, backs this up in the New Testament, by quoting this verse as the ideal: one man, one woman. (Mark 10. this was in the context of discussing divorce which Jesus also said was not God's ideal or plan) Polygamy is only seen after the Fall (Rebellion) of humans against God in the Garden of Eden. In Genesis 4, after the first murder is spoken of, Adam's descendant, Lamech, marries twice. In the Old Testament, yes, Jacob was polygamous, as were the kings (Abraham technically was too, because he had a concubine, Hagar) but these marriages are generally portrayed as full of conflict. In the New Testament, Jesus states the ideal of God, and in 1 Timothy 3, Paul gets the elders of the church to set the example by stressing: one wife only. That is why, to this day, Christians do not marry more than one woman. We have returned to the plan of God.
  • Dose of reality: Yes, being married one man to one woman and hold that together faithfully for a lifetime is the right way Jesus is talking about it is meant to be from the beginning. However, If I walk into just about any church that claims to be Christian nowadays. Theres lots of divorced people and remarried people.So I would hope I would shy away from telling people that Christians do not marry more than one person and have returned to the Plan of God. I would question my honesty. The way I resolve the issue not justify it. Is remembering there are people like Abraham(pressured into polygamy by his own wife, mistake he made was listening to her)and Jacob who was tricked into polygamy.Evidence of True Christianity being practiced is both celibacy and then monogamy and there may even be periods of time within the monogamist marriage that celibacy is practiced for a while also. God forgives sins so if someone has been married and divorced several times he or she can still be a Christian. However, If someone claims something like I've been a Christian now for 7 years . But, in that time he or she has married and divorced. I'm not saying that they cant be Christian. But I am saying there is absolute proof they are having troubles in their Walk with God and their advice is probalby not worth much.Anytime you encounter a Pastor whos been married and divorced several times in his life time thats a True warning sign no matter how wonderful he or she may seem. Jesus never married in the physical sense i.e. he never had a biological wife. Because he has Gods ability fully to not need it. Some People like Paul the Apostle are blessed with no sex drive at all.Some people claim that Paul the Apostle was gay as justification for their being gay and Christian. It is possible to be gay and Christain and the evidence of that is that they are not practicing homosexual sex but are either celibate or married faithfully to the opposite sex. I have met many gay Christians who are able to do this. So I know its possible. Hope this answer helps answer your question even though your question is very old and you may not be around any more
  • iwnit1, You have given the best supporting evidence on polygamy that I have ever seen. The thing that most of the Western World has been in denial of is that the cultures in the continent of Africa has been more in tune with the ways of God in their practices of Biblical laws, out of love for Yahwah or their disobedience in the practices of Yahwah's laws , out of rebellion/disobediance. They either obey the laws of Yahwah or disobey them. The westerners have had the mentality that they are superior , in many philosophies and doctrines, but fail to understand that the movement of Yahwah (God) originated in the African Continent, mainly the Middle Eastern countries. We have to change the state of denial which is prevelant in the other parts of the world, from the African continent. There has been social evolution which caused pollution of the Word and the laws of Yahwah(God). The Western world tried to embrace a new religion (Christianity) Jesus did not start a new religion- He came to fulfill the sacraficial part of the salvation plan of God, which was illuded to in the Passover feast, when the blood of the spotless lamb was placed over the doors of all of the Hebrew dwellings, in Egypt, before the exodus. Jesus studied and practiced all of the Torah, because he is the Torah. How can "Christians" separate or divorce themselves from the law/Torah, which was given to moses from God for His people to be governed by. If Christians call themselves God's people, shouldn't that include everyone who believe upon the name of Yahwah and His only begotten son, Yeshua(which means Yahwah saves His people, Yahwah is salvation)? We should not pick and choose what we will accept as the word of God, if the Torah/Bible is what we use as our governing faction of the life we have on this earth , until Jesus(Yeshua) returns for His believers, then quit tearing it down. Embrace every word with the revelation from The Holy Spirit of God. (Ruach HaKodesh! BiBiRaRi
  • Hi WoundsofAFriend ! You have made some very good points. I do have one thing to comment on. The word "gay" is a man-made-term. What Jesus called those who have the personality which renders one( a-sexuality)which is what I describe one as, is "EUNACH". This term is not of the normal language of today, but I feel adequately describes a "gay" person. Most people who are gay are just not into the opposite sex seeking-mode-of-behavior. This usually evolves into what is now called "gay". It is because of mankinds lack of knowledge on the subject which erroneously placed eunachs into a class of seeking love, acceptance,affirmation, and physical-erotic-satisfaction from the same sex. Most societies label those who have been given a gift from God of being a eunach, as: "gay,funny,homo,dyke,he/she,fruit,......" from the beginning of civilization. Evil,self-seeking-pleaure hunting- perverts, have preyed on those who were made different from some males/females. Evil has deemed these precious,gifted persons as (GAY!).. Perversion and sexual deviation has been imposed upon these persons , as an answer to what they have been told is abnormal or a paramount problem in their lives, because they do not fit in to the role(s) society has fashioned they should play in their society. The word Gay means " grieving Adonai Yahway" or Going against Yahwah(God). Satan has always used words to confuse God's people. I choose to call the celibate gays who choose to go against the grain set by satan by doing what the bible says, GAY means God's annointed Youth. This is what they were before the world perverted their way of thinking. Remember spirits can try to control people who are different by making them believe a lie and bringing people into that person's life who will make the negative things they prophesy happen. BiBiRaRi
  • Polygamy strictly speaking covers both polyandry (one wife several husbands) and polygyny (one husband several wives). However, in common usage the word polygamy usually implies polygyny. As you say many Biblical prophets had more than one wife, Solomon, according to the Bible, had 1000 (700 wives and 300 concubines). This rule of strict monogamy which appears to be regarded as very sacred amongst the vast majority of Christians does not appear to be in the Bible. Apparently, like the trinity, it is an import from Roman and other influences. Since in Islam marriages are regarded as contracts between two parties the Holy Qur’an (HQ) does not lay down hard and fast rules in this area. However, while permitting polygyny, because of the social benefits that it can bring, the HQ specifies certain rules and conditions to regulate it. (Some of these benefits apparently led church leaders and states to make exceptions to their strict monogamy rules allowing, in one state, men to marry up to ten wives each.) One of the HQ rules limits the number of wives to four while one condition states that the wives must be treated equally. It warns those who might want to rush into such arrangements that treating the wives equally is not easy and advises people to stick to one wife, which by and large is the norm in the Muslim world.
  • What the Bible says about Polygamy: Genesis 4:19 And Lamech took unto him two wives. Genesis 16:1-4 Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai ... gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived. Genesis 25:6 But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had.... Genesis 26:34 Esau ... took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. Genesis 31:17 Then Jacob rose up, and set ... his wives upon camels. Exodus 21:10 If he take him another wife.... Deuteronomy 21:15 If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated.... Judges 8:30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives. 1 Samuel 1:1-2 Elkanah ... had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. 2 Samuel 12:7-8 Thus saith the LORD God of Israel ... I gave thee ... thy master's wives.... 1 Kings 11:2-3 Solomon ... had seven hundred wives ... and three hundred concubines. 1 Chronicles 4:5 And Ashur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah. 2 Chronicles 11:21 Rehoboam ... took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines. 2 Chronicles 13:21 But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives.... 2 Chronicles 24:3 Jehoiada took for him two wives.... Mt.25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
  • Here is the true answer; Yes it is alright to have many wives even 700 of them or more. As I have studied the bible also. It is really all about what power do you want over someone else. Is man still so blind as to still want to make laws agaisnt other mens beliefs? Whether or not you think it is O.K., you may have an opinion but don't break up a mans family of twenty children and eight wives and destroy them in the legal system. They are happy as they are why can't you be happy as you are? What part of the ten commandments don't you understand? LOVE thy neighbor as yopurself! stop dwelling on what you think, and forcing others to beleive like you, stop messing with free will. you are starting something you will regret when you meet your maker.
  • It was never forbidden. The arguments against polygamy are very weak in my opinion. It sounds like a bunch of people stuck in a Victorian time warp attempting to put words in God's mouth about what he meant. When God told Adam to bond with Eve and be one flesh, Eve was the only one. If Eve had a sister, maybe God would have said be one with her too. Didn't Jesus tell his 12 apostles to be "one" as "I and the Father are one"? So, you can be one with more then one person. It was never forbidden and any attempts to instill 19th century morals are invalid. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Great men of God had multiple wives, men who walked and talked with God. If it was so bad, why didn't God tell them to stop?
  • multiple wives is not against the law of yah(god).a man can have as many wives as he wishes,its that simple.the europeans are the only people who dont practice polygomy.this comes from the ancient greeks and romans who were open homosexuals and child molesters.the european culture is very homosexual.they allow pediphilia and homosexuality but forbid a man to take righteously take multiple wives.the bible wasnt written by europeans,who hated polygamy,it was written by hebrews who cherished polygamy.
  • wasnt it Paul who said we are to marry one husband or one wife. I believe it was acceptable in the old testament, for the purpose of populating the earth. I think having more than one wife would be looked upon as greed.
  • Obviously not, at least in what is known to Christians as the Old Testament...

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