Posted on 01/15/2006 3:06:52 PM PST by SirLinksalot
Introduction
The Holy Bible is polygamous from cover to cover. However, the biased mind, steeped in centuries of cultural and religious tradition, can take a little time to adjust. The bottom line is honesty (a willingness to adjust inherited tradition in the light of God's Word) and logic (a willingness to stick with the mental process and not fall back on feelings and sentiment when the Word upsets cherished beliefs).
Before we begin, it is necessary to examine all assumptions in the polygamy issue as it relates to the Bible:
Q1. Do you accept the Bible as God's Word (in the original Hebrew/Aramaic manuscripts) from cover to cover?
If your answer is "no", then there is no point in your continuing with this essay because we will be working on different assumptions. Instead I suggest you read my earlier article, Objections to Polygamy: The Secular Viewpoint. The reason I categorise you as "secular" is because the arguments advanced by secularists are practically the same as those advanced by those who do not wholly accept the Bible's teachings. Somewhere along the line Yahweh's infallible Word is judged by those "Christians" who find it difficult to accept what Yahweh says in the same way as secularists do. Those who only accept the Bible in part only accept Yahweh in part. Though we could debate this matter, it is not what this Home Page is about and you would be advised to examine these issues on other Christians websites.
If your answer is "yes" to Question No.1 then I am going to hold you to your word. In my experience, though, the vast majority of Christians who say they accept God's Word from cover to cover rarely do. When God's Word contradicts what they believe, instead of confessing their error and readjusting their lives accordingly (this is the process the Bible calls "repentance") they wriggle and squirm and try to twist Scripture to conform to them. This is human nature, the fallen side of our spirit, which always resists any change in thinking, feeling or practice that requires any sort of sacrifice. We all "wriggle and squirm" from time to time, sad to say. This site acknowledges that the heart and flesh are a little slow in responding to the truth sometimes and we will show grace in that area, as we hope the same grace will be shown to us as we adjust to the truth in our daily walk with Yahweh. However, we will not permit illogical argumentation on this site and shall expect honesty and integrity of thought.
Not everyone, however, has been taught to think logically. In some countries and cultures we are simply expected to absorb "facts" without being encouraged to think. This is both a tragedy and a traversty. Accordingly New Covenant websites engage in much "mental exercise" in order to promote clear thinking. At this site we shall follow the same principle. Accordingly we shall first and foremost be led by thought before feeling, and we shall expect God's Word, the Bible, to lead both.
Q2. Does the Bible anywhere state that polygamy is wrong, sinful, unlawful or ungodly?
This site maintains that the answer to this question is crystal clear: "no". If you can find any scriptures that give an affirmative answer, I shall be most interested to hear them. However, I shall expect more than isolated scriptures (though these shall not, of course, be set aside) but will expect (1) isolated scriptures to be cited in context, and (2) isolated scriptures to be examined in the light of all scriptures on the subject. If, for example, one or two scriptures seem to maintain an anti-polygamy stance, and yet a dozen seem to maintain a pro-polygamy stance, then I shall expect an in-depth study to determine why there is an apparent discrepancy for both positions cannot possibly be right. It is here that we must make an important decision: Either (1) God's Word is contradictory and not reliable and cannot therefore be 100% true; or (2) The minority passages have been misunderstood or mistranslated by humans, God's Word being internally consistent and harmonious, or 100% correct.
No matter what topic we study, we will find apparent inconsistencies from time to time. What we cannot afford to do is accept one of two positions and ignore or "explain away" the position we don't like. If this is going to be a problem for some of our readers, then I suggest you deal with the issue of whether the Bible is wholly God's Word or not before confronting the sensitive polygamy issue. It is important that we have that matter sorted out before going any further. A person doesn't go and have riding lessons if he is uncertain about the morality of riding motorcycles - first we must be certain we think motorcycles are OK. Only then ought we to take lessons. And so we must do the same with the polygamy issue.
There are many biblical issues I have had problems with in the past but I have always discovered that the problems have stemmed not from a fault in God's Word but from an incomplete understanding of it. We live in pagan cultures (for the most part) where the whole thinking pattern is contrary to Yahweh's and to Yahweh's people's. The assumptions about life in each generation not based in God's Word change and we must become aware of this problem. Becoming a Christian requires nothing less than a total reorientation in the way we think, feel, and behave as is true, indeed, in embracing any new religion or (supposed) non-religion like atheism.
I maintain unhesitatingly that the Bible nowhere condemns polygamy as wrong, sinful, immoral, ungodly, wicked, or unlawful in Yahweh's eyes. In fact, I find exactly the opposite - Yahweh positively sanctions it, protects it, and indeed uses it Himself as an illustration of His own relationship with Israel (Judah and Ephraim) and the Church/Messianic Community (the saints), something He would hardly do if it were sinful as this would merely confuse people.
Q3. Are there any restrictions in polygamy?
Polygamy is not, as some people mistakenly believe, a type of marriage that gives men the right to do whatever they want with women even though historically it may have been so abused. There are strict laws and regulations governing its practice. It is essential to understand this. We shall be looking at these restrictions in another article. All freedoms bring responsibilites and polygamy is no less than, for example, the freedom to eat food. Everybody acknowledges that eating is not only good but essential. However, Yahweh has placed certain dietary rules for our benefit when it comes to eating, one of which is that we eat in moderation and not become gluttons. Over-eating is a sin, but not the act of eating itself. By the same token, the multiplication of wives is a sin but not polygamy itself. The Bible strictly warns kings not to go overboard as Solomon, for example, did. Gluttony destroys one's sense of taste in the same way as a man marrying too many women destroys his ability to have a proper relationship with them. Though the Bible places no specific limitations on the number of women who may enter a polygamous relationship, the community I belong to limits it to twelve, with seven being the average - a maximum of four for Deacons, seven for Elders, and twelve for Patriarchs-Apostles. There are other restrictions too such as the ability of the husband to financially take care of so many women. This I will discuss in another article.
Q4. Is there any evidence from the Bible that polygamy was repealed in the New Testament?
None that I have been able to find. There is a school of theological thought that the whole Law of Moses was brought to an end at the time of the crucifixion and a new "Law of Christ" instituted to replace it. Such a teaching is not to be found in the Bible though bad translations have not made the matter straightforward. Besides, polygamy existed before the Law of Moses and Paul declares that His Gospel and Abraham's were essentially one and the same.
The Bible, in fact, nowhere mentions the words "monogamy" or "polygamy" because no such distinction existed. All marriage was polygamous whether there was one, two, three or more wives. Let me use the food analogy again. In some cultures only one course is served per meal. In others, several courses. However, that doesn't mean that there are different kinds of "eating" - we don't speak of "mono-eating" or "poly-eating" because such a distinction is silly. However, picture a culture which says that one course is all that is allowed and condemns all those who eat more than one. To distinguish between the two they must introduce new words into the vocabulary. "Monogamy" and "polygamy" are, in terms of history, relatively new concepts. So really it would be more appropriate to call this the "First European Christian Marriage Page" since that is nearer the biblical truth. One group of people have excluded more than one wife from the marriage covenant and called themselves "monogamists". (Why they did this, and how they justify themselves, we shall examine in other articles).
There are only a couple of places in the New Testament where polygamy is hinted at and the translators, with their monogamous bias, have altered the meaning of ceretain words and created very confusing passages indeed. For as they stand it appears as though Church leaders cannot have more than one wife but ordinary church members can! Which is you think about it, is completely contradictory and nonsensical, for if we follow the monogamy-only paradigm, we are being taught that members can sin but leaders can't. This is rather like saying that ordinary members can be homosexuals or murderers (since both are sins) but deacons and elders can't! A close examination of the original Greek text clears up the (ludicrous) discrepancy - Paul wasn't concerned about whether church leaders had more than one wife or not but whether, as polygamists, they were being faithful to their first wives and not using polygamy as an excuse to get rid of wives they didn't fancy any more. (Another school of thought maintains, and which I have since come to accept as the better of the two interpretations, that these passages are merely stating that Elders and Deacons must be married to qualify for leadership).
So, no, there is no evidence in the New Testament that Christ ever repealed polygamy. Quite the opposite - He repeatedly cites polygamists as men and women of God to emulate, even commanding His followers to "do the works of Abraham". And Abraham was a polygamist.
Q5. Is there anywhere in the Bible where God actually commands or is positive about polygamy?
He is nowhere negative about it. Nowhere. Indeed, He specifically states to one King of Israel (David) that He has given him his wives (2 Samuel 12:8). And this through a prophet of Yahweh (Nathan) who was rebuking him for other sins (adultery and murder). So if the King had been living as an adulterer or in sin because of polygamy, you can be sure that the prophet would have upbraided him about polygamy along with his other sins. But he didn't. Instead, He not only said that Yahweh had given the King his present wives but He would, if necessary, give him more. To me that is polygamy-positive. If polygamy is a gift of Yahweh then it cannot possibly be anything other than a blessing and for all concerned (for husbands as well as wives).
It is usually at this point that those, steeped in the monogamous tradition, go into an inner catharsis. If that is so, then I urge you to PRAISE YAHWEH because He is revealing to you how far you have departed from Him even if you think you are walking with Him. It is at such moments of crisis that we have to make really fundamental decisions and either embrace Yahweh or wage war on Him. The issue is really about the personality of El Elyon (Almighty God). If you are turned off by this revelation (and indeed any other biblical revelation) then there is a pretty good chance that you are not worshipping the God of the Bible but some other god.
I say this not to destroy your faith but to seek further. Yahweh will not force you to follow Him but He will most certainly challenge you to be honest about His claims even if you are not about your own. The God of the Bible is represented allegorically as a polygamist and so are all His followers, whether they are married in one-wife or several-wife families. What we are actually facing here is of such fundamental importance that I believe it will be used as one of the touchstones of true faith in the last days. Again, I repeat, accepting that Yahweh is allegorically polygamous and that all true Christian marriages are polygamous does not necessarily mean that all Christian marriages should have more than one wife. In fact, it is my conviction that the majority of Christian marriages will only consist of one man and one woman. What is important, however, is that you understand and accept that a one-wife marriage is no different from a one-child family and that if a family wants several children, then that's fine too. Families have children, right? There's no such thing as a mono-children or a poly-children family, is there? They're not two different types of family! In the same way, families with one wife or more than wife are not "two different kinds of marriage" either. That is the lie we have been made to believe by an apostate church for centuries. That lie, however, is now being exposed by this and other polygamy websites. And this truth will spread as Christian men and women return to the Word and abandon the traditions of the whore of Babylon who loathes polygamy but adores fornication and adultery.
Conclusion
Now you'll be wanting concrete biblical evidence for all of these statements. This you can read at the Królewiec Wives Site and in other articles on FICP. You'll not only be surprised by just how much there is but how anyone could have been so blind to the truth. Ultimately the issue is not, as I have already said, about how many wives a marriage may incorporate but the personhood of God. Men and women, ever in rebellion against truth, have preferred to invent their own gods rather than go to He who is the source of all life, joy and peace.
To know the truth is to enthrone men and women as true patriarchs and matriarchs and not to emasculate men and defeminise women which is the result of turning to falsehood. The trend of our modern paganism is to turn men and women into a single sex - a unisexual being - which is out of harmony with itself and which is bleeding to be free and come alive. True polygamy is about freedom for men and women - and I underline the word "true" deliberately because there is a false form of polygamy too which is degrading to women and destructive of the true man. We under no circumstances stand for the latter. We at this site do not defend all forms of polygamy (whether secular, Muslim, Mormon, Hindu, Christian, or whatever) any more than we defend all forms of monogamy - we are defenders of New Covenant Echad Patriarchal Marriage. And it is important that our readers make this distinction and do not require us to defend other paradigms, for we will not.
May Yahweh-Elohim, the Lord God of Israel, enlighten you - men and women - and free you from any kind of mental or emotional bondage as you read these pages, especially those of you who believe the Bible to be the Word of God.
Genesis 1:27, 2:19...
Genesis 1:27, 2:19...
Your biblical ignorance is shocking. All of us are sinners. If you think the bible is about defining what is and what is not good behavior, then your ignorance blinds you from its truth.
1 Corinthians 13:
11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
Your reasoning is like a child. If someday you want adult reasoning be sure to ping me.
The Book of Mormon, first published in 1830, may contain the strongest denunciation of polygamy in all of religious literature. In its Book of Jacob there is lengthy condemnation of polygamy, from which I extract the following:
"... the people of Nephi under the reign of the second king began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old, desiring many wives and concubines, and also Solomon his son ..."
"... thus saith the Lord: 'This people beginneth to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms because of the things which were written concerning David and Solomon his son. Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before Me!' saith the Lord; wherefore, thus saith the Lord: 'I have led this people forth out of the Land of Jerusalem by the power of Mine arm, that I might raise up unto Me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph; wherefore, I, the Lord God, will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old.' Wherefore my brethren, hear me and hearken to the word of the Lord: 'For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife, and concubines he shall have none; for I, the Lord God, delighteth in the chastity of women, and whoredoms are abominations before Me!' "
How the church that Joseph Smith Jr. founded moved from such plain statements to the sort of polygamy practiced by Mormons in Utah is strange. Due to false accusations by enemies of the church, the 1835 book Doctrine and Covenants, with the endorsement of Joseph Smith Jr. and other leaders, had included an official church statement on marriage. One sentence read: "Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy: we declare that we believe, that one man should have one wife; and one woman, but one husband, except in case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again."
Yet, Mormon harems in Utah became a reality. In the memoirs of Joseph Smith III (1832-1914), who, beginning in 1860, served as president of the Reorganized church, are poignant accounts of his encountering plural wives during his missionary trips through Utah.
"I was once invited to [cousin] Joseph F,'s. He received me kindly as I arrived, and we chatted for a little while before supper was announced. ... To me the situation in which I found myself seemed very strange. For the first time in my life I was permitted to see thus at close range the domestic relations of a polygamous family and the actual operation of a doctrine which had long been unspeakably repulsive to me. The very fibers of my being seemed to cry out in protest, and so strong was my prejudice and antipathy that I seemed to feel almost physically ill as I contemplated the scene. There, at one board sat a complacent man, surrounded by three wives and a large number of children ... The women did not take much part in our conversation. I thought I detected upon the countenances of two of them, evidence of some distress of mind, and possibly, regret, as if they were conscious that the opinions I would form of their family relations were not likely to be very complimentary to them."
Now that Mormons have a reputation for happy monogamous marriages, one might see in that a fulfillment of Isaiah 1:18: "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."
We are to obey the law as long as it does not conflict with God's commands.
Did God command you to break the law and have multiple wives?
If so, I suggest that isn't God you are listening to.
Not likely that I will ping a pharisee like you, ever.
Agreed. So, when we see the actions of Biblical characters that are praised, enabled or sanctioned by God, but said actions are in conflict with their leaders or laws, we get clued in as to what situations allow, under God, the defiance of laws & government officials by we Saints of God.
Don't look to those 'leaders' for valid definitions as to when this is allowable, they always assert that to resist them is sin or a violation.
OK I made too simple a response, you have me there. But no need for the anger there buddy.
Since the RC Church also forbids clergy to marry and that is something that I've never seen in scripture, I can't use RC tradition for basing my faith or understanding of the scriptures. No disrepsect intended.
The original poster is correct in saying that there is no prohibition to most having more than one wife and that there are many examples of those that did and received no condemnation from God. Solomon got into excess and idolotry; David took another man's wife and had the man killed.
Those that focuse on "a wife" and similar phrases are bringing in their bias into the topic so support what they want the scrtipture to say instead of allowing it to speak for itself.
For instance, witchcraft and homosexuality are not part of the ten commandmens but those practices are clearly and heartily condemned cover to cover.
However, a man having a plurality of wives never is.
And if we go with only scripture, we have a very hard time condemning a practice that God Himself doesn't condemn. At least I do.
After Pentecost Peter, and later Paul, make it clear that upholding Jewish law and tradition does not lead to righteousness and that the Gentiles are not required to convert to Judiasim in order to be saved.
Paul addresses certtain practices that he finds to be harmful to the church but never criticizes those who have more than one wife. He had plenty of opportunity to do so but never did.
The portion of scripture telling us to obey the powers is in direct context of conduct in the church and not in secular politics.
I have not appealed to the literal; text as you have to make an argument that you are both in error about the issue you raise and that you have a childish view of what the bible is about.
The bible is about realizing that we each need Christ, its not about looking for loopholes. Your reading of the bible on this issue shows a foolish man who steps past free gold in order claim a bucket of sand.
As to your specific question regarding adultery and polygamy, How do you reconcile the teaching by Jesus that if a man looks at another woman with lust he has committed adultery with her in his heart. How could any man obtain the second wife without violating this commandment of Jesus?
Your ignorance on what the bible is about is tragic. Your further ignorance of basic biblical themes that are consistent throughout in order to form your conclusions is negligence.
I'm sure that Jesus knew the difference between lust and love, yet you don't seem to.
Can you show me the place in the Bible that says that a man may only have one wife at a time?
No? Didn't think so.
Please explain how a man can obtain a second wife if he doesn't desire sex with her? It seems to me impossible to apply that command to anyone who has a wife that desires a second without committing adultery.
Can you show me the place in the Bible that says that a man may only have one wife at a time?
Mat 5:27-30; However your demand for specific text that says you cannot do something is a terrible misuse of scripture. Everything you do is filthy according to God. You can only find acceptance from God when you realize you are totally disgusting to God, you seek his forgiveness and you accept his Son Jesus as Lord of your life. You current track of reading scripture for loopholes is the road to hell.
No? Didn't think so.
There is only one unforgivable sin and you are dangerously close to committing it.
2 Peter
14With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! 15They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. 16But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—a beast without speech—who spoke with a man's voice and restrained the prophet's madness.
17These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. 20If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit,"[f]and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."
Did you even read what you posted?
Or is that your handy, one size fits all response when you don't have a relevant response?
Or are you trying to prove that you don't know the difference between lust and love?
C'mon, show me where it says that a man cannot have more than one wife.
Show me where David, a man after God's own heart, was condemned for having more than one wife.
Come on, you dno't really beleive that mocking you and publically humiliating you is an unforgivable sin, do you?
Out of all the things I've done in my life, I've never plotted to have a man murdered to cover up that I got his wife pregnant as David did.
Nor have I persecuted Christian believers or consented in their execution, as Saul/Paul did.
My sin in your eyes is to challenge your thinking and for you to prove what you believe. Come on, you old Saducee...condemn me. Go ahead, condemn one whom God paid for with the blood of His Son. Go ahead.
Not to mention every single reference to the beauty of the spouse, the blessing of the marriage, etc is all singular text. "Whoever finds A WIFE finds favor from the Lord", etc.
Biblical examples of polygamy have all led to disaster. God's foundation is one man - one woman. Anything else is contrary to His designs.
2:19...
Is this verse posted in agreement with my post or contrary? Looks to me like it's in agreement. That verse is quoted almost the exact same way at least 4 different times. Also in Matt 19:5, Mark 10:7,8 and in Eph 5:31.
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