Do not be fooled by "Christian" polygamy--there is no such thing

[Free]

Yes, there are those out there who claim to be true followers of Christ and teach that Christians can be polygamous, supposedly based on Scripture. If there ever was a teaching that was meant to appeal to the fleshly, sexual appetites of men, this is it. That's how you know it's false.

 

[Vaccine]

This guy built a solid argument against the polygamous claims. From using AI to interpret verses, to their poor translation of Greek, to clear bible verses contradicting their claims.

It's one of those things that I just know is wrong but can't articulate it myself. He did an excellent job. I thought this sort of thing was dying off, guess it's still around.

 

[D-D-W]

I do not have 2+ hours to wade thru his arguments. I will give my own thoughts here.

It kind of comes down to your take on scripture, including your view on replacement theology and supersessionism. That greatly influences your take on OT scripture in general, and the Law of Moses in particular. In the OT, polygamy (specifically polygyny) was allowed. It was even COMMANDED in certain rare instances. God did not think it to be the awful thing that most of western evangelical Christendom makes it to be. Yes there were cultural reasons for that like an over abundance of women who were without support; often thru male deaths. That brings us to the place where it would be commanded.

Deuteronomy 25:5
When brothers live together and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a strange man. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her to himself as wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.

There is no mention if the surviving brother is married or not; but since most marriages were arranged around 7 or 8 years of age and consummated at 13 or 14, the likelyhood of the brother being married is rather high. So he would be commanded to take a 2nd wife, with the caveat that all offspring would be counted as his deceased brother's. Yes he had the right of refusal. BUT if he chooses that route, his doing so is considered an insult to the country, the city and his family. (see verses 7-10)

IF you take the OT as having been done away with, rather than God's instructions on how HE wants us to live, then to prohibit polygyny does not run afoul of that command. But if you consider the OT scriptures to still have instructional value, then you must consider that.

2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

When Paul wrote that, there was no NT, as it was just starting to be written. That means the "scripture" he refers to is the OT, including Deut 5.

OK, what about this scripture?

2 Samuel 12:8
I also gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these!

Or this one, which describes what "into your care" included:

Exodus 21:10
If he takes to himself another woman, he may not reduce her food, her clothing, or her conjugal rights.

IOW, he has to have regular sex with her. God's command.

So what does the NT say, specifically about polygyny? Only this:

1 Timothy 3:2
An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

1 Timothy 3:12
Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households.

Titus 1:5-7
For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, 6 namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. 7 For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine,

Nothing else is said. YES I agree that the Genesis says the ideal is one man and one woman. It also shows the ideal is that we all are "naked and unashamed." Things changed with the fall. Life is not that ideal anymore. God made allowances. The ONLY place where polygyny is prohibited is for congregational leaders; elders (includes pastors) and deacons.

In conclusion, is it biblically prohibited to New Testament believers? Unless you are (or aspire to be) congregational leadership, NO. But is it advised? Again, NO.

Then there is a whole other argument, that it is against the civil laws of the country and states/provinces. And we are instructed by BOTH Paul and Peter in the NT to obey the laws of the land (remember Nero was giving the laws at that time) and to not do so was to disobey God.

 

[Free]

I do not have 2+ hours to wade thru his arguments. I will give my own thoughts here.

It kind of comes down to your take on scripture, including your view on replacement theology and supersessionism. That greatly influences your take on OT scripture in general, and the Law of Moses in particular. In the OT, polygamy (specifically polygyny) was allowed. It was even COMMANDED in certain rare instances. God did not think it to be the awful thing that most of western evangelical Christendom makes it to be. Yes there were cultural reasons for that like an over abundance of women who were without support; often thru male deaths. That brings us to the place where it would be commanded.

Deuteronomy 25:5
When brothers live together and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a strange man. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her to himself as wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.

There is no mention if the surviving brother is married or not; but since most marriages were arranged around 7 or 8 years of age and consummated at 13 or 14, the likelyhood of the brother being married is rather high. So he would be commanded to take a 2nd wife, with the caveat that all offspring would be counted as his deceased brother's. Yes he had the right of refusal. BUT if he chooses that route, his doing so is considered an insult to the country, the city and his family. (see verses 7-10)

IF you take the OT as having been done away with, rather than God's instructions on how HE wants us to live, then to prohibit polygyny does not run afoul of that command. But if you consider the OT scriptures to still have instructional value, then you must consider that.

2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

When Paul wrote that, there was no NT, as it was just starting to be written. That means the "scripture" he refers to is the OT, including Deut 5.

OK, what about this scripture?

2 Samuel 12:8
I also gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these!

Or this one, which describes what "into your care" included:

Exodus 21:10
If he takes to himself another woman, he may not reduce her food, her clothing, or her conjugal rights.

IOW, he has to have regular sex with her. God's command.

So what does the NT say, specifically about polygyny? Only this:

1 Timothy 3:2
An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

1 Timothy 3:12
Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households.

Titus 1:5-7
For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, 6 namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. 7 For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine,

Nothing else is said. YES I agree that the Genesis says the ideal is one man and one woman. It also shows the ideal is that we all are "naked and unashamed." Things changed with the fall. Life is not that ideal anymore. God made allowances. The ONLY place where polygyny is prohibited is for congregational leaders; elders (includes pastors) and deacons.

In conclusion, is it biblically prohibited to New Testament believers? Unless you are (or aspire to be) congregational leadership, NO. But is it advised? Again, NO.

Then there is a whole other argument, that it is against the civil laws of the country and states/provinces. And we are instructed by BOTH Paul and Peter in the NT to obey the laws of the land (remember Nero was giving the laws at that time) and to not do so was to disobey God.

Then you need to watch the whole thing and see that the Bible is consistent from beginning to end that marriage is to be between one man and one woman, even according to Jesus, who based his arguments off of the OT. Being on this side of the Fall doesn't mean that certain sins are okay. Polygamy is prohibited for every believer because it is sin and an affront to God's intended design, which is the ideal to aim for regardless of living in a fallen world.

 

[D-D-W]

Then you need to watch the whole thing and see that the Bible is consistent from beginning to end that marriage is to be between one man and one woman, even according to Jesus, who based his arguments off of the OT. Being on this side of the Fall doesn't mean that certain sins are okay. Polygamy is prohibited for every believer because it is sin and an affront to God's intended design, which is the ideal to aim for regardless of living in a fallen world.

If it is a sin, then why did God command it? Why did God give David Saul's wives as his own?

 

[for_his_glory]

God's grand design was creating Adam and then Eve to be his helpmate. Polygamy started with the lineage of Cain as mans hearts harden towards God. In the OT the only command against polygamy was for kings who were to only have one wife, Deuteronomy 17:17. Many like Abraham, Jacob, David, and Solomon all had more than one wife and God never condemned them, but also never approved either, but by their choice it wasn't always a good thing as it caused a lot of conflict between the man and his wives and that of the order of children born to him. Moses gave instruction in the law about the order of heirs from these multiple marriages, Deuteronomy 21:15-17. In the NT there are scriptures that speak against polygamy like 1Timothy 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6. Paul speaks of only one wife in 1 Corinthians 7:1-16. Ephesians 5:25-33 a husband and wife are compared to that of Christ and His Church.

Genesis 2: 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Scripture is silent on God allowing polygamy as His intention was always one man and one women being united in marriage. Polygamy originated with the son of Cain with his 4x Great grandson Lamech (Genesis. 4:16-19) Although several biblical characters such as Elkanah, Solomon and David were polygamists the Bible gives clear examples of the destructiveness of this practice. Polygamy resulted in much heartache and trouble (Gen. 16:1-6; 1 Sam. 1:2-8; 1 Kings 11:1-8). God forbid kings to multiply wives (Deut. 17:14,17). David, Solomon, and other kings who had multiple wives were living contrary to God's Word.

 

[jasonc]

If it is a sin, then why did God command it? Why did God give David Saul's wives as his own?

How does one exactly date a new woman and not violate the adultery idea?

I have been to a country where men I know and paid had multiple wives they didn't all live together and he spent different days with them

Because slavery wasn't explicitly a sin but regulated do you really want to argue that the pastor my church I could own him and his family ?

And vice versa ?

How does one keep a healthy marriage of a young wife then at the same time as she ages get a younger one and keep that dating thing going on ?

In the west we don't have ,not even in my surname or Judaism in recent history is marriage pre arranged .my second cousin wrote about how he dated helene and was shipped off and loved her but did date others on r and r .his uncle as his dad heard that Herman was in love sought Arthur to speak to Helen and her parents to get the deal done .

If you insist I can post the link to buy the book but not much on the family as I can read about is there but that account is .

Not even the Orthodox Jews see polygamy as acceptable fully .

Polygamy in Judaism | My Jewish Learning

Polygamy was a common practice in Judaism since ancient times, though it has become exceedingly rare in the modern era. ...

www.myjewishlearning.com

 

[D-D-W]

How does one exactly date a new woman and not violate the adultery idea?

In our modern western world we define "adultery" according to certain egalitarian ideas. But in biblical definition, adultery is a woman having sex with someone other than her husband. It is NOT the other way around.

So in Matt 5 where our Lord said to look at a woman and lust/covet after her, she had to already be married to someone else for it to be adultery.