Polygamy in the Bible

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Dr. Vaughn

and how many people make up that WIFE?

Mr. Doctor, even my eight and five year olds know that "wife" is singular.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by LUKE2447

You still miss the point he SAID and gave DEEPER meaning to the understanding of God's will. Yet Jesus never said anything about polygamy. In the NT you never fine abolishment of polygamy. Thus you are putting words in his mouth.

Also the reference to hating your enemies is not in the Torah but in rabbinical teaching.

Also your point on Jesus saying concerning Eye for an eye etc... Jesus point was that grace and mercy viewed through love are the greater way. Thus he brought deeper understanding to the people. As Jesus said you neglect the weightier matters of the law. Justice mercy and faith.

Mat 23:23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others

Yes, one could take eye for any eye but that was not the whole means by which one should look at the situation but through grace and mercy and love. Jesus himself gives retribution for evil deeds. Things should be done through the eyes of love and mercy and forgiveness as we would want to treat ourselves. The law of retribution still stands but the deeper meaning by how we conduct ourselves is made known through long lasting patience, and mercy. Otherwise retribution could never take place,as Christ himself could not judge as you make judgment impossible and Jesus in the end would contradict his own word. Jesus did not come to abolish but to make the law more revealed or full!

Bro...I think Evang.Benincasa makes a great point. Paul doesn't condemn polygamy... but he does admonish that church leaders have one wife...which was in accordance to Roman law. Had Rome not banned plural marriages Paul may not have needed to ensure that church leadership abide by the ordinances of Rome to maintain a good report to those who were outside the church.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Mat 5:31-32

"It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife (singular), let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife (singular), saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her (singular) to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her (singular) that is divorced committeth adultery."

The above scriptures proves more the case of a singular wife than a teaching for plural wives.

Jesus first tells the doctors of the Law, this;

Mat 19:3-6 "The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them MALE (SINGULAR) and FEMALE (SINGULAR), And said, For this cause shall a man (SINGULAR) leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife (SINGULAR) : and they twain (Watch close DOCTOR, 1+ 1 = 2) shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain (1+1=2) , but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together (JUST TWO) , let not man put asunder."

The command that Jesus stresses in Matthew 9 is the same one commanded in Genesis. One man was to join with one woman and the two should never be separated. Jesus with His ONE WIFE.

Jesus never had a teaching for plural wives.

Of course Paul would address husbands and wives in the singular...plural marriages were illegal in ancient Rome. But please note...Paul doesn't condemn Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon or others for their polygamy. In fact...Paul, in Hebrews (the writer is believed by many to be Paul), praises Old Testament men who were polygamists in the "hall of faith".

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Tyk

This isn't so much pertaining to this topic but -
You must have been raised in the upc im presuming.

Never been United Pentecostal Church International.

Originally Posted by Tyk

I don't see how anyone who wasn't a political official in the "upc" could tell your anything you might consider trying to understand...

Who let eight year olds join this forum? Dr. Voo, Dr. Voo, we have a student for you!

Originally Posted by Tyk

I was raised UPC too for the record...

How nice.

[Aquila]

It's also interesting to note that a Pagan nation like Rome imposed monogamy by law....where as God's Law in ancient Israel allowed for polygamy and God blessed men with "wives". Hmmmm

[Tyk]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Never been United Pentecostal Church International.
Who let eight year olds join this forum? Dr. Voo, Dr. Voo, we have a student for you!

How nice.

Oh, do tell your life story. I'd be interested to hear it, seriously.

[DividedThigh]

not with anyone in particuliar in mind i just wonder sometimes if this polygamy discussion has something to do with wishful thinking on some peoples part, lol, that cracks me up, two women one man, yeah, that would work not, or even more women, come on, ticket to disaster, lol

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by DividedThigh

not with anyone in particuliar in mind i just wonder sometimes if this polygamy discussion has something to do with wishful thinking on some peoples part, lol, that cracks me up, two women one man, yeah, that would work not, or even more women, come on, ticket to disaster, lol

Again, God's Law allowed for it, regulated it, and God also blessed men with wives. The NT even praises men who were polygamous as men of great faith.

The reason polygamy wouldn't work today is our culture...not polygamy itself.

Here's something interesting to note. Roman law imposed monogamy on the Roman population. As a result Rome began to see what is known as "serial monogamy"...this is when a man marries, divorces, marries, divorces, several times over. In a way...this is what is happening in the U.S. The divorce rate isn't this high in nations that allow polygamy.

So does polygamy really not work....or is imposed monogamy leaving a wake of divorce in America as it did in ancient Rome?

...just a thought.

[DividedThigh]

i just think it is funny, i am a one woman man, very happy, lol

[Apocrypha]

this has been a fun thread.

it seems like the women bailed out when history and the scripture didn't fit into the 20th and 21st centuries as well as they hoped.

i'll check out now on it though, i think the point has been proven scripturally and historically.