Welcome to Religious Rambles!
Here you will find articles and information that I find as I enjoy my love of learning about religions. I hope that you'll not only read what I write but also share YOUR perspective!
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Monday, August 29, 2005
So what does the Bible say about polygamy? Here are the verses relating to it that I found in the Naves Topical Bible:
Deut 17:17 "Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. "
This passage is talking about the qualities a king should have. Am I a king? Nope! Does this pertain to me? Nope!
Leviticus 18:18 "Neither shalt thou take a wife F31 to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time. "
You shouldn't marry your wife's sister just to tick her off. Does that forbid polygamy in general? Nope.
Malachi 2:14-15 (These verses are rather vague, and don't make a lot of sense, so I'll skip this one for now)
1 Timothy 3:2 "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; "
So if my husband wants to be a bishop, he can only have one wife. Cool. But what about men who don't want to be bishops?
1 Timothy 3:12 "Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well."
So if he wants to be a deacon, he can't do polygamy either. Okay... but if he doesn't want an office...?
Titus 1: 5-6 "For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, F2 and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. "
So, he can't be an elder either... it seems that polygamy does limit your future ministry possibilities... but....
I can't find any scriptures though that actually prohibit polygamy in the Bible. Anyone else wanna try and find some? I'd also find it interesting to actually see the verses in the Quran that pertain to the subject.
Posted at 10:21 am by JanaBanana
 | | | The Don
August 31, 2005 08:40 PM PDT
Matthew 19:1-6 are the verses in question. Jesus is restating the wording from Genesis 1:27 and 2:24. It is pretty clear from what Jesus was saying that monogamy was and is the preferred and accepted practice. The singular form of nouns are used, i.e. man is joined to his *wife* and the *two* become *one*. In my opinion (which doesn't mean much), it appears that while the Old Testament at the least condones polygamy, the New Testament is more or less in favor of monogamous marriage. | |
| | | Jana
August 31, 2005 10:27 AM PDT
Chapters and verses please? Hard to examine scriptures if the references to them aren't given. :o) | |
| | | The Don
August 30, 2005 06:12 PM PDT
The use of the singular in regard to man and woman in Matthew, chapter 19, which also quotes Genesis, chapter 2 denotes the idea that it was the original plan of God to have monogamy in marriage, but then it was ruined through the sinfulness of humanity. | |
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