POLYGAMY, JESUS, PAUL, NEW TESTAMENT TIMES AND TODAY EXCEPTS from TOPICS: FOREVER MARRIAGES CROSS CULTURALLY, FORMAL AND INFORMAL CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE, COMMON LAW MARRIAGE, CHRISTIAN DIVORCE, CHRISTIAN REMARRIAGE, CHRISTIAN CONCUBINES, CHRISTIAN POLYGYNY (POLYGAMY), RACISM, ETHNOCENTRICITY, AND THE SWEARING OF OATHS TITLE: DIVORCE, REMARRIAGE, CONCUBINES, & JESUS; Another Look for Christians. COPYRIGHT © JANUARY 14, 1995 All rights reserved. Copyright © 01/14/'95; 01/12/¹96 (Revised) This file, in its entirety, may be posted on or copied off of computer networks like Internet or WWW by anyone so inclined. This is an ASCII text only copy of a Macintosh MicrosoftWord5 file made for non-Macintosh folks, so it is very plain and basic in its form (footnotes, indentation and page layout). The document is 6" wide and Palatino 12 plain font in the original. So when your text only version comes up with Palatino 14, just select all and change it to Palatino 12 or 10. By L. Tyler P.O. Box 620763, SanDiego, CA 92162-0763 Ruth1lee2@aol.com --- polyboy@delphi.com This work is dedicated with love and honor to Carol Lynn McIntyre of Camelot (3/24/'49), Beverly Landers Tyler(4/11/'52), Keith Adams, Diane Tava Lovelady, Lua Nguyen, Marilyn Tyler (7/27/'49) and Paula Dugas. It is also dedicated to all those who have suffered through divorce and the complexities of remarriage. INTRODUCTION************************************ Is polygyny a dead and old issue? In January of '96 the New York Times ran an article about more than 100,000 polygamists living in Paris, France, alone. An e- mail correspondent from Paris wrote to me telling me that reportedly a recent Prime Minister of France was a practicing polygynist. Polygamy, in one form or another, is being practiced on every continent today. SO WHAT IS THE OLD TESTAMENT BACKGROUND?******** Reflecting the reality of how Israel and Judah divided after Solomon died, Jesus (as Jehovah) presents Himself as the husband of two wives in the following: MKJV EZEKIEL 23: 1 ¶ The word of the LORD came again to me, 2 Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother. 3 And they fornicated in Egypt; they whored in their youth, their breasts were handled, and there their Oholibah, her sister. And they became Mine, . . . ." God never presents Himself as sin or sinner to us except for when holy Christ became sin for us on the cross. In Ezek. 23, the sinners were His wives and He was righteous as the husband of two wives. It was only two wives in accordance with His own Law that decreed that the ruler must not multiply wives to himself. Polygyny , even God¹s polygyny , is NEVER labeled or declared to be sin or sinful in the Bible. The following list of polygynists is fascinating: Jesus/Jehovah (Ezek. 23); Lamech (GEN. 4: 19); Abraham with Sarah, Hagar and Keturah(Gen. 25:1-6); Nahor(Gen. 22:20-24); Hezron's Caleb(1Chronicles 2:46); Esau and his son (Gen. 26:34,35;36:12); Jacob with Rachel and Leah (Gen. 29 & 30); Jacob¹s son Ashur had two wives (1Chron. 4:5); Jacob's son, Manasseh, had a concubine(1 Chron 7:14); Benjamin¹s Shaharaim (1 Chron.8:8); Gideon (Judges 8:29-32); the Levite's concubine (Judges 19); King David (2 Samuel 3 &12:7); King Solomon (1 Kings 11); king Rehoboam (2 Chron. 11 & 12) ; Godly king Abijah (2 Chron. 13); the Godly High Priest Jehoida gave two wives to godly king Joash in 2 Chron 24; Godly queen Esther was a wife blessed by God in her polygyny . "Polygyny and bigamy were recognized features of the family life. From the Oriental point of view there was nothing immoral in the practice of polygamy. . . . At all events, polygyny was an established and recognized institution form the earliest times">8 HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; p.259. Eerdmans' Douglas' New Bible Dictionary: ³Concubine. A secondary wife . . . . allowed in polygamous society such as existed in the Middle east in biblical times....Handmaidens, given as a marriage gift, were often concubines (Gen. 29:24,29). Concubines were protected under Mosaic law (Exod. 21:7-11; Dt. 21:10-14), though they were distinguished from wives (Jdg. 8:31) and were more easily divorced (Gen.21:10-14)." [Footnote: >10 1962, IVCF, Editor J.D.Douglas; W. B. Eerdmans Publishing] HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE: ³The relative positions of wives and concubines were determined mainly by the husband's favour. The children of the wife claimed the greater part, or the whole, of the inheritance; otherwise there does not seem to have been any inferiority in the position of the concubine as compared with that of the wife, nor was any idea of illegitimacy, in our sense of the word, connected with her children. . . . >12 [Footnote: >12. HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; p.259.] ³ The difference between a wife and a concubine depended on the wife's higher position and birth, usually backed by relatives ready to defend her.² >13 [Footnote: >13. 1989, HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; p.585.] FUNK & WAGNALLS NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA: CONCUBINAGE, ³Refers to the cohabitation of a man and a woman without sanction of legal marriage. Specifically, concubinage is a form of polygyny in which the primary matrimonial relationship is supplemented by one or more secondary sexual relationships. Concubinage was a legally sanctioned and socially acceptable practice in ancient cultures, including that of the Hebrews; concubines, however, were denied the protection to which a legal wife was entitled. In Roman law, marriage was precisely defined as monogamous; concubinage was tolerated, but the concubine's status was inferior to that of a legal wife. Her children had certain rights, including support by the father and legitimacy in the event of the marriage of the parents². [Footnote: >27 1986, Funk & Wagnalls NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA.] The next occurrence is controversial but interesting in Ex. 21: MKJV EXODUS 21: 7 ³And if a man sells his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. 8 If she does not please her master, who has betrothed her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no power to sell her to a strange nation, since he has dealt deceitfully with her. 9 And if he has betrothed her to his son, he shall deal with her as with daughters. 10 If he takes himself another [wife], her food, her clothing, and her duty of marriage shall not be lessened. 11 And if he does not do these three to her, then she shall go out free without money.² God's Law forbade a king from "multiplying" wives>.75 to himself without making such a command to we nonkings. It appears from later scripture about Godly and God blessed kings of Israel that God makes a distinction between MULTIPLYING wives & horses to yourself and adding wives & horses to yourself. None of us object to King David having more than one horse but many object to King David having more than one wife, yet it is the same command "he shall not multilply hoses . . . wives to himself." By 2 Samuel 5-12 God had ³given² him seven wives plus a number of concubines. We see His implied blessing on David¹s polygyny . This implied blessing of his polygyny would have to mean that David, with concubines and seven wives, had not yet violated the prohibition against a king multiplying wives and horses to himself. [Footnotes:>75 De 17:15 ³You shall only set him king over you whom Jehovah your God will choose: from among your brethren shall you set a king over you; . . . 16 Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, . . . 17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.² NO PROHIBITION FROM HAVING SOME HORSES , SOME WIVES and some gold] In Deut. 21:15-17 God intervenes and acknowledges and vindicates the second wife in a polygamous marriage where the sin of partiality >76 was being practiced. If polygyny were sin why didn't God condemn it in this passage instead of covering it with the dignity and holiness of His Law? The wife is vindicated, not condemned. [Footnote: >76 (James 2:1-7)] Deut. 21:15 ¶ ³If a man have two wives, one beloved, and one hated, and they have borne him children, [both] the beloved and the hated, and [if] the first-born son be hers that was hated; 16 then it shall be, in the day that he makes his sons to inherit [that] which he has, [that] he may not make the son of the beloved first-born before the son of the hated, who is the first-born; 17 but he shall acknowledge as first-born the son of the hated, by giving him a double portion of all that he has; for he is the firstfruits of his strength: the right of the firstborn is his.² David is a fascinating case. He marries Michal in l Sam. 18. Then, as the anointed future king of Israel, David took to himself three additional wives in l Sam 25, and one is recognized by the Spirit for her grace and wisdom. He does this at a time of God's miraculous intervention and blessing in his life. God neither denounces or condemns him or his polygyny. In the case of three or four wives you are still dealing with addition, rather than the multiplying of Deut. It is interesting that horses, silver and gold - AS WELL AS WIVES - were not to be multiplied. I can't believe this was meant to limit the king to ONE HORSE, or ONE SILVER OR GOLD BAR, even so I can't believe it limits a king to one wife. In fact in 2 Sam 6, it is Michal who is condemned and punished instead of her polygamous husband David. By the time he becomes King in Judah he has 6 wives>83 and is being blessed and prospered by God. At the time of the wonderful Covenant with David in 2 Sam. 7, God specifically blesses and covenants with polygamist David and his concubines and his seven wives, as part of his house, receive a blessing. God even said "I gave you . . . your master's wives" >84 ". And Nathan said to David, you are the man! Thus says Jehovah the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul; 8 and I GAVE YOU YOUR MASTER'S HOUSE, AND YOUR MASTER'S WIVES INTO YOUR BOSOM, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if [that] had been too little, I would moreover have given unto you such and such things." [Footnotes:>83 (2 Sam. 3); >84a 2Sa 12:7] At this time God had ³given² him seven wives plus a number of concubines (1 Chronicles 3). God here condemns David¹s adultery and murder, but implies His blessing on David¹s polygyny . This implied blessing of his polygyny would have to mean that David, with concubines and seven wives, had not yet violated the prohibition against a king multiplying wives to himself. >84b to David in his polygyny. Apparently even concubines plus seven wives is not "multiplying" wives to oneself. He had about 14 wives and concubines at the end of his life>85. David the polygamist was declared to be loyal to God>86. God declares that David, the polygamist, fully followed God>87. [Footnotes:>84b 2Sa 12:7; >85 (1 Chron 3); >86 ( l King 11:4); >87 (l King 11:6)] Both David and Abraham recognized all the rights and responsibilities of the concubines as if they were official wives. The bottom line is what does God say and how does He view concubines. Reflect on the following: MKJV 2 Sam.12: 11 ³So says the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house, and I will take your wives before your eyes and give [them] to your neighbor. And he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.² MKJV 2 Sam 16: 21 ³And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to your father's concubines, that he left to keep the house. And all Israel shall hear that you are abhorred by your father. And the hands of all who [are] with you will be strong. 22 And they spread Absalom a tent on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.² MKJV2Sam.20:3 ³And David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten women, [his] concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them but did not go in to them. And they were shut up till the day of their death, living in widowhood.² In these passages you see God calling and recognizing as "wives" David¹s concubines. If that is the way God sees them, only a fool would treat them as less than a wife (Malachi 2). Malachi 2 makes it pretty clear how God feels about those who break their covenants with their concubines and wives. Solomon's polygyny was sinful first because He disobeyed God¹s command against a king multiplying wives to himself>89; and secondly because he married unbelievers with whom God had specifically forbidden marriage>90. Too many wives and forbidden wives both had the same predicted result, that they turned his heart away from God. Solomon was declared to be disloyal to God in his polygyny>91 while David the polygamist was declared to be loyal to God>92 . God even declares that polygynist David fully followed God>93 . [Footnote: >89 (Deut. 17:15-17); >90 (Nehemiah 13:23) ; >91 (1 Kings 11:1,2,6, 11); >92 ( l King 11:4); >93 (l King 11:6)] Evil king Rehoboam imitated Solomon and almost had 18 wives and 60 concubines in 2 Chron. 11 & 12. Then Godly king Abijah, blessed and prospered of God, also had fourteen wives>94 . The Godly High Priest Jehoida gave two wives to godly king Joash in 2 Chron 24. Godly queen Esther was a wife blessed by God in her polygyny . God Himself describes Himself as a polygamist in Ezekiel 23. Jesus reaffirmed the Old Testament teachings on polygamy and concubinage in Matt. 23:2,3. [Footnote: >94 (2 Chron. 13)] MKJV MATT. 23:2 ³. . . The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do. But do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.² What a record! Two authors of the Old Testament, David and Solomon, possibly three if you count Moses, were uncondemned and God-honored polygynists in their polygyny. Four godly patriarchs with whom God entered into special and unique covenants (Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon; five if you count Moses) were polygynists at the time God covenanted with them. In every era of the Old Testament (Pre Law, Sinai Law, Judges, Kingdom prophets, Dispersion prophets) you find God¹s people and leaders practicing polygyny and practicing it according to God¹s will or commands. Yet many Christian leaders agree with the brother that apparently maintains that the Bible offers little defense for polygamy in comparison to monogamy, that because of its shortcomings polygyny cannot be tolerated as a form of marriage willed by God.>22. Perhaps that's why God chose the polygamous marriage of Solomon and his Shulamite in The Song of Solomon to be the model for marriage in Israel and the marriage model for His relationship to Israel>95. [Footnotes:>22. Trobisch; MY WIFE MADE ME..P.21; >95 (Ezekiel 23)] SO WHAT PLACE DOES THAT BACKGROUND GIVE POLYGYNY IN NEW TESTAMENT AND MODERN TIMES? Some might say all or most of those Old Testament passages on marriage and morality were for the nation Israel under the Law of Moses and not for Jesus' church under the Law of LOVE in Christ. Bible history indicates quite clearly that Jesus came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it>96 . Jesus showed that He was observing all the Law of Moses as an adult when He said that whoever does the commandments and teaches others to do the Law of Moses "shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven">~ . Over and over again in the Gospels you see Jesus obeying the Law of Moses and telling His followers to obey it>97 . Matt. 23:3, 4, and 23 are the strongest statements of this expectation that His followers were to be obeying the marriage and morality laws of Moses when He was still visibly with them, and Jesus made it soon before His death. [Footnotes:>96 (Matt. 5:17,18); >~ (Matt. 5:19); >97 (Matt. 8:4; 12:11,12; 13:54; 15:3-6, 22-26; 17:24, 27; 19:17-19; 21:12,13; 22:34-40; 23:3,4,23; 26:18,19; 26:63,64; etc.)] Mat. 5:17 ¶ ³Think not that I am come to make void the law or the prophets; I am not come to make void, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Until the heaven and the earth pass away, one iota or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all come to pass. 19 Whosoever then shall do away with one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of the heavens; but whosoever shall practise and teach [them], *he* shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens.² Matt. 23:1 ¶ ³Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 saying, The scribes and the Pharisees have set themselves down in Moses' seat: 3 all things therefore, whatever they may tell you, do and keep. But do not after their works, for they say and do not, . . .² Consider Hebrews 8, especially the Greek of verse 13: ³In that he says, ŒA new [covenant]¹, he has made the first [covenant] old. Now that which is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.² Consider The Greek of 2 Cor. 3:7,11: ³. . . the ministration of death, written [and] engraved in stones, was glorious . . . How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be more glorious? . . . For if what is passing away [was] glorious, much more that which is reamaining [is] glorious>..² These passages show there was a period of transition (³is becoming obsolete..growing old..is ready to vanish..is passing away²) from the Sinai Law of Moses to the Calvary Law of LOVE in Christ. The book of Acts is full of the apostles keeping the Sinai Law of Moses after Pentecost. You see them worshipping in the Temple regularly>98 , Peter refuses to socialize with Gentiles according to the Sinai Law>99 , Peter refuses to eat the animals classified as unclean in the Sinai Law>1 , Paul circumcises Timothy, Paul keeps the Law's feasts>2 , Paul recognizes the authority of the Chief Priest, the believing Gentiles are released from the Sinai Law of Moses while the believing Jews are not released >3 . [Footnotes:>98 (Acts 4, 12, 15, 21); >99 (Acts 10, 11, Gal. 1 & 2); >1 (Acts 10 & 11); >2 (Acts 21); >3 (Galatians, Acts 15 and see Acts 10; 11:8, 23; 15:5; 16:3; 18:18, 21;21:18-25; 24:18)] So even after Acts' Pentecost and Acts 15 the apostles and believing Jews in Acts 21 still believe that they are to obey the Law of Moses including the laws about marriage (including polygyny ) and morality. The only thing they wrote about polygyny was that the elders/bishops/deacons should have only one wife at a time. Consider the following: Acts 21:18 ³And on the morrow Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders came there. 19 And having saluted them, he related one by one the things which God had wrought among the nations by his ministry. 20 And they having heard [it] glorified God, and said to him, You see, brother, how many myriads there are of the Jews who have believed, and all are zealous of the law. 21 And they have been informed concerning you , that you teach all the Jews among the nations apostasy from Moses, saying that they should not circumcise their children, nor walk in the customs. . . . 23 This do therefore that we say to you: We have four men who have a vow on them; 24 take these and be purified with them, and pay their expenses, that they may have their heads shaved; and all will know that [of those things] of which they have been informed about you nothing is [true]; but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the law. 25 But concerning [those of] the nations who have believed, we have written, deciding that they should [observe no such thing, only to] keep themselves both from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication. 26 Then Paul, taking the men, on the next day, having been purified, entered with them into the temple, signifying the time the days of the purification would be fulfilled, until the offering was offered for every one of them.² So we see Paul, the Apostle of Grace to we non-Jews, purify himself with four other Christian Jews under a vow, pay the expenses of their being under the vow including the shaving of their heads, and have an offering offered for them all so that he could show the believing Jews that he walked orderly, keeping the Sinai Law and its customs and telling the believing Jews to circumcize their children and walk in Moses' customs. These customs of Moses included the laws given to Moses regulating and recognizing polygyny. So the apostles and believing Jews were still keeping the Law, not for salvation, but to obey Jesus in Mat. 23:1-3, and still they do not condemn or reject the polygyny being practiced all around them by both Jews and Romans (See the quotes below). In fact, it is not until after Acts 22 that the Spirit has Paul write the following: MKJV EPHES. 2: 14 ¶ ³For He is our peace, He making us both one, and [He] has broken down the middle wall of partition [between us], 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity (the Law of commandments [contained] in ordinances) so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, making peace [between them]; 16 and so that He might reconcile both to God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity in Himself.² MKJV COLOS. 2:13 ¶ ³And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. 15 Having stripped rulers and authorities, He made a show of them publicly, triumphing [over] them in it. 16 ¶ Therefore let no one judge you in food or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbaths.² MKJV 2 PETER 3:15 ³And think of the long-suffering of our Lord [as] salvation (as our beloved brother Paul also has written to you according to the wisdom given to him 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable pervert, as also [they do] the rest of the Scriptures, to [their] own destruction).² Ephesians 2:14-18 and Colossians 2:11-17, confirmed by 2 Peter 3:15, show us that Jesus reveals and instructs us to accept the end of the Law of Moses, finally releasing believing Jews from having to obey the Law of Moses (as the Gentiles were in Acts 15) and then not many years later causes the Jerusalem Temple to be destroyed so that it would be impossible to keep on obeying the Law of Moses with its sacrifices and temple worship. This means that the marriage and morality teachings of 1 Thess. 4 ; Romans 7; 1 Corinthians 5, 6 and 7 were written before the time of Acts 21:16 while Paul and the believing Jews, including the apostles, were still obeying and teaching the marriage and morality laws of the Law of Moses, discussed at length above including polygyny . The change of significance was not that polygyny was condemned or forbidden but that monogamy was made a prerequisite for holding an official position of leadership in the local church. The polygyny of the Jewish, Greek and Roman world was not attacked, but the leadership of the local churches was transformed by the monogamy restriction, probably to prevent polygamous leaders from getting involved in church service that would result in the neglect of time with their own children and/or wives. What was the actual status of polygamy in New Testament time, the First Century AD? Christian elders agree that during Jesus' physical and visible walk on earth, the Jews practiced polygamy>24.² [Footnote: >24. Trobisch; MY WIFE MADE ME..P. 23. ; "Polygamy was not definitely forbidden among the Jews till the time of R. Gershom (c. A.d. 1000), and then at first only for France and Germany. In Spain, Italy,m and the East it persisted for some time longer, as it does still among the Jews in Mohammedan counties". HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE, p.584. ; A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. V, p. 267.; A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. iv, p.290.; A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. VIII, p. 258. ; St. Augustin: On The Trinity, p. 402.; HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE, p.259, 583ff.] Let's look at the following evidence: St. Augustine of Hippo, 4th century Christian Patriarch, stated the following of the Western Christian community of his century: "But here there is no ground for a criminal accusation: for a plurality of wives was no crime when it was the custom; and it is a crime now, because it is no longer the custom......The only reason of its being a crime now to do this, is because custom and the laws forbid it.>1. . . . That the holy fathers of olden times . . . to whom God gave His testimony that 'they pleased Him'. . . it was permitted to . . . them to have a pluraltiy of wives. . .>2 . . . the honorable name of saint is given not without reason to men who had several wives. . . nor did the number of their wives make the patriarchs licentious.>3 [>1 A Select Library, vol. iv; p. 289; >2 A Select Library, Vol. V; p. 267; >3 A Select Library, Vol. iv; p. 290] I understand Rev. Gerhard Jasper to make the following points: (1) In Old Testament times a Jewish polygynist's marriage was fully recognized as marriage, protected by the Law and the elders; (2) the Jewish polygynist's faith in or faithfulness to God was not questioned because of his polygyny; (3) the polygyny of the Jewish polygynist did not keep him from being admitted to the congregation with full membership.>44. Moses did not forbid polygamy but apparently it was unusual among average people .>45. [Footnotes: >44. Trobisch, MY WIFE MADE ME. . . P.18; (AFRICAN THEOLOGICAL JOURNAL, Rev. Gerhard Jasper of Lutheran Theological College in Makumira, Tanzania; Februrary 1969, p. 41). >45. Please see Deut. 21:15,16 and THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE COMMENTARY; p. 407.] DOUGLAS¹ NEW BIBLE DICTIONARY : MARRIAGE: ."Monogamy is implicit in the story of Adam and Eve, since God created only one wife for Adam. Yet polygyny is adopted from the time of Lamech (Gn. 4:19), and is not forbidden in Scripture . . ..It is difficult toknow how far polygamy was practised, but on economic grounds it is probable that it was found more among the well-to-do than among the ordinary people. Polygamy continues to the present day among Jews in Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and African countries." >25 [>25 IVCF, Editor J.D.Douglas; 1962,W. B. Eerdmans Publishing, p.787] In HASTING'S DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE we read "Being .. apparently legalized, and having the advantage of precedent, it was long before polygamy was formally forbidden in Hebrew society, though practically it fell into disuse; the feeling of the Rabbis was strongly against it. Herod had nine wives at once. . . Its possibility is implied by the technical continuance of the Levirate law," [Deut. 25:5-10] "and is proved by the early interpretation of 1 Ti 3, whether correct or not. Justin reproaches the Jews of his day" [A.D.] " with having 'four or even five wives,' and marrying 'as they wish, or as many as they wish.' The evidence of the Talmud shows that in this case at least the reproach had some foundation. Polygamy was not definitely forbidden among the Jews till the time of R. Gershom (c. A.D. 1000), and then at first only for France and Germany. In Spain, Italy, and the East it persisted for some time longer, as it does still among the Jews in Mohammedan countries." [Footnote: >28. HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; p.583ff.] Eugene Nida's (American Bible Society) book Customs and Cultures>.29 . . documents the current practice of polygyny by Christians in non Western countries, and how it is still practiced in China, SE Asia, India, Africa and parts of South America. Eugene Nida points out that when polygamists become Christians they are told of their limitations in church offices and are asked not to take any additional wives because it stumbles western Christians (Rom 14, l Cor. 8 and 10). They are not usually asked to abandon their other wives to a premature widowhood because of l Cor>. 7:1-15. [Footnote: >.29 1954, Harper & Brothers, New York] Tacitus, who died in 117 A.D., was a Roman historian who provided us with one of the earliest detailed descriptions of the Germans and their Germanic tribes, which later migrated into western Europe and included the English and the French. >30 These Germans of his time were unique. They strictly observed the marital tie and were generally content with one wife for each husband, in marked contrast to most of the "barbarians" of the time who often practiced polygyny. The few exceptions to this Germanic monogyny was when they were sought for a polygynous marriage because of their high birth>31 [Footnotes:>30 Source: Tr. Maurice Hutton, in Tacitus: Dialogus, Agricola, Germania, Loeb Classical Library (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1914). WOMEN'S LIVES IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE - A SOURCEBOOK; p. 36.;>31 WOMEN'S LIVES IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE - A SOURCEBOOK; p. 37.] The New York Times News Service reported in Jan. '96 that there were 200,000 individuals involved in polygamous marriages in Paris France alone. These polygamous individuals were reported to be mostly immigrants from SE Asia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Africa. This is significant since England and Germany also have similar immigrant populations with similar marriages. This is an awesome mission field right in middle of Western Europe, involving our NATO allies. Are we going to exclude them from the Gospel message because of their polygamy? Are we going to tell the husbands to disobey the Jesus who condemns the breaking of marital covenants (Mal.2; Rom. 1) by abandonning/divorcing all their wives but one. Are we going to disobey the Jesus who tells new converts to stay in the calling in which they were called (1 Cor.7:25-35) and tell the husbands not to abide in the polygamous calling in which they were called, but to dump and abandon their "extra" wives, condemning them to widowhood, poverty and prostitution? It is incredible to think that Jesus and the apostles would say nothing about such a widespread contemporary practice as polygyny if it were indeed sinful, less than God's best, carnal and reprobate to good works. God never said such a thing in Old Testament times and He obviously never said such a thing in New Testament times. When you consider how specific God was in Lev. chaps. 18-22; Deut. chaps. 22-24; Romans 1; 1 Cor. 6; 2 Cor. 6; Gal. 5 and etc., I can not believe that God would "forget" to include polygyny if it is as bad as most Christian leaders say it is. The following book review is from: IN%"bfree@mainelink.net" After Polygamy Was Made A Sin: The Social History of Christian Polygamy John Cairncross, 1974 Published by Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd, London "Orthodoxy in Western Europe, or for that matter in the Chri stian world as a whole, has been fiercely opposed to polygam y in any shape or form since at least A.D.600, and has shown itself particularly ruthless in suppressing the hated monst er whenever it raised its head in their own ranks. This constant opposition explains both why the Christian polygamists rarely put their views into practice and why their writings are often to be found in scarce, or out-of-the-way editions." PREFACE With this introduction, Mr. Cairncross launches into a very scholarly, thoroughly researched, exposition on Christian polygamy, as can be attested to by the Bibliography of more than 90 references, some dating back as far as the 16th century. Ostensibly, Mr. Cairncross is a historian, merely laying out the (albeit fascinating) account of a suprisingly large number of arguments made in favor of, and even attempts to introduce, polygamy, in the Protestant world, some by well known theologians or authors. But to this, admittedly unbiased, reviewer, within the overview of centuries of debate on this issue, it is possible to see a pattern emerging: that of men who truly believe in the righteousness of their cause, willing to take a stand for the Truth, to boldly express that which is often considered Heresy by the powers that be. Some of them would pay the ultimate price for their vision. Their contribution is not lessened, nor their Cause weakened, by the fact that a few who would take up their arguments were merely interested in their own gratification or justification of their dubious lifestyles. Most of those who would pick up this standard were men above reproach. It is no coincidence that this issue was first brought to the fore in Europe, after a silence of many centuries, soon after the beginning of the Protestant Reformation in the early 1500s. It was at this time that men begin to really seek God for themselves, and to take His Word as a personal source of Revelation, once again. What many found there could not be denied: Their was nothing against polygamy in the Bible , and indeed much to suggest it was one type of marriage that God had ordained for his people. "When the great Reformer, Martin Luther nailed his protest against papal indulgences to the church door in Wittenburg in 1517, he started an earthquake. .the Catholic hierarchy was rapidly undermined, and in its place was set the Gospel. .both the Old and New Tesament to be literally inspired and deserving of reverence."(pg.2) Thus it was that in 1534, the "German city of Munster proclaimed polygamy as the ideal form of marriage. The event is unique in the history of Christian Europe, and the reaction to this announcement explains why the experiment was never repeated. For it was greeted with a unanimous revulsion and horror."(pg.1) Mr. Cairncross never adequately examines the reason for this opposition, (perhaps because a purely histo ric look would never be able to discover the true source), but he makes it clear that this opposition was always present (both from the Catholic church, and future Protestant leaders) to meet what ever person or group would dare to propose such a thing. The Munsterites were one radical group of a new Protestant sect, the Anabaptists. Much of the knowledge we have of them, and their year-long polygamist experiment, comes directly from the historians of their enemies, for they were besieged by Catholic and Protestant foes immediately, and when they fell a year late! Some were put to death. So whiliving men wee the accounts of this time are filled with vitriolic denunc iations of the Musterites and their morals, "in fact, Munste r under Anabaptist rule was a centre of extremely austere mo rality. It's only crime, by orthodox standards, was to have introduced polygamy, and a highly Puritan type at that!" (pg .24) While this episode was over quickly, "Puritan polygam y was not extinguished under the ashes of the ruined city. The influence of the Munsterite ideas was profound." (pg.27) So it was that the stage was set for repeated serious for ays into the debate on polygamy. A few years later, "Phillip of Hesse felt impelled by his re verence for the sacraments to mend his first marriage by con tracting a second one even while his wife was alive. And he did so with the sanction of the Fathers of the Reformation. The first palidin of German Protestantism (Phillip) was, with Luther's and Melanchthon's permission, a bigamist. Prote stant historians have never recovered from the shock." (pg. 31) Phillip debated this issue with the Reformer's for many years before and after his (supposedly secret) 2nd marriage. "If, he asked, it should suddenly be possible to overthrow the celibacy of the clergy, why should the institution of b igamy be a priori excluded? The only effective answer would have been that polygamy is condemned by Christian doctrine. But this was a stand that Luther and his colleagues never took - and for very good reasons. They could not. They themselves did not believe that polygamy was against divine or natural law." (pg. 48) Luther did state that "A Christian, before adopting polygamy, must first have a calling from God." (pg. 49) Fair enough. We should all hear from God before daringto any God- ordained true "holy" matrimony. Singular or Plural. ory of many later reformersthe st: The Italian Ochino, a Franciscan until the age of 55, was a fiery orator, and a "man distinguished by the sanctity of his life, of a vast culture, venerable, white-haired, and t all, of a majestic bearing". It was only when Ochino left t he Catholic church and "fled to Switzerland where he became a Calvinist that the move towards Anabaptism began". (pg.65- 66) He wrote a brilliant thesis on polygamy that was "efferv escent, witty, and convincing." Many of the points containe d in this paper are very similar to those found on God's Fre e Men website. He was eventually exiled for his teachings, along with his four children, during winter 1563, by the Cit y Fathers of Zurich. 3 of his children died as a result. (Chapter IV.) The Christian polygamist story moves eventually to France an d England. European life, in many arguments for polygamy, is contrasted unfavorably with that of primitive cultures, and Islamic lands, where it is practiced. Prostitution, divorce early unheard of in these places, but they flourish, and are implicitly approved of, in Europe, where monogamy is the standard. "Between about 1680 and 1750, the campaign for polygamy (in England) was in full swing, and plural marriage was almost as vigorously canvassed as in Germany during the same period." (pg. 126) ted author of Para Milton, author of Paradise Lost, wrote a manuscript in the 1650s, "Da Doctrina", a lengthy theological document. It was lost until 1825, when it was discovered and translated, creating a pre-Victorian uproar in London. The famous author had dared to justify polygamy! His arguments are lucid and concise: " Polygamy is prohibited to no one even under the gospel." Milton "administers the coup de grace to his opponents when he observed that God himself (in Ezekiel 23:4) represents Himself as having `espoused two wives' which would have been unthinkable had `the practice been dishonourable or shameful'. On the contrary, he maintains, polygamy is `lawful and honourable'." (pg.129) "In England of the 1730s, the disease had turned into an epi an observed: `Pk dated 1737, an Irish clergyman, polygamy is a doctrine daily defended in common conversation and often in print by a great variety of plausible arguments ." (pg.141) 2 chapters on the Mormons, and their persecution because of felt, "with mous beliefs, follow. Mormon wives considerable justification, that their conditions of life were far superior to those of the corresponding classes in the counties from which they had come and indeed to those in most parts of America". (pg. 193) A huge home for Mormon polygamous wives, expected to provide a haven for those escaping from their husbands' tyranny, was left without occupants. In the nineteenth century, Protestant missions were expandin g rapidly, and missionaries around the globe were confrontin g polygamy among their new converts. In 1844, a conference of missionaries of various denominations "unanimously agreed that `if a convert, before becoming a Christian, has married more than wives than one, he shall be permitted to keep them all; but such a person shall not be ligible to any office in the church'." (pg.198) An American traveler of this time propagated his polygamous convictions in print in his home country, but chose to remai n anonymous. A "Christian Philanthropist", published in 186 y and Philosophy of Marriage, or Polygamy and Monogamy Compared", it ranto a 2nd edition and 1875 and apparently even to a third. " Like almost all of his predecessors, he does not realize tha t he is part of a long tradition." (pg.198) This work can b e found elsewhere on this website. It would appear that the re is a common bond between many of these Christian polygamists that cannot be accounted for, since they were often unfamiliar with each other's works. Is it possible that there i s a more subtle, more powerful force at work in these men's lives, binding them together in a remarkable quest to restor e a Divine plan to our Western society? [Note: The above is also true of the author of this website. All arguments in favor of polygamy found here were first di scovered by direct inspection of God's Word - before any of the earlier authors mentioned in this report were ever known to the author of God's Free Men. Only after this truth was first revealed from the Scriptures alone were the confirmati ons of earlier writers discovered.] Some Christian churches in Africa today allow polygamy. A p astor in Cameroon stated: "People have no right to condemn p olygamy which even Christ did not condemn in the case of Abr aham". (pg.214) Cairncross sums up "for a long time to come, there will stil l be an imbalance between the number of men and women able or willing to marry. Which may explain why, even now, some Catholic theologians in Germany are reported to be giving cons ideration to the possibility of sanctioning polygamy." He closes with a quote from Shaw: "Women will al ways prefer a tenth share of a first-rate man to the exclusive claim to a thirdrate one." (pg.218)ir Reviewed and contributed by: neb XXIII. BIBLIOGRAPHY >1. A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. IV; edited by Philip Schaff (D.d., LL.D.); W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids Mich; 1956 >2. A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. V; edited by Philip Schaff (D.d., LL.D.); ; W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids Mich; 1956; p. 267 >3. A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. VIII; edited by Philip Schaff (D.d., LL.D.) and Henry Wace (D.D.) ; W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids Mich; 1956 >4. A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. XIV; edited by Philip Schaff (D.D., LL.D.) and Henry Wace (D.D.) ; W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids Mich; 1956 >5. AFRICAN THEOLOGICAL JOURNAL, Rev. Gerhard Jasper of Lutheran Theological College in Makumira, Tanzania; Februrary 1969, p. 41). >6. After Polygamy Was Made A Sin:The Social History of Christian PolygamyJohn Cairncross, 1974; Published by Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd, London >10. CUSTOMS AND CULTURES, Anthropology for Christian Missions, by Eugene A. Nida1954, Harper & Brothers, New York >11. Darby's 1890 translation: Most of the scriptures quoted in this work, if not otherwise indicated, are from the a modernized version of J. N. Darby's translation, the OnLine Bible computer program of "Online Bible f ", Ken Hammil 1-908-741-4298; [E-Mail: khamel@aol.com]. >12. Funk & Wagnalls NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA; 1986, >14. HASTING'S DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; 1989, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody, Mass;, Editor James Hastings, DD., >15. I LOVED A GIRL; Walter Trobisch, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Ill. >16. INTERNATIONAL BIBLE COMMENTARY, THE; Editor, F.F.Bruce; 1979; Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids Michigan. >23. MKJV: MODERN KING JAMES VERSION, 1993, by Jay P. Green Sr., in Online Bible 2.5.1; the OnLine Bible computer program of "Online Bible f ", Ken Hammil 1- 908-741-4298; [E-Mail: khamel@aol.com]. >24. MY WIFE MADE ME A POLYGAMIST; Walter Trobisch, 1971, Inter-Varsity Press, >27. NEW BIBLE DICTIONARY, THE; Editor J.D.Douglas Ph.D; 1962; W. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Mich. >31. OnLine Bible computer program of "Online Bible f ", Ken Hammil 1-908-741-4298; [E-Mail: khamel@aol.com]. >33. St. Augustin: On The Trinity; translated by Arthur West Haddan, B.D.; W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids Mich; 1956 >37. WOMEN'S LIVES IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE - A SOURCEBOOK; Edited by Emile Amt; Routledge, Chapman, Hall; NY, NY; 1993 WHAT DO YOU THINK? THE FEEDING OF TWO LEGGED OXEN. I am not trying to meddle or cause trouble. I just want to know if there are any mistakes in the ideas above in terms of scripture alone, not in terms of the condemned traditions and doctrines of people (Mark 7).I really want to know what the Bible says about the subjects discussed above. I want to live by every Word of God, not by the commandments and traditions of man (Mat. 15, Mark 7 and Colos 2). PLEASE ADVISE ME OF ANY AND ALL ERRORS (TYPOS, DOCTRINAL, ETC.) THAT YOU FIND. PLEASE GIVE ME CLEAR AND EXPLICIT SCRIPTURES DEALING WITH THE ERROR WHEN YOU WRITE. I WANT THE WORD, NOT OPINIONS AND PARADIGMS. Any and all donations are welcomed for the furthering and the expense of this very controversial ministry. Donations are welcome for the furthering of this ministry. It has taken a great deal of time. If the information in this work has ministered to you, I would appreciate your ministry to me to get this information out and to the Church. Otherwise I have to "make tents". If I time from "making tents" permits, this work will be revised monthly. In the next publication/distribution I hope to provide the actual texts for all references. Ro 15:27 Truly it has pleased them, and they are their debtors. For if the nations have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in carnal things. 1 Cor. 9:9 For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox treading out grain." Does God take care for oxen? 10 Or does He say [it] altogether for our sakes? It was written for us, so that he who plows should plow [in] hope, and so that he who threshes [in] hope should be partaker of his hope. 11 If we have sown to you spiritual things, [is it] a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? 12 If others have a share of [this] authority [over] you, rather [should] not we? But we have not used this authority, but we endured all things lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. 13 Do you not know that those who minister about holy things live [of the things] of the temple? And those attending the altar are partakers with the altar. 14 Even so, the Lord ordained those announcing the gospel to live from the gospel.Galatians 6:6 But let him who is taught in the Word share with the [one] teaching in all good things. 1Ti 5:17 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in word and doctrine. 18 For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle the ox treading out grain," and, "The laborer [is] worthy of his reward." TYLER,P.O.Box 620763, San Diego, CA 92162-0763 AS THE LORD LEADS.