Messianic Apologetics

Addressing the Theological and Spiritual Issues of the Broad Messianic Movement

Is Polygamy for Today? the case against polygamy

Engin_Akyurt via Pixabay

No one who reads the Bible denies that polygamy—the practice of a man having more than one wife—is seen within the text. The Patriarch Jacob, who was the progenitor of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, had two wives and two concubines (Genesis 31:17; 37:2). King David, who was testified by the Lord to be “a man after His own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14), had multiple wives (1 Samuel 18:17-30; 25:38-43; 2 Samuel 3:2-5). King Solomon, whom many consider to be the wisest man who ever lived, had hundreds of wives and concubines (1 Kings 3:1; 11:3) that made up an entire harem (Song of Songs 6:8). “So what is the problem?” it is said. “Some of the most important figures in the Tanach Scriptures had multiple wives, and so Messianic men today should be able to have multiple wives as well. YHWH is restoring Biblical patriarchy! Women need to learn their place.” There are, in fact, many problems to be explored when considering whether or not polygamy is an acceptable practice for today’s Body of Messiah. Was it the ideal at Creation for the man to have more than one wife? When a man has more than one wife, is he truly fulfilled emotionally and spiritually with his multiple spouses? Is the household where one man has multiple wives and children from those multiple wives truly a place of love and affection, or one of discord and suspicion? Does the Bible portray men who had polygamous relationships as being genuinely fulfilled, and children who were true examples of godliness? Does a man having multiple wives express the sentiment that he places great value on women, or that they are simply property to be acquired? And, how many in the Biblical period actually had the financial means to afford more than one wife? Does the Bible really lend support to the practice of polygamy today?

Is Polygamy for Today? the case against polygamy

Is_Polygamy_for_Today_MEN_AND_WOMEN_IN_THE_BODY_OF_MESSIAH

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Men and Women in the Body of Messiah

One of the biggest, divisive issues in contemporary theology, involves women in ministry. There are denominations which support females serving alongside of males as co-leaders of the assembly, ordained as pastors, and there are other denominations which strongly oppose females serving in such a capacity. When it comes to marital relationships, there are those who believe that a husband leads the family while the wife follows behind him, and there are others who support partnership marriages where husband and wife are co-leaders of the family. How should today’s Messianic movement best approach this?

This resource, Men and Women in the Body of Messiah: Answering Crucial Questions, is divided into two main discussions. The first part, “Answering Evangelical Questions,” familiarizes today’s Messianic people with the evangelical Protestant debates that have taken place between complementarianism (equal in value, separate in roles) and egalitarianism (equal in value, open in opportunities). The second part, “Answering Messianic Questions,” discusses how the issues involving women in ministry, marriage, and singleness, have been approached in our faith community. A third part of this resource, “Is Polygamy for Today? The Case Against Polygamy,” forthrightly addresses the blight of plural marriage that has manifested in various sectors of the independent Hebrew/Hebraic Roots movement.

available in both paperback ($12.99) and eBook for Amazon Kindle ($9.99)


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