Meaning of POLYGAMY

Polygamy appeared with Lamech (Gen. 4:19), and thus the purity of marriages was stained, as men allowed themselves to be dominated by carnal impulses in the choice of their partners (Gen. 6:1-2).

When Abraham took a second wife to obtain the fulfillment of the promise, he acted foolishly (Gen. 16:4). Isaac had only one wife, but Jacob was polygamous, in part due to Laban's deception (Gen. 29).

Moses repressed the abuses, but he did not abolish them at once. The Israelites were little spiritually grown, and chained to the uses and customs of the time, which did not correspond at all to the will of God.

The great legislator rendered a great service to the cause of marriage by prohibiting unions between blood relatives and in-laws (Lev. 18); he discouraged polygamy (Lev. 18:18; Deut. 17:17); secured the rights of wives of inferior status (Ex. 21:2-11; Deut. 21:10-17); regulated divorce (Deut. 22:19, 29; 24:1); He demanded respect for the marriage bond (Ex. 20:14, 17; Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22).

After Moses, there were still those who took to polygamy: Gideon, Elkanah, Saul, David, Solomon, Rehoboam, and others (Judg. 8:30; 1 Sam. 1:2; 2 Sam. 5:13; 12 :8; 21:8; 1 Kings 11:3).

However, Scripture exposes the evils inherent to polygamy, the miserable rivalries that occurred between the wives of Abraham, Jacob, and Elkanah (Gen. 16:6; 30; 1 Sam. 1:6); On the other hand, the beauty of happy families is highlighted (Ps. 128:3; Pr. 5:18; 31:10-29; Eccl. 9:9; cf. Eclos. 26:1-27).

Abraham married a half-sister of his; Jacob had two wives who were sisters to each other (Gen. 20:12; 29:26). In
Egypt, it was not unusual to marry a sister of one's father and mother; the Persians allowed it (Herodotus 3:31).

Athenians could marry a half-sister of the same father, while Spartans could marry their half-sisters born of the same mother. The Law of Moses prohibited these unions and even marriages with more distant relatives (Lev. 18:618).

The marriage status of the Romans was similar to that of the Israelites; It denounced as incest the union of close relatives (for example, between brother and sister) or between in-laws (such as father-in-law and daughter-in-law).

All NT texts speak formally against polygamy. Speaking to the Jews about divorce, Christ stated that Moses had permitted it because of the hardness of their hearts and that, except in cases of unfaithfulness, a remarriage was adultery (Matt. 19:8-9).

It can be concluded that polygamy had been permitted in the OT era for the same reason, although with the indicated restrictions; However, it is clear that it has no place in the Gospel.

The special case of polygamists converted to the Gospel was treated with the acceptance of the de facto family situation; However, the polygamist was excluded from the possibility of holding any position of responsibility in the church (cf. 1 Tim. 3:2, 12; Tit. 1:6).