1_Timothy 4:1-3: the "Spirit speaketh expressly" and prophesied of the time of "forbidding to marry". Today's churches, (some unwittingly) "speaking lies in hypocrisy", would forbid the marriages of Abraham, Jacob/Israel, Moses, Gideon, and David ---not to mention forbidding how God described Himself in Polygamist terms in Jeremiah 3 and Ezekiel 23, and how Christ the perfect Savior did likewise when He referred to Himself as the Polygamous Bridegroom in the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25:1-13. Indeed, such churches would not even allow such holy ones in the Scriptures to bring their polygamous families into such present-day churches. And yet, clearly, the Spirit expressly foretold of this profoundly obvious (even though often unwitting) hypocrisy, in 1_Timothy 4:1-3

Titus 1:6 and 1_Timothy 3:2,12 "One wife" mia is the Greek word from which the word, one, was translated in those passages. Yet, it can also be translated as first, just as it is, for example, so translated in the phrases, "first day of the week" in Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:1-2, and Acts 20:7.
Furthermore, in 1_Timothy 5:9, a widow's "one man" is not mia but the Greek word "heis", meaning the numeral-one, and not meaning the adjective of "first".
The fact is, no one can INSIST that these three "one wife" verses can NOT be instead translated as "first wife", which makes more sense to translate those verses as "first wife" anyway since these men had more then one wife themselves..

If a man have two wives..." Deuteronomy 21:15
The passage of Deuteronomy 21:15-17 is a specific instruction in the Law Itself to any man with "two wives".
If polygamy was a sin, then why are there laws in the bible??

"ONE FLESH" --- "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." Genesis 2:24, referenced in Matthew 19:5,6, Mark 10:8, 1_Corinthians 6:16, Ephesians 5:31. A man is "one flesh" with EACH woman with whom he copulates, whether in marriage (wife) or in fornication (harlot). When a married man, who is therefore already "one flesh" with his wife, copulates with another woman, that does not then negate his being "one flesh" with the wife. This is evident by the fact that 1_Corinthians 6:16 reveals that a man can be "one flesh" even with an harlot. As even a married man, therefore, can become "one flesh" with an harlot, that proves that a married man can indeed be "one flesh" with more than one woman, without negating his being "one flesh" with his wife. As that is so even with a married man with an harlot, it is thus just as equally true regarding a man being "one flesh" with more than one wife. For further proof, the very next verse provides the context of the plural-to-one aspect, i.e., 1_Corinthians 6:17: "But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit." As EACH Christian is joined as "one spirit" with the Lord, that then demonstrates the context of the plural-to-one aspect. Namely, as EACH Christian is joined as "one spirit" with the Lord, so too may EACH woman be joined as "one flesh" with one man. Lastly, when the Lord Jesus, in Matthew 19:5,6 and Mark 10:8, was re-quoting that original "one flesh" verse of Genesis 2:24, He was only dealing with the issue of divorce, saying, "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." (Matthew 19:6c-d.) That was opposing divorce of God-joined marriages, of what God Himself had joined together as "one flesh". For context, it is exegetically important to note that the "one flesh" verse itself of Genesis 2:24, which the Lord Jesus was re-quoting, was written by Moses. And Moses married (was "one flesh" with) two wives: Zipporah (Exodus 2:16-21 and 18:1-6) and the Ethiopian woman (Numbers 12:1). The term, "one flesh", could not otherwise allegedly mean that a man could not be "one flesh" with more than one woman because three things did indeed happen. 1) Moses did marry two wives. 2) Moses did author such other verses as Exodus 21:10 and Deuteronomy 21:15. 3) Jesus Christ did not speak against Moses' being "one flesh" with two wives. Hence, the Scriptures reveal that Jesus and Moses knew what "one flesh" meant when Moses authored Genesis 2:24: a man may be "one flesh" with more than one woman.

o ya this info. is for the guy who called it a feel good and do it lifestyle I just wants ya to know I am backed by the man who created it all!!! aka we call him God.. with that siad I hope every one can find there lucky someone and enjoy a long and happy life

mckeachie,

God gave men certain laws, because of the hardness of their hearts. We see this in Matthew 19:8...

Matthew 19:8
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Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.
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Men wanted more than one wife and were going to have multiple wives regardless of what God said. So God created laws that dictated how those wives would have to be treated. It was never God's highest will for us to own slaves, sell our children, have more than one wife, etc, but God gave us laws so that our wickedness wouldn't injure the innocent too much. The most important thing to God is our relationship with Him. If our relationship with God is right, we will treat our fellow man the right way. Jesus treated women as equals, so His diciples taught that women should be treated as equals.

Your interpretation of 1 Timothy 3:2 is completely off. If it meant "first" wife, it wouldn't make sense.

Makes no sense
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"A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of the first wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;"
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Makes sense
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A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
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Your understanding of "One Flesh" is also wrong. Jesus taught that marraige was always inteneded to be between ONE man and ONE woman.

Matthew 19:4-5
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And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
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Polygamy is a horrible thing. Here is a article that explains some of the things that polygamy does to both men and women: http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=26094

HOPE YOU ADHERE TO EVERYTHING IN THE BIBLE LIKE YOU DO THIS PART AS YOU INTERPRET IT.ARE YOU CATHOLIC?
ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE IT WAS THE 1ST CHURCH.

don4169,

"ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE IT WAS THE 1ST CHURCH."

Could you quote that verse for me?

who cares happy sunday everyone

Men wanted more than one wife and were going to have multiple wives regardless of what God said THIS IS WHAT YOU WROTE!!! those who dis obey gods law will be judge not by me but by are lord... he doesnt care about what regardless the world does???
man is going to smoke pot and drink regardless I havent heard God say that was ok this is foolish to think god changes because of what man thinks .
and its not horrible at all I have a loving family and looking to make it grow if its Gods will and calling it horrible is like calling these men horrible Abdon* Abijah Abraham Ahab Ahasuerus
Ashur Belshazzar Benhadad Caleb David
Eliphaz Elkanah Esau Ezra Gideon
Heman* Hosea* Ibzan* Issachar** Jacob
Jair* Jehoiachin Jehoram Jerahmeel Joash
Lamech Machir Manasseh Mered Moses
Nahor Rehoboam Saul Shaharaim Shimei*
Simeon Solomon Terah* Zedekiah Ziba*
thanks- you for your post but do you have anything else to convience me other wise ??? I do have a open mind and will diffently read all you give me.

I've said everything that needs to be said. If the Word won't convince you, nothing I say will. My gut tells me you are just looking to start a fight.

o ya in 1 tim. 3:2 ya it wouldnt for lets say someone who spoke modern english you got to rember that people if different launge spoke a whole lot different the years and launge would make it sound like non-since, for example easy to do it yourself try translating spanish into english word for word there sentence would look backwards for the most part.. so when people translate old texts they have to put ir in form that a person from that launge can understand... make since if not you have to find a person that tranlates for a living not me lol

SPIDER NOT AT THE MOMENT, I'LL DO THE RESEARCH THIS WEEK.

DID GOD TOLarate sin as you mentioned ??
Malachi 3:6a-b and Hebrews 13:8 --- God does not change, nor would He, therefore, "tolerate" sin, as some mistakenly assert. Indeed, many Christians often speak of the "curse of the Law" in that, under the Old Testament, there was no "tolerance" for sin at all. And yet, such ones will then equally assert the opposite ---and thereby illogical--- thought that "polygamy" was supposedly a "sin" about which God supposedly "tolerated" in the Old Testament. Moreover, to suggest that God somehow "tolerated" sin is to then mistakenly assert that Christ supposedly did not need to "go to the Cross" for the salvation of sinners! (God forbid!) Indeed, the very gospel is precisely because God does not "tolerate" sin, that He prepared a means of redemption through Christ. The merciful Lord God does not change

mckeachie,

Jesus IS God. When he speaks, He is speaking from a position of absolute authority. Jesus said "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard". You aren't trying to have an open mind. This is Jesus teaching that divorce is wrong. Polygamy sets women at a level far below men and places them at odds against each other. What woman would ever want to have friends when she could find her husband married to her? Polygamy places men into a position of undue power over their wives, so that they can blackmail their wives into doing more for them, because they can treat their other wives better.

What is your point in this? Your profile says you are a Buddist/Taoist, so what do you care what Christains believe? You are simply trying to tear into the faith of Christians, that's it. You are doing Satan's work for him and with a smile on your face no doubt.

2 Timothy 3:5-7
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Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
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The above verse is speaking of those who quote the Bible, but deny Jesus Christ as their savior. In other words, you.

no I dont want a fight, I just get caught up in my study of the bible lol i respect your view. I will look up that sight you posted. if its describing polgamy families am sure it will give a totaly different discription then my family, I have read a lot of anti-proganda and have found it just that propganda by people who have had bad experiences I am pretty sure we could find a lot of bad to make propganda about single man and wife marriage also. like whos raising there children the t.v. the daycare ?? I could go on lol about how the femminist movoment has done bad for couples that have to both work and no one in the home .. I will read thanks spider.

I am sorrie spider I dont believe that Jesus is god. I believe God jehova yhwh or what ever translation you use is are father in heaven. and I believe jesus is his son born of a virgin who gave his life for the world.. and I couldnt believe anything else.. i dont know what else to say..

its not a different level its just that if a women had more then one husband it wouldnt be more fruitful? with more then one wife it would.. but to be fiar I guess its ok , not in this family lol

yess I am a budhist ,but I do believe in the gossiple of christ. budhist is religion that teaches one to recongnize that there is a soul and alot of them have tradtions and myths that are false.. but most monks recognize this and dont believe idiols and such aka there is only one true God..my friend jak from thialand is a monk that believes in the gossiple of christ he taught me how to meditate and so forth...he hasnt tought me nothing against the bible.

2 Timothy 3:5-7 I read the entire third chapter.. I agree with that translastaionwomen laden with sins.. I would never personal have a relationship with women like that.. thats why I would never reccomnd a believer to mary a non-believer. but there are other prophieces to that talk about 7 women with one man ishiah 4:1 that are talking about good people. If you believe I put on a front and have unholy women then yess 2 tim. chapter three describes me if you think I am raising a family to love God and learn the gossiple of christ and to except him as savior then Isiah 4:1 would be a better description.