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Does 1 Corinthians 7:4 disallow polygyny?

Sonny Chancelor

Sonny Chancelor

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Does 1 Corinthians 7:4 disallow/delegitamize polygyny?
"The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does."

If the woman "has" authority of/over her husband, than that means she can set the boundaries to prohibit multiple wives? In other words, if she "has" authority, then that means she can say "hell no you can't have another wife(s)".
 
My opinion is; that this authority extends only to sexual matters; as in whether or not they are having sex, in the context. The wife has the authority to demand sex to satisfy her needs, as does the husband. If the wife's authority over the husband's body covers more than that, then we are opening the door to having diet, exercise, hairstyle, clothing, tattoos and piercings all being fair game; since they are all relevant to the body.

This might be ok for a egalitarian monogamist couple, but it would be raw hell in poly.

The only specific example that I can think of that this principle was applied in the bible was with Jacob, whose services were traded for those mandrakes. And it just so happened to be whom he was sleeping with, within the marriage, as both women had a legitimate claim to Jacob's body.

I say this prohibition of marrying another woman is too much of a stretch, as it allows her to assume command from the back seat.

"I have authority over your body, and I judge that you will be unable to meet my needs if I allow your body to take another wife"

"I have authority over your body, so your body needs to get itself to Jared's and fork over some cash for a new Necklace. I have needs!"

"I have authority over your body, so I prohibit your going to Taco Bell, because you know I don't like what it does to you."
 
Slumberfreeze said:
My opinion is; that this authority extends only to sexual matters;...
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I fully agree with that interpretation for two reasons:

1) Taking that verse in context with the previous verses and the ones that follow, it's pretty obvious the subject is sex. With the husband's ownership and authority already assumed, this is one of only a handful of "rights" (maybe not the best word) that a wife can legitimately demand of her husband.

B) IFF we were to interpret the other way, that a wife has authority over his body, above and beyond coitus, it would be in contradiction to other scripture. And as we all know, (sing along, if you know the words) "The Bible does not contradict itself." If we ever do come across a contradiction, it's because one or more of our "facts" (aka: assumptions) are wrong.

EDIT: It would help if I stated, at the beginning, exactly which interpretation I was agreeing with.
EDIT2: Because!
 
Thank you SLUMBERFREEZE & NETWATCHR; I appreciate your thoughtful responses to my question as it is VITAL to my faith in Christ. It's all 'bout marriage, authority & love ISN'T IT? It is such a controversial issue today! Thank you both!
 
Keep in mind that much of the discussion by Paul is in matters of avoiding fornication. Denial of sex, by either party, opens one up to sexual temptations outside of marriage.

Poly is intercourse within marriages.
 
If we all had a dollar for every time a wife tried using that verse in that way though ... we'd all be rich!!! Am I right or am I right?
 
rustywest4 said:
Am I right or am I right?
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You're right. But not just wives. Any Monogamist Warrior. Especially Pastors who attribute to the subversion of true headship or, worse, in my opinion, redirect that headship to themselves.

It just goes back to willful ignorance of original scripture (Greek or Hebrew) in favor of an incomplete translation/interpretation. And i say willful because any attempt to teach clarity through linguistic regression is met with bold-faced, child-like temper-tantrum of "no! don't wanna!"

For example, my favorite is when discussing the "own husband, own wife" verse or the 3 "husband of only/but one wife" verses, and you try to explain that the two "own"s are really two different words with different meanings, the words "only" and "but" were added by translators, what "mia" really means, and they're all "Well, my Bible is in English and it says what it says." :rolleyes: SMH.

Multiple Edits: Because i post faster than i think. :p
 
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