What the Bible Really Says About Multiple Wives
Part 3: One Husband, One Wife—What the New Testament Says
If the Old Testament’s complex marriage stories left you unsure about God’s design, the New Testament makes things much clearer.
Paul writes:
1 Corinthians 7:2: “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.”
Notice how Paul’s words show equality.
Every man has his own wife.
Every woman has her own husband.
Paul then says something even more important:
1 Corinthians 7:4: “The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.”
In this covenant relationship, the husband’s body belongs to his wife, just as her body belongs to him.
This is not about a man collecting wives.
It’s a picture of both husband and wife being faithful to each other.
Paul uses similar language when describing church leadership.
1 Timothy 3:2: “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife…”
And:
Titus 1:6: “If any be blameless, the husband of one wife…”
The phrase “husband of one wife” means being faithful to one woman.
Bible scholars still discuss what Paul meant by this. Whatever else he meant, Paul clearly stresses faithfulness in marriage.
Then Paul takes marriage even deeper in Ephesians 5.
Ephesians 5:25: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.”
Christian marriage is more than just a social agreement.
It’s meant to show something deeper.
A husband’s faithful love for his wife is meant to reflect Christ’s faithful love for His Church.
Paul then quotes Genesis:
Ephesians 5:31: “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.”
He doesn’t point us to Jacob’s household.
He doesn’t point us to David’s household.
He doesn’t point us to Solomon’s household.
He points us back to Genesis 2.
Then he reveals why:
Ephesians 5:32: “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”
Marriage ultimately points beyond itself.
The bridegroom points toward Christ.
The bride points toward the Church.
Their covenant points toward the Gospel.
That’s why biblical marriage is not just based on whatever people have done in history.
Marriage belongs to God.
God designed it.
God defined it.
In the end, God uses marriage to tell His story.
