Does The New Testament Teach Monogamy?

The following question was sent to me by a proponent of polygamy to answer true or false. Kind of like asking the question of whether or not you have stopped beating your wife. So, although, I was tempted to answer it as both true and false, I thought it would be better to go into detail a little more. T/F The word mia can mean first or one or other. (See Strong’s Concordance). Answers Actually, there are 8 occurrences of the word in the New Testament. Here they are with their meanings (pay particular attention to the context of each): Luke 14:18 καὶ ἤρξαντο ἀπὸ μιᾶς πάντες παραιτεῖσθαι. ὁ πρῶτος εἶπεν αὐτῷ• ἀγρὸν ἠγόρασα καὶ ἔχω ἀνάγκην ἐξελθὼν ἰδεῖν αὐτόν• ἐρωτῶ σε, ἔχε με παρῃτημένον. They all as one began to make excuses. "The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please have me excused.' Adjective: Genitive Singular Feminine Luke 17:34 λέγω ὑμῖν, ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ ἔσονται δύο ἐπὶ κλίνης μιᾶς, ὁ εἷς παραλημφθήσεται καὶ ὁ ἕτερος ἀφεθήσεται• I tell you, in that night there will be two people in one bed. The one will be taken, and the other will be left. Adjective: Genitive Singular Feminine Luke 22:59 καὶ διαστάσης ὡσεὶ ὥρας μιᾶς ἄλλος τις διϊσχυρίζετο λέγων• ἐπ' ἀληθείας καὶ οὗτος μετ' αὐτοῦ ἦν, καὶ γὰρ Γαλιλαῖός ἐστιν. After about one hour passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, "Truly this man also was with him, for he is a Galilean!" Adjective: Genitive Singular Feminine Acts 24:21 ἢ περὶ μιᾶς ταύτης φωνῆς ἧς ἐκέκραξα ἐν αὐτοῖς ἑστὼς ὅτι περὶ ἀναστάσεως νεκρῶν ἐγὼ κρίνομαι σήμερον ἐφ' ὑμῶν. “[u]nless it is for this one thing that I cried standing among them, 'Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged before you today!'" Adjective: Genitive Singular Feminine 1 Timothy 3:2 δεῖ οὖν τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ἀνεπίλημπτον εἶναι, μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρα, νηφάλιον σώφρονα κόσμιον φιλόξενον διδακτικόν, The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching; Adjective: Genitive Singular Feminine 1 Timothy 3:12 διάκονοι ἔστωσαν μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρες, τέκνων καλῶς προϊστάμενοι καὶ τῶν ἰδίων οἴκων. Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. Adjective: Genitive Singular Feminine Titus 1:6 εἴ τίς ἐστιν ἀνέγκλητος, μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἀνήρ, τέκνα ἔχων πιστά, μὴ ἐν κατηγορίᾳ ἀσωτίας ἢ ἀνυπότακτα. “[I]f anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, who are not accused of loose or unruly behavior. Adjective: Genitive Singular Feminine Hebrews 12:16 μή τις πόρνος ἢ βέβηλος ὡς Ἠσαῦ, ὃς ἀντὶ βρώσεως μιᾶς ἀπέδετο τὰ πρωτοτόκια ἑαυτοῦ. [L]est there be any sexually immoral person, or profane person, like Esau, who sold his birthright for one meal. Adjective: Genitive Singular Feminine Since none, of these indicates a plurality. And, if that be the case as we can easily deduct from the context, why should we make the only other exception that of relating to wives? You and I both know that there are no examples of Christian (or Jewish) polygamy in the New Testament. So how do we find out what the New Testament says about polygamy? We take a look at what the New Testament says about marriage. What we'll find is that the New Testament ALWAYS describes marriage as between ONE man and ONE woman. It never allows for more than one wife. Let's look at some examples: "But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband." - 1 Corinthians 7:2-3 NASB 1 Corinthians chapter 7 discusses marriage and it is always in the context of "wife" (singular) and "husband" (singular). It does not make sense for the singular words to be used, if it is possible to have more than one wife. If it were acceptable to God to have more than one wife, then the word "wives" would have to have been used here. The wording of 1 Corinthians chapter 7 completely excludes the possibility of polygamy. Ephesians chapter 5 (verses 22-33) discuss marriage. Here again we do see the plural "wives" used. However, it is used because Paul is writing to the overall category of husbands and wives. "Wives be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord." - Ephesians 5:22 NASB "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her," - Ephesians 5:25 NASB Notice that in verse 23 his message becomes more personal: "For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body." - Ephesians 5:23 NASB When Paul speaks to individuals, it is husband and wife. ONE man and ONE woman. That is marriage. But there is something even more important here. The relationship of husband and wife in marrige is the same as the relationship between Christ and His church. "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride [the church] has made herself [not themselves] ready." - Revelation 19:7 NASB Take care, Jim