Alumbrados – The Illuminated

A Greek Study

1 Timothy 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

1 Timothy 3:12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

Titus 1:6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

The NRSV translates these verses as “married only once,” while the NIV has “the husband of but one wife,” which makes it sound even more like it is teaching a man is forbidden to have more than one wife at a time (although he may have married and divorced several times). What does the original Greek say?

The Greek word translated “one” in the above verses is “mia” and these other 6 verses in the bible use the same word “mias” meaning “first”

Mark 16:2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

(the meaning is obvious)

Luke 14:18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

(this could mean, the first thing they began to do was to make excuse)

Luke 17:34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

(clearly meaning, the first shall be taken)

Luke 22:59 And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean.

(which could mean, after the first hour)

Acts 24:21 Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.

(could mean the first thing of importance in his preaching was resurrection)

Hebrews 12:16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

(could mean, the first chance he got, he sold his birthright)

Please Note

From the verses above, we can see that the word translated ONE could be interpreted as FIRST, and so:

1. A man must remain with his FIRST wife. He cannot understand it to mean everything is ok, to divorce and re-marry, even several times, so long as he remains with one wife alone, at any given instant.
2. This “first wife” must actually be his true wife, that is, she must have been a virgin at the time (even if she has intermitted with sex with others after that, he MUST get her back with him).
3. We cannot prove that a man should ONLY have one wife from the verses in Timothy and Titus. The verses do not forbid polygyny in any sense.

“Husband of One Wife” therefore means (Still the) Husband of FIRST Wife…!

WHAT ABOUT WOMEN? – COMPARE:

1 Timothy 5:9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under

threescore years old, having been the wife of one man,

Here a different Greek word used for ONE – “enos”. Which is

found in the next verses, which show how it should be

interpreted for women to be the wife of ONE man. It has a

different meaning:

Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will

hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the

one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and

mammon.

Matthew 18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these

little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do

always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

Luke 10:42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen

that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he

will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the

one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and

mammon.

Acts 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for

to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the

times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

Acts 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might

feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every

one of us:

Acts 21:26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying

himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the

accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an

offering should be offered for every one of them.

Romans 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are

together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good,

no, not one.

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the

world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for

that all have sinned:

Romans 5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift.

For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more

the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man,

Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

Romans 5:16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the

gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free

gift is of many offences unto justification.

Romans 5:17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by

one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and

of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus

Christ.)

Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment

came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the

righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto

justification of life.

Romans 5:19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were

made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made

righteous.

Romans 9:10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had

conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

1 Corinthians 4:6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure

transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye

might learn in us not to think of men above that which is

written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against

another.

1 Corinthians 10:17 For we being many are one bread, and

one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many

members, and all the members of that one body, being many,

are one body: so also is Christ.

Galatians 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the

promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as

of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

Galatians 3:20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but

God is one.

Ephesians 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined

together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth,

according to the effectual working in the measure of every

part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in

love.

2 Thessalonians 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for

you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth

exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward

each other aboundeth;

1 Timothy 5:9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under

threescore years old, having been the wife of one man,

Hebrews 2:11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are

sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to

call them brethren,

Hebrews 11:12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him

as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude,

and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

Revelation 6:1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the

seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the

four beasts saying, Come and see.

Revelation 8:13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying

through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe,

woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other

voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to

sound!

Revelation 21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls:

every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city

was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.