From Feast upon the Word (http://feastupontheword.org). Copyright, Feast upon the Word.
Note: this page allows you to see all the commentary pages for Alma chapter 39 together. Click on the heading to go to a specific page.
Alma 39:1-5
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The Book of Mormon > Alma > Chapter 39
Questions
Verse 5
- These things: Which things are the abomination being referred to here, sexual sin (cf. verse 9) or "leading away the hearts of many people to destruction" (cf. verse 12 and Alma 36:14)?
Lexical notes
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Exegesis
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Related links
Verse 2
- 2 Cor 10:17-18 advocates glorying in the Lord and letting the Lord glory us instead of ourselves.
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Alma 39:6-10
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The Book of Mormon > Alma > Chapter 39
Questions
Verse 6
- Why does Alma repeat the phrase "it is not easy for him to obtain a forgiveness"? If it's to emphasize the point to Corianton, why might Alma feel this point needs to be emphasized to Corianton?
- Why is the article "a" used to modify forgiveness here? (Note: all other uses of the term forgiveness in the scriptures do not use such an article.)
Verse 9
- What does it mean to "cross" yourself?
- Why is remembering so important to the repentance process? How can remembering help you gain control of unwanted desires? What can you do each day to help you remember?
Lexical notes
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Exegesis
Click the edit link above and to the right to add exegesis
Related links
- See various quotes relating to these verses posted by Brettferre here.
- Compare verse 9 with Mosiah 4:30, "watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the comments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard..."
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Alma 39:11-15
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The Book of Mormon > Alma > Chapter 39
Questions
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Lexical notes
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Exegesis
- vs. 13 - In this verse Alma emphasizes an important part of repentance - restitution, or repairing damages that our sins may have caused.
- In verse 14 Alma tells his son not to seek for riches or vanities of the world because we cannot take these things with us into the next life. Note that, in contrast, Doctrine & Covenants 130:18 tells us that we can take knowledge and intelligence with us into the next life.
Related links
- Verse 14: Elder Dallin H Oaks explains in "Focus and Priorities" (Ensign May 2001) that "the 'vain things of [the] world' include every combination of that worldly quartet of property, pride, prominence, and power." He also says there: "As regards property, Jesus taught that 'a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth' (Luke 12:15)."
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Alma 39:16-19
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The Book of Mormon > Alma > Chapter 39
Questions
- Click the edit link above and to the right to add questions
Lexical notes
- Click the edit link above and to the right to add lexical notes
Exegesis
Click the edit link above and to the right to add exegesis
Related links
- Click the edit link above and to the right to add related links
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