Difference between revisions of "Alma 5:14-32"

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The Book of Mormon > Alma > Chapter 5

Questions

Verse 26

• Why does Alma call these people his "brethren"? Are these people of his Nephite lineage, or members of the Church, or both?
• Why is experiencing the change of heart described as singing “the song of redeeming love"? What does the question of this verse suggest is Alma’s concern for the people of Zarahemla? How is it an appropriate question for us?
• How is it possible to experience a change of heart, but to lose that feeling?

Verse 27

• Does it make sense to understand these questions as tests we can use to answer the question, “Am I clean?”
• Is Alma using humility and having one’s garments washed clean as parallel concepts in this verse? If not, why does he particularly mention humility?

Verse 28

• What does it mean to be stripped of pride? Why are we unprepared to meet God if we are not stripped of pride?

Verse 29

• What might Alma mean here by “envy"? How does envy prevent us from being in the presence of God?

Verse 30

• What mockery or persecution within the Church might Alma have in mind? (Compare Alma 1:22-24—how did the contention with those outside the Church lead to excommunications?)

Lexical notes

• Click the edit link above and to the right to add lexical notes

Exegesis

Verse 26: The Song of Redeeming Love

According to Nibley, "the song of redeeming love was a very important part in the cult of Moses. When the people all came together, they would sing the song of redeeming love. It was part of their ritual” (The Book of Mormon, Vol 2, p. 326). This song is preserved in Revelations 15:3-4 where it is called the song of Moses. Since the Nephites still practice the Law of Moses, this ritual song would be an important part of their worship. It is an important motif in the Book of Mormon that also occurs in Alma 5:9 and Alma 26:13.

Verse 27: A Paradoxical Question

What is the correct answer to the question in verse 27: "Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble?" This sounds like a trick question. Won't both a "yes" and a "no" keep us out of heaven because either answer indicates that we lack sufficient humility? The correct answer is probably the following: "yes, I am humble because I fully understand that in and of myself, I am nothing, am totally lost. My virtue flows from Christ. What have I to boast of but his merciful grace?"

Verses 28-29: Parallel Sins of Pride and Envy

The structure of these verses suggests an underlying equivalence in the seemingly opposite sins of pride and envy. The equivalence is apparent in a combination of structural and verbal parallels between verse 28 which focuses on pride and verse 29 which focuses on envy. Identical words in the respective verses are italicized. Conceptually similar parallel ideas are bolded.

1a Behold, are ye stripped of pride?

2a I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God.

3a Behold ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand,

4a and such an one hath not eternal life.

1b Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of envy?

2b I say unto you that such an one is not prepared;

3b and I would that he should prepare quickly, for the hour is close at hand, and he knoweth not when the time shall come;

4b for such an one is not found guiltless.

The proud person and the envious person both exhibit the same error: each over values personal attributes or possessions that appeal to the natural man but have no eternal value. The proud person has these things and foolishly feels validated by them; the envous person doesn't have them, wishes he did, and resents those who do. They are alike in sharing the same misplaced values. Alma highlights the similarity of the two sins.

A number of verses in the Book of Mormon link clothing with pride (e.g., Alma 5:53, 4 Nephi 1:24). Alma 1:6 says Nehor, Alma's principle theological nemesis, "began to be lifted up in the pride of his heart, and to wear very costly apparel." In light of that connection between pride and clothing, the clothing metaphors in this section of Alma's sermon probably represent part of the ongoing refutation of Nehor. Followers of Christ are stripped of pride (verse 28) and envy (verse 29). In place of that false finery, they clothe themselves in simpler, unpretentious but beautiful garments that are "cleansed and made white through the blood of Christ" (verse 27).

Verse 30 - 31: Persecuting the Poor

A common theme in the Book of Mormon is how prosperous people persecute the poor, how even members of Church begin to persecute the poor as they become wealthy--in spite of a strict law that there be no persecution by members of the Church {Alma 1:21). What form does this persecution take? Alma 4:12 focuses on neglect of the poor which is wrong, but neglect is not persecution. Persecution requires an active focus on the victim. Alma 5:30 may provide the answer to this question about persecution. It links persecution with mockery. So the persecution alluded to is probably snobbery with associated ridicule or mockery of the poor because they lack fashionable possessions. Alma 1:21 says the Church had a strict law that there be no persecution by members of Church. Adults and youth (who may be especially prone to engage in this behavior) must understand that it is a grave sin to despise others and put them down because they lack fashionable possessions. Verse 31 tells us that if we indulge in this sin, we cannot be saved.

Related links

• In a 1989 Fireside address at BYU titled Come unto Christ, Elder Eyring talks about how these verses (specifically 26-31) can be use to help understand whether we have had a change of heart, i.e. whether we have repented.