| Book of Mormon |
Annotations |
|
The commandments of Alma to his son Helaman.
Comprising chapters 36 and 37.
|
|
|
Chapter 36
|
Alma 36 is held out by some as one of the most remarkable
examples of a Hebraic literary device called chiasmus.
“Chiasmus, sometimes called an inverted
parallelism, is a Hebrew literary form where words or ideas are arranged in a
certain order and then repeated in reverse order. This repetition emphasizes
important ideas and words. In addition, the writer’s main idea is often
located at the center of the chiasmus” (Book of Mormon Student Manual for
Religion 121-122 copyrighted 2009, p. 232). Because chiasmus is a Hebraic literary
device, many believers see it evidence of ancient authorship of the Book of
Mormon.
In this chapter I have bolded and underlined the parallels
claimed in the Book of Mormon Student Manual. Each has a superscript letter
matching it with its parallel. (Notice that 80% of the words of Alma 36 are
ignored in order to make the chiastic structure work.) Where I have a comment
about certain claimed parallels, the comment indicates the claimed parallel
by referring to the superscript letter.
For a wonderful satirical piece on “Hebraicisms” like
chiasmus, see “Hebraicisms, Chiasmus, and Other Internal Evidence for Ancient
Authorship in Green Eggs and Ham” by Robert Patterson.
For a more thorough examination of the chiasmus of Alma 36
than I wish to go into, and based on a slightly different claimed matching of
parallels, see (Critique of Alma 36 as an
Extended Chiasm”).
|
|
1 My son, Agive ear to my words;
for I swear unto you, that inasmuch as ye shall Bkeep the
commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land.
|
A: “Give ear to my words” is supposed to be parallel with
“this is according to his word” in verse 30. The “his” in verse 30 means
“God’s.” It seems to me the only real parallel one could claim in these
phrases is “words” of verse 1 with “word” of verse 30. As if to highlight how
unimpressive this claimed “hit” is, “word” or “words” is included three more
times in this same chapter (verses 3, 11, and 26).
Also notice the prosperity gospel being preached in this
verse.
|
|
2 I would that ye should Cdo as I have
done, in Dremembering the captivity of our fathers;
for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it was
the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and Ehe
surely did deliver them in their afflictions.
|
C: “Do as I have done” is supposed to be parallel with “know
as I do know” of verse 30. Why? First of all the verbs are not the same. In
addition, the command to “do” is to remember the captivity of their fathers,
but the command to “know” is to know that if you keep the commandments,
you’ll prosper.
|
|
3 And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy
youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and
learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their Ftrust
in God shall be Gsupported in their trials, and
their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be Hlifted
up at the last day.
|
F, G, and H:
The order of these alleged parallels doesn’t match.
“F” of verse 3 matches “G” of verse 27,
“G” of verse 3 matches “H” of verse 27, and
“H” of verse 3 matches “F” of verses 27 and 28.
However, in reviewing the Portuguese version of the Book
of Mormon Student Manual, I noticed they changed what phrases were included
in the parallels, and the changes seemed to fix this mismatch. Maybe this
mismatch was just an error that didn’t get caught in the editing process.
|
|
4 And II would not that ye think that I
know of myself—not of the temporal but of the spiritual, not of the
carnal mind Ibut of God.
|
|
|
5 Now, behold, I say unto you, if I had not been Jborn
of God I should not have known these things; but God has, by the
mouth of his holy angel, made these things known unto me, not of any
worthiness of myself;
|
|
|
6 For KI went about with the sons
of Mosiah, Kseeking to destroy the church of God;
but behold, God sent his holy angel to stop us by the way.
|
Alma 36:6-7
The miracle precedes the faith. This contradicts Ether 12:6, “dispute not
because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your
faith.”
But, keep in mind that this is the same Alma who strikes Korihor dumb as a
sign, which ultimately leads to Korihor’s ignominious death (Alma 30:49, 59).
Also K:
“I went about . . . seeking to destroy the church of God”
(verse 6).
vs.
“I have labored . . . that I might bring souls unto
repentance” (verse 24).
These parallels seem antithetical. Because Alma’s story is
about his conversion, he refers to elements before and after the conversion
that are contrasting as near opposites rather than matching parallels. I
don’t know if that’s how it was done by ancient Hebrews, but I’ll give the
benefit of a doubt that the parallel is that the subject of the parallel
match is the same, even if what is happening to that subject is the opposite.
This happens with L, M, N, and O also.
|
|
7 And behold, he spake unto us, as it were the voice of
thunder, and the whole earth did tremble beneath our feet; and we all fell to
the earth, for the fear of the Lord came upon us.
|
Annotation for Alma 36:6-7 above
|
|
8 But behold, the voice said unto me: Arise. And I arose
and stood up, and beheld the angel.
|
|
|
9 And he said unto me: If thou wilt of thyself be
destroyed, seek no more to destroy the church of God.
|
|
|
10 And it came to pass that I fell to the earth; and it
was for the space of three days and three nights that I could not open my
mouth, Lneither had I the use of my limbs.
|
Alma 36:10-11
Alma is another example of falling to the earth because of astonishment or fear.
Mosiah 27:23 says Alma received strength to move and could
talk after two days and two nights of others fasting. Some critics think this
contradicts Alma 36:10 because it says that Alma could not open his mouth for
three days and three nights. I think the defense of this is robust. The
people fasting for Alma wouldn’t necessarily have started fasting for Alma
right away; they may have started a day after his mouth was shut. Likewise,
though in Mosiah it says Alma could speak after they fasted, it doesn’t say
that he could speak immediately after they ended their fast; it could have
taken a day after the fasting and prayer stopped for him to speak again.
|
|
11 And the angel spake more things unto me, which were
heard by my brethren, but I did not hear them; for when I heard the words—If
thou wilt be destroyed of thyself, seek no more to destroy the church of
God—I was struck with such great fear and amazement lest perhaps I should be
destroyed, that I fell to the earth and I did hear no more.
|
Annotation for Alma 36:10-11 above
|
|
12 But I was racked with eternal torment, for my
soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins.
|
According to D&C 19:6-12 the words “endless” and
“eternal” do not mean without end when it comes to “endless torment” or
“eternal damnation”. These verses in the D&C explain that these words are
used because, “it is more express than other scriptures, that it might work
upon the hearts of the children of men.” When people read these words in the
Book of Mormon, how do they likely understand the words “endless” and
“eternal”? Is this honest communication if D&C 19 reveals the actual
meaning of these words?
In this instance, it is actually clear from the context in
this verse that “eternal torment” does not mean torment without end.
|
|
13 Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for
which I was tormented with the pains of hell; yea, I saw that I had rebelled
against my God, and that I had not kept his holy commandments.
|
|
|
14 Yea, and I had murdered many of his children, or rather
led them away unto destruction; yea, and in fine so great had been my
iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God did
rack my soul with inexpressible horror.
|
|
|
15 Oh, Mthought I, that I could
be banished and become extinct both soul and body, Mthat I
might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged
of my deeds.
|
|
|
16 And now, for three days and for three nights was I
racked, even with Nthe pains of a damned soul.
|
|
|
17 And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with
torment, while I was Oharrowed up by the memory of my many
sins, behold, PI remembered also to have
heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of Pone
Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.
|
P: The words “I remembered . . . one Jesus Christ, a Son
of God” is the center of the chiasmus, paired with the “I cried within my
heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God” in the next verse. I don’t think it’s clear
why “I remembered” and “I cried with my heart” are considered part of the
parallel. In other words, there’s even less verbiage than claimed that might
seem like a parallel.
|
|
18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, PI
cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me,
who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting
chains of death.
|
|
|
19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember
my pains no more; yea, I was Oharrowed up by the memory of
my sins no more.
|
|
|
20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did
behold; yea, my soul was filled with Njoy as exceeding as
was my pain!
|
|
|
21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be
nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say
unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite
and sweet as was my joy.
|
|
|
22 Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, God
sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in
the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea, and Mmy
soul did long to be there.
|
|
|
23 But behold, Lmy limbs did receive
their strength again, and I stood upon my feet, and did manifest unto
the people that I had been born of God.
|
|
|
24 Yea, and from that time even until now, KI
have labored without ceasing, Kthat I might bring
souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the
exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and
be filled with the Holy Ghost.
|
K:
“I went about . . . seeking to destroy the church of God”
(verse 6).
vs.
“I have labored . . . that I might bring souls unto
repentance” (verse 24).
These parallels seem antithetical. Because Alma’s story is
about his conversion, he refers to elements before and after the conversion
that are contrasting as near opposites rather than matching parallels. I
don’t know if that’s how it was done by ancient Hebrews, but I’ll give the
benefit of a doubt that the parallel is that the subject of the parallel
match is the same, even if what is happening to that subject is the opposite.
This happens with L, M, N, and O also.
|
|
25 Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me
exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors;
|
|
|
26 For because of the word which he has imparted unto me,
behold, many have been Jborn of God, and have tasted
as I have tasted, and have seen eye to eye as I have seen; therefore they do
know of these things of which I have spoken, as I do know; and Ithe
knowledge which I have is of God.
|
|
|
27 And I have been Hsupported under
trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of Hafflictions;
yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea,
and I do put my Gtrust in him, and Fhe
will still deliver me.
|
F, G, and H:
The order of these alleged parallels doesn’t match.
“F” of verse 3 matches “G” of verse 27,
“G” of verse 3 matches “H” of verse 27, and
“H” of verse 3 matches “F” of verses 27 and 28.
However, in reviewing the Portuguese version of the Book
of Mormon Student Manual, I noticed they changed what phrases were included
in the parallels, and the changes seemed to fix this mismatch. Maybe this
mismatch was just an error that didn’t get caught in the editing process.
|
|
28 And I know that he Fwill raise me up
at the last day, to dwell with him in glory; yea, and I will praise him
forever, for he has brought our fathers out of Egypt, and he has swallowed up
the Egyptians in the Red Sea; and he led them by his power into the promised
land; yea, and Ehe has delivered them out of bondage and
captivity from time to time.
|
“Mainstream history and archaeology now consider the
Exodus an entirely mythic and fictional narrative put together between the
8th and 5th centuries BCE”
(Evidence for the Exodus).
|
|
29 Yea, and he has also brought our fathers out of the
land of Jerusalem; and he has also, by his everlasting power, delivered them
out of bondage and captivity, from time to time even down to the present day;
and I have always retained in remembrance their captivity; yea, and ye also
ought to Dretain in remembrance, as I have done, Dtheir
captivity.
|
|
|
30 But behold, my son, this is not all; for ye ought to Cknow
as I do know, that inasmuch as ye shall Bkeep the
commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; and ye ought to
know also, that inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall
be cut off from his presence. Now Athis is according to his
word.
|
A: “Give ear to my words” from verse 1 is supposed to be
parallel with “this is according to his word” in verse 30. The “his” in verse
30 means “God’s.” It seems to me the only real parallel one could claim in
these phrases is “words” of verse 1 with “word” of verse 30. As if to
highlight how unimpressive this claimed “hit” is, “word” or “words” is
included three more times in this same chapter (verses 3, 11, and 28).
C: “Do as I have done” of verse 2 is supposed to be
parallel with “know as I do know.” Why? First of all the verbs are not the
same. In addition, the command to “do” is to remember the captivity of their
fathers, but the command to “know” is to know that if you keep the
commandments, you’ll prosper.
Also notice the prosperity gospel being preached in this
verse.
|