Alma 34
Amulek Explains Christ’s Infinite and Eternal Atonement
Alma 34:1–2
1 And now it came to pass that after Alma had spoken these words unto them he sat down upon the ground, and Amulek arose and began to teach them, saying:
2 My brethren, I think that it is impossible that ye should be ignorant of the things which have been spoken concerning the coming of Christ, who is taught by us to be the Son of God; yea, I know that these things were taught unto you bountifully before your dissension from among us.
In Ammonihah, Alma2 and Amulek provided the two witnesses that the law required. They do the same here. When Alma2 finished, Amulek stands to begin to teach. He picks up where Alma2 has left off. To make certain that his audience understands that he is a second witness to the doctrine of the Messiah, rather than beginning a new sermon, he reiterates some of what Alma2 said.
In Alma 31:8–9, Mormon noted that the Nephite religion, and therefore the understanding of the coming Messiah, had been taught to the people in Antionum. Amulek reiterates that understanding: “it is impossible that ye should be ignorant of the things which have been spoken concerning the coming of Christ, who is taught by us to be the Son of God; yea, I know that these things were taught unto you bountifully before your dissension from among us.”
Whether the people in Antionum were known as Zoramites before, or only after, their dissension from the Nephites, they had previously been taught the Nephite religion and had consciously rebelled against it. The people to whom Amulek spoke should have had that teaching. Even if they had, however, they appear to have either not understood it, or lost their understanding under the influence of the Zoramite teachings.
Alma 34:3-7
3 And as ye have desired of my beloved brother that he should make known unto you what ye should do, because of your afflictions; and he hath spoken somewhat unto you to prepare your minds; yea, and he hath exhorted you unto faith and to patience—
4 Yea, even that ye would have so much faith as even to plant the word in your hearts, that ye may try the experiment of its goodness.
5 And we have beheld that the great question which is in your minds is whether the word be in the Son of God, or whether there shall be no Christ.
6 And ye also beheld that my brother has proved unto you, in many instances, that the word is in Christ unto salvation.
7 My brother has called upon the words of Zenos, that redemption cometh through the Son of God, and also upon the words of Zenock; and also he has appealed unto Moses, to prove that these things are true.
Verses 3–7 are grammatically awkward. For those wanting to make more sense of the verses, simply read verse 3 without the “as,” and it will work better.
The point of the verses is more important than their grammar. Amulek notes that they should have been taught of the coming Messiah. Alma2 had taught them the principles of developing faith and had introduced the topic of the coming Messiah by turning to the scriptures, specifically the words of Zenos and Zenock, both prophets whose writings were recorded on the brass plates.
That synopsis of what Alma2 had taught them prepares Amulek for what he wants to teach them in the next verses.
Alma 34:8
8 And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
Amulek declares: “I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true.” The phrase “of myself” refers to his personal understanding. He is not teaching something only because he has heard if from others, but because he, himself, knows it. In this, he echoes Alma2’s teaching in Alma 5:46: “I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit.” Amulek is not teaching because Alma2 said so, but because Amulek, as did Alma2, had learned it for himself. Thus, he can be the second witness to the truthfulness of what Alma2 taught.
Alma 34:9–11
9 For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.
10 For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.
11 Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood which will atone for the sins of another. Now, if a man murdereth, behold will our law, which is just, take the life of his brother? I say unto you, Nay.
There is certainly much that we do not learn here about the Zoramite religion. Most famously we learn of their rameumptom (an elevated place in their synagogue; Alma 31:21), but we also learn that they “bow[ed] down to dumb idols” (Alma 31:1). Although that doesn’t tell us much, it may be the explanation for the specifics of verses 10 and 11. As part of the explanation for what the coming Messiah will do, Amulek teaches that there must be an atonement, which is “a great and last sacrifice.” Then he tells them what the sacrifice cannot be: “not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice.”
Why explain what not to do? It is possible that in the acceptance of the dumb idols, the Zoramites had also accepted forms of sacrifice to those idols. Against a Mesoamerican background, the indigenous gods did receive sacrifices of beasts or fowl, and they did receive human sacrifices. These verses make most sense in the context of what they might actually have been doing, rather than a theoretical prohibition of things they had never even thought of.
Next, we have: “there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood which will atone for the sins of another.” That also fits a Mesoamerican context where the stories depicted on carved stones tell of kings and queens performing sacrifices that would shed their own blood.
In a Mesoamerican context, it would appear that the Zoramites had syncretized their beliefs with Mesoamerican religions and had accepted many of their practices. Amulek is declaring that those religions practices, even if thought to be similar to the Messiah’s atoning sacrifices, were not the same and could not provide eternal redemption.
Alma 34:12–14
12 But the law requireth the life of him who hath murdered; therefore there can be nothing which is short of an infinite atonement which will suffice for the sins of the world.
13 Therefore, it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice, and then shall there be, or it is expedient there should be, a stop to the shedding of blood; then shall the law of Moses be fulfilled; yea, it shall be all fulfilled, every jot and tittle, and none shall have passed away.
14 And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.
Verse 11 had noted that : “there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood which will atone for the sins of another.” Verse 12 expands that understanding. The law required that one who murdered should pay with his own life, but that, in itself, did not absolve any other person. Although the murderer died, he died for his own sin. The impossibility of a human atoning for another human leads to the conclusion that “there can be nothing which is short of an infinite atonement which will suffice for the sins of the world.”
What is an “infinite atonement”? It is, foremost, “a great and last sacrifice.” However, the sacrifice to create an “infinite atonement” also requires an infinite being. Thus, “that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.” Only an infinite being could sacrifice himself to create an infinite atonement.
Alma 34:15–17
15 And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.
16 And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption.
17 Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;
In Mosiah 15:9, we also seer that the atonement would straddle the demands of “justice” and “mercy.” Those are two terms that the Book of Mormon assumes that we understand, as they are not defined. Justice applies the penalties of the law, according to the law. Mercy allows for circumstances that might allow the penalties of the law to be voided. Because both justice and mercy relate to the law, they are difficult to reconcile. It is difficult to have justice and mercy simultaneously.
Amulek teaches that the infinite atonement reconciles the two by providing a vicarious acceptance of the penalty of the law, while allowing humankind access to mercy, which is allowed, because of the vicarious satisfaction of that justice.
Thus, humankind has access to both the benefits of the law (justice), and the wisdom of mercy. Humankind can repent, and specifically, the people to whom Amulek is preaching can repent; they can “begin to exercise … faith unto repentance.”
Amulek notes that, because of the principle of repentance, they are able to call upon their God to apply the atonement. Having noted that they might begin repenting, he will next explain how they might do that.
Alma 34:18–27
18 Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save.
19 Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him.
20 Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks.
21 Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening.
22 Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.
23 Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness.
24 Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them.
25 Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.
26 But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.
27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.
In Alma 33:4–11, Alma2 quoted Zenos concerning where one might pray. Amulek now explains what they should pray about. Unlike Zenos’s instructions, Amulek’s instructions do not appear to echo a poem or a hymn. There are clearly similarities in the structure of the lines, but these are similarities of repetition, without paying attention to other forms. There are no real meaningful couplets, nor structural functions. They are powerful instructions, but they appear to be Amulek’s words, given as part of the sermon, and not an inserted poem or hymn.
Even though the instructions were given over two thousand years ago, they remain pertinent to all who desire to call upon the mercy of the Lord.
Alma 34:28–30
28 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith.
29 Therefore, if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as dross, which the refiners do cast out, (it being of no worth) and is trodden under foot of men.
30 And now, my brethren, I would that, after ye have received so many witnesses, seeing that the holy scriptures testify of these things, ye come forth and bring fruit unto repentance.
The most important element of faith mentioned was giving place to belief. It is not the thought, but the action that moves from faith to greater faith. Therefore, after teaching about where, and about what, to pray, Amulek moves to the more important teaching: “do not suppose that this is all.” There are elements of true religion that must be practiced. Note that they are told that: “if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need….” These are important aspects of Christian religion. They are important aspects of Nephite religion. They are doubtless things that the Zoramites have practiced against these people. They, of all people, should understand that they should treat others as they themselves would wish to be treated.
When faith is put into action, it can combine with the scriptures to provide sufficient witnesses that one is moved to repentance, and the atonement is applied.
Alma 34:31–32
31 Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you.
32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.
Having taught what should be done, Amulek encourages his audience to actually do what he has taught. Although Amulek says that they should “harden not your hearts any longer,” this is a people who had come in humility, desiring a change. Thus, this is not a call to repent of wrongdoing, but perhaps of not doing. They have felt that they couldn’t worship God without a proper place, and they have now been taught that the place is much less important than the state of the heart.
What should modern members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints understand when Amulek says that “this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God”? Is there not opportunity in the next life to repent and grow prior to the time of the final judgment? Yes, there is, but that isn’t what Amulek is teaching.
Alma2 also taught that “this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God” (Alma 12:24). Alma2 and Amulek are focused on what people should do in this life, not the next. We do not know if they had an understanding of how the gospel might be preached to the dead, and in the world that they knew, it was not really an issue. In the ancient world, there were often fewer choices in what one believed. One believed what everyone else believed. Therefore, because Nephites had the gospel, and the people of Antionum once had that gospel, it was important for them to act in this life.
In particular, the people who were cast out of Zoramite worship had a clear choice. They could continue in their unsatisfactory relationship with the Zoramites, or they could follow God. That was a question they needed to answer in this life. Even when we do take the next life into account, it is still true that what we do on earth matters. It is still a place where we have come to perform our labors. Those labors will factor into our final judgment.
Alma 34:33–36
33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.
34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.
35 For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked.
36 And this I know, because the Lord hath said he dwelleth not in unholy temples, but in the hearts of the righteous doth he dwell; yea, and he has also said that the righteous shall sit down in his kingdom, to go no more out; but their garments should be made white through the blood of the Lamb.
The scriptures never suggest that one need not obey the gospel because there will be another chance to do so in the next life. That would suggest that there was very little reason to have the gospel in this life. What the scriptures teach is that there is certainly value in living according to the gospel.
Therefore, Amulek teaches that it is important to act upon the knowledge of the gospel that we receive in this life. His audience has asked for the opportunity to have faith, and they have been taught about the Redeemer in whom they should have faith. Thus, they are placed in a position where they must act. They cannot procrastinate by suggesting that maybe it will be more convenient later.
The important teaching is that “that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.” We are who we have learned to become in this life. Perhaps there will be some who will be surprised to find themselves in the next life, but if they will be surprised at where they are, they will not be surprised at who they are.
If we are not the kind of person who can dwell in a kingdom of glory, then we will have become the kind of person that cannot dwell in holy temples, and therefore, we will belong to the spirit of the devil.
Alma 34:37–41
37 And now, my beloved brethren, I desire that ye should remember these things, and that ye should work out your salvation with fear before God, and that ye should no more deny the coming of Christ;
38 That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.
39 Yea, and I also exhort you, my brethren, that ye be watchful unto prayer continually, that ye may not be led away by the temptations of the devil, that he may not overpower you, that ye may not become his subjects at the last day; for behold, he rewardeth you no good thing.
40 And now my beloved brethren, I would exhort you to have patience, and that ye bear with all manner of afflictions; that ye do not revile against those who do cast you out because of your exceeding poverty, lest ye become sinners like unto them;
41 But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions.
These words conclude Amulek’s sermon. There is no chapter break at this point, and the next chapter moves to the events that followed these sermons. These people who have come to Alma2 were among the few converts that Alma2 and his brethren make in the land of Antionum.
The conclusion to the sermon is that the people remember the important aspects of Nephite religion, primarily, that they “should no more deny the coming of Christ.” This is a humbled people who do not appear to have had a desire to continue to do as the Zoramites did, so this is an exhortation not to return to old ways and beliefs, but to continue their process of developing faith.
When Amulek shorts them “to have patience, and that ye bear with all manner of afflictions,” that is simply language parallel to the better-known admonition to “endure to the end.” As Nephi put it: “And if they will not repent and believe in his name, and be baptized in his name, and endure to the end, they must be damned; for the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has spoken it” (2 Nephi 9:24).
