Alma 39
Alma2’s Counsel to Corianton (Chapters 39-42)
Alma 39: Header
The commandments of Alma to his son Corianton.
As with the counsel to his brothers, Alma2‘s counsel to Corianton was taken from Alma2‘s personal record rather than from the large plates.
Alma 39:1–2
1 And now, my son, I have somewhat more to say unto thee than what I said unto thy brother; for behold, have ye not observed the steadiness of thy brother, his faithfulness, and his diligence in keeping the commandments of God? Behold, has he not set a good example for thee?
2 For thou didst not give so much heed unto my words as did thy brother, among the people of the Zoramites. Now this is what I have against thee; thou didst go on unto boasting in thy strength and thy wisdom.
The introduction to Alma2‘s counsel to Corianton suggests that perhaps all the brothers were present at the same time for these blessings and counsels. Shiblon received a shorter version of Alma2‘s conversion story, and Alma2 skips the introduction he had used for both Helaman1 and Shiblon. Both of those sons were basically faithful, but Corianton is more problematic. Therefore, there is more to be said, perhaps because Corianton needs more counsel.
When Alma2 asks if Corianton has observed the steadiness and faithfulness of his brother, it appears that he is speaking of Shiblon. That will be appropriate because Corianton’s issues began when preaching to the Zoramites. Helaman1 did not go to the Zoramites, but Shiblon did, and Alma2 praised his efforts there in spite of having been driven out when people threw stones at him (see Alma 38:4). Shiblon’s example among the Zoramites will contrast with Corianton’s experience among the same people.
Note that Corianton “[did] go about boasting in [his] strength and [his] wisdom.” Alma2 had made a point of telling Shiblon that he should not “boast in [his] own wisdom, nor of [his] much strength.” Thus, Alma2 sets up Shiblon as one who was tempted with the same temptations as was Corianton, but he did not succumb to them.
Corianton and his Sin
Alma 39:3–6
3 And this is not all, my son. Thou didst do that which was grievous unto me; for thou didst forsake the ministry, and did go over into the land of Siron among the borders of the Lamanites, after the harlot Isabel.
4 Yea, she did steal away the hearts of many; but this was no excuse for thee, my son. Thou shouldst have tended to the ministry wherewith thou wast entrusted.
5 Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost?
6 For behold, if ye deny the Holy Ghost when it once has had place in you, and ye know that ye deny it, behold, this is a sin which is unpardonable; yea, and whosoever murdereth against the light and knowledge of God, it is not easy for him to obtain forgiveness; yea, I say unto you, my son, that it is not easy for him to obtain a forgiveness.
Verse 5 is often read in the context of verses 3 and 4, and the suggestion is that immorality is a sin “above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost.” That cannot be the complete reading. Although immorality is certainly classified as sin, it is certainly one of which complete repentance is possible. The text should be read in a different light.
The common reading hinges on the word “harlot,” but we do not know what that meant for this event, or what Corianton did. The only thing that the text says is that he forsook his ministry to follow her. If we remove the versification, we have: “Yea, she did steal away the hearts of many; but this was no excuse for thee, my son. Thou shouldst have tended to the ministry wherewith thou wast entrusted. Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord?” The immediate reference for that which is an abomination is his not tending to the ministry, which does not specifically have anything to do with Isabel.
Why was his sin so bad? In verse 11 we will learn that “when [the Zoramites] saw your conduct they would not believe in my words.” Corianton not only abandoned his ministry, but he caused others to harden their hearts and miss an opportunity to repent. To understand why this sin might have been next to murder, we remember Alma2 suggesting that during his own time of rebellion, he “had murdered many of [God’s] children, or rather led them away unto destruction“(Alma 36:14). Corianton had committed a similar crime. Alma2 personally understood the gravity of that sin, and the cost of repenting from it. As he says in verse 6, “it is not easy for him, who commits such a crime, to obtain a forgiveness.”
Alma 39:7–9
7 And now, my son, I would to God that ye had not been guilty of so great a crime. I would not dwell upon your crimes, to harrow up your soul, if it were not for your good.
8 But behold, ye cannot hide your crimes from God; and except ye repent they will stand as a testimony against you at the last day.
9 Now my son, I would that ye should repent and forsake your sins, and go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross yourself in all these things; for except ye do this ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. Oh, remember, and take it upon you, and cross yourself in these things.
Alma2 knows that Corianton had committed a serious sin: “I would to God that ye had not been guilty of so great a crime.” Alma2 gained that knowledge from personal experience, for in his rebellious time he had committed the same sin of leading the children of God astray. Alma2 also understood that repentance is possible from even that sin; he turns to working with Corianton in order to make repentance possible for Corianton.
The idea that one would “cross yourself in all these things,” is an awkward phrase of imprecise connotation. However, the clear meaning, in the context of verse 9, is to stop doing something that is not right. If it held the meaning that Catholics use to ascribe making the sign of the cross, it would have been to symbolically accept Christ’s atoning sacrifice.
It is unlikely that it meant making the sign of the cross, because the cross never became a religious symbol for the Nephites. Nephi saw that Christ would be crucified, but the transformation of the cross from instrument of death to symbol of resurrection is a New Testament process, and not one we see in the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon peoples never experienced the death of their God, only his impressive and glorious descent and appearance around the temple in the land of Bountiful (1 Nephi 11:1). The use of this “cross yourself” is most likely due to the more modern translation.
Alma 39:10–11
10 And I command you to take it upon you to counsel with your elder brothers in your undertakings; for behold, thou art in thy youth, and ye stand in need to be nourished by your brothers. And give heed to their counsel.
11 Suffer not yourself to be led away by any vain or foolish thing; suffer not the devil to lead away your heart again after those wicked harlots. Behold, O my son, how great iniquity ye brought upon the Zoramites; for when they saw your conduct they would not believe in my words.
Alma2 ends his plea for Corianton to repent by sending him to his elder brothers for counsel. At the end of both the counsel to Helaman1 and Shiblon, Alma2 had said “farewell.” There must have been some foreknowledge that Alma2 would not be around for much longer. For that reason, he sends Corianton to his faithful brothers.
The counsel has been to repent, and now the admonition is to cease to “be led away by any vain or foolish thing,” including whatever it meant to go after “those wicked harlots.” That was certainly a part of his sin, even if the greater sin was leading to the hardening of hearts. It was his bad example that was the problem. Modern readers also understand how difficult it is to follow leaders who fail to live up to their stated ideals. When that occurs within the Church, it is particularly difficult and may lead to many hardening their hearts. Those who do so are in great sin.
Alma 39:12–14
12 And now the Spirit of the Lord doth say unto me: Command thy children to do good, lest they lead away the hearts of many people to destruction; therefore I command you, my son, in the fear of God, that ye refrain from your iniquities;
13 That ye turn to the Lord with all your mind, might, and strength; that ye lead away the hearts of no more to do wickedly; but rather return unto them, and acknowledge your faults and that wrong which ye have done.
14 Seek not after riches nor the vain things of this world; for behold, you cannot carry them with you.
Alma2 reiterates the most grievous of Corianton’s sins. Alma2 tells Corianton that he should “lead away the hearts of no more to do wickedly.” Following after harlots was bad enough. The real sin was causing others to do wickedly. Alma2 commands Corianton to begin the repentance process by returning to those he had wronged and to acknowledge what he had done. Why would Alma2 give this counsel? Because Alma2 himself had lived it. Alma2 had done the very thing Corianton had done in leading people to do wickedly (even though nothing was ever said about Alma2 and harlots). Alma2‘s repentance led him to a desire to preach in order to recover those he had led away. The sons of Mosiah2 were led to teach the Lamanites, perhaps because some of what they taught had been an emulation of Lamanite ideas.
Alma2 knows that Corianton can be redeemed. Alma2 was. The sons of Mosiah2 were. They had similarly led people astray. Alma2 knows the way back through his own personal, painful experience.
Alma2 Explains Why Christ’s Coming was Revealed in Advance
Alma 39:15–16
15 And now, my son, I would say somewhat unto you concerning the coming of Christ. Behold, I say unto you, that it is he that surely shall come to take away the sins of the world; yea, he cometh to declare glad tidings of salvation unto his people.
16 And now, my son, this was the ministry unto which ye were called, to declare these glad tidings unto this people, to prepare their minds; or rather that salvation might come unto them, that they may prepare the minds of their children to hear the word at the time of his coming.
There is no way that Alma2 had forgotten to teach his sons about the coming of the Messiah. It was Corianton who had forgotten, or perhaps not fully understood, what he had been taught. One of the most obvious signs of Nephite apostasy was the rejection of the doctrine that teaches the need for the coming Messiah. It appears that Corianton had either become convinced of that idea, or, at least, was on the path to believing that a Messiah was not needed. Therefore, Alma2 teaches about the coming Messiah.
Alma2 reminds Corianton that his ministry was to declare that very message to the people. That was the ministry, and perhaps the belief, that he had abandoned.
Alma 39:17–19
17 And now I will ease your mind somewhat on this subject. Behold, you marvel why these things should be known so long beforehand. Behold, I say unto you, is not a soul at this time as precious unto God as a soul will be at the time of his coming?
18 Is it not as necessary that the plan of redemption should be made known unto this people as well as unto their children?
19 Is it not as easy at this time for the Lord to send his angel to declare these glad tidings unto us as unto our children, or as after the time of his coming?
When Alma2 begins by saying that “you marvel why these things should be known so long beforehand,” he lets us know that Corianton has fallen into the common apostate arguments that anti-Messiah preachers have been using since Sherem by saying that one cannot know that Christ will come; it is too far in the future. Alma2 will work to show Corianton that this isn’t the strong argument that he had thought it to be.
At the root of this question will be the nature of prophecy and communication with Yahweh. Alma2 begins by setting the stage by suggesting that since the atonement is so important, should God not make it known? Doesn’t God have a responsibility to let his children know that the power of redemption will be manifest? Because it is in the future, God can do this only be sending “his angel to declare these glad tidings unto us as unto our children.”
There is no chapter break at this point in the 1830 edition. There is a shift to a slightly different topic. Alma2 begins by explaining that it is right that God should announce the atoning mission of the Messiah. He will now move to explain the importance of that atoning mission. Because that created a shift in the topic, Orson Pratt separated it into a different chapter.
