Alma 4

Where we are

Alma 4 is the inflection point of the reign of the judges. The chapter records the moment when Alma the Younger, having served four years as both chief judge and high priest, recognizes that the judgment-seat cannot reach the disease that has begun to grow inside his people. Pride has entered the Church. The laws of Mosiah can deal with murderers and rebels, but they cannot pull down pride from the heart. Alma yields the civil office to Nephihah and confines himself wholly to the high priesthood — and the chapter becomes the founding text both for the Nephite separation of civil and religious leadership and for the missionary journey that will fill the next twelve chapters of the Book of Alma.

The chapter has four movements:

1. The prosperity of the Church and the baptism at the Sidon (vv. 1–5).
2. Pride rises in the Church (vv. 6–12).
3. The persecution from within and the steadfast few (vv. 13–14).
4. Alma's decision and the yielding of the judgment-seat (vv. 15–20).

Six verses carry most of the weight:

1. v. 6 — the people of the church began to wax proud, because of their exceeding riches, and their fine silks, and their fine-twined linen… in all these things were they lifted up in the pride of their eyes. The chapter's pride-list.
2. v. 8 — they began to be scornful, one towards another, and they began to persecute those that did not believe according to their own will and pleasure. Pride becomes persecution.
3. v. 10 — the wickedness of the church was a great stumbling-block to those who did not belong to the church; and thus the church began to fail in its progress.
4. v. 15 — Alma… began to be very sorrowful; nevertheless the Spirit of the Lord did not fail him.
5. v. 19 — seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure testimony against them. The resolution that anchors the next twelve chapters.
6. v. 20 — Alma delivered up the judgment-seat to Nephihah, and confined himself wholly to the high priesthood of the holy order of God. The separation of offices.

The prosperity of the Church and the baptism at the Sidon (verses 1–5)

Now it came to pass in the sixth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, there were no contentions nor wars in the land of Zarahemla; but the people were afflicted, yea, greatly afflicted for the loss of their brethren, and also for the loss of their flocks and herds, and also for the loss of their fields of grain, which were trodden under foot and destroyed by the Lamanites. — Alma 4:1–2

The chapter opens in the long sorrow after the war. There are no battles in the sixth year, but the people are still grieving — for the dead, for the herds, for the fields trampled by armies. The Book of Mormon is again honest about cost: the end of fighting is not the end of suffering. The chapter is also careful about the rhythm. Grief is the school the Lord uses to bring humility, and humility is the soil out of which the revival of vv. 4–5 will grow.

And so great were their afflictions that every soul had cause to mourn; and they believed that it was the judgments of God sent upon them because of their wickedness and their abominations; therefore they were awakened to a remembrance of their duty. — Alma 4:3

A discipline the Hebrew prophets and the New Testament both name. Hosea: in their affliction they will seek me early (Hos. 5:15). The parable of the prodigal: and when he came to himself (Lk. 15:17). Affliction is the awakening agent, and the awakening produces a remembrance of their duty. The chapter teaches that the Lord does not waste suffering. The grief that follows war becomes the doorway back to covenant.

And they began to establish the church more fully; yea, and many were baptized in the waters of Sidon and were joined to the church of God; yea, they were baptized by the hand of Alma, who had been consecrated the high priest over the people of the church, by the hand of his father Alma. — Alma 4:4

A striking image: the same Sidon that received the bodies of the slain Amlicites and Lamanites in Alma 2:34 and 3:3 now receives the bodies of the newly baptized. The river of judgment has become the river of cleansing. The same water that buried the rebellion now buries the old man of the convert. The Book of Mormon is full of these quiet typologies, and the Sidon here is one of the strongest — a New World echo of the Jordan, the river that witnessed Israel's covenant crossing (Josh. 3) and centuries later witnessed the baptism of the Lord (Mt. 3:5–6).

And it came to pass in the seventh year of the reign of the judges there were about three thousand five hundred souls that united themselves to the church of God and were baptized. And thus ended the seventh year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi; and there was continual peace in all that time. — Alma 4:5

The number is precise: about three thousand five hundred souls. It is almost exactly the number Peter baptized on Pentecost (there were added unto them about three thousand souls, Acts 2:41). The chapter is one of the Book of Mormon's clearest pre-Pentecostal echoes — a great affliction, a great repentance, a mass baptism, a quiet peace. The pattern recurs whenever the Lord visits a humbled people.

Pride rises in the Church (verses 6–12)

And it came to pass in the eighth year of the reign of the judges, that the people of the church began to wax proud, because of their exceeding riches, and their fine silks, and their fine-twined linen, and because of their many flocks and herds, and their gold and their silver, and all manner of precious things, which they had obtained by their industry; and in all these things were they lifted up in the pride of their eyes, for they began to wear very costly apparel. — Alma 4:6

One year of peace, then pride. The catalogue is precise — riches, fine silks, fine-twined linen, flocks and herds, gold, silver, precious things — and the seven items run through almost the whole vocabulary of Nephite prosperity. The phrase pride of their eyes echoes John's the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 Jn. 2:16), and the phrase fine-twined linen is itself worth noticing: it is the fabric of the tabernacle curtains (Ex. 26:1), the cloth originally reserved for the sanctuary. The chapter records the precise moment when sacred materials have been secularized into status symbols on the bodies of the prosperous. The same material that once veiled the holy place is now the marker of the Saint who has done well.

Paul names the same temptation: not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array (1 Tim. 2:9). James warns of the man with the gold ring (Jas. 2:2–3). Christ himself notes that they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses (Mt. 11:8). The Nephite Church has become the people in soft clothing — and the warning Christ associated with kings' houses has come home.

Now this was the cause of much affliction to Alma, yea, and to many of the people whom Alma had consecrated to be teachers, and priests, and elders over the church; yea, many of them were sorely grieved for the wickedness which they saw had begun to be among their people. — Alma 4:7

The priesthood leadership grieves before it acts. The chapter teaches that this is the right order: leaders who see corruption and are not first sorrowed by it are not yet fit to correct it. Grief is the precondition of useful authority. The teachers, priests, and elders are sorely grieved — and the chapter will, in a few verses, show what grief well-borne becomes.

For they saw and beheld with great sorrow that the people of the church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and to set their hearts upon riches and upon the vain things of the world, that they began to be scornful, one towards another, and they began to persecute those that did not believe according to their own will and pleasure. — Alma 4:8

The progression is exact and worth marking: pride of the eyes → scorn toward one another → persecution of the dissenter. Each stage produces the next; none can be stopped in isolation. The chapter is one of the Book of Mormon's clearest texts on how an internal persecution arises — not from outside the Church but inside it, and not by accident but by the natural growth of unrepented pride.

The chapter is also painfully precise about what has happened to the Nephite Church. In Alma 1 the Church was the persecuted body, bearing the Nehorite slander with patience. Three years later the Church is the persecuting body, scorning its own dissenters. The persecuted has become the persecutor. The pattern is old. Paul confessed it of himself: I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it (Gal. 1:13). The chapter is one of the most important texts in the Book of Mormon on how easily the wronged become the wronging.

And thus, in this eighth year of the reign of the judges, there began to be great contentions among the people of the church; yea, there were envyings, and strife, and malice, and persecutions, and pride, even to exceed the pride of those who did not belong to the church of God. — Alma 4:9

The painful sentence. Pride, even to exceed the pride of those who did not belong to the church of God. The Church of Christ has out-prided the world. The chapter teaches the principle that troubles every age of the covenant: when the Saints fall, they tend to fall further than the unbeliever — because the gift they were given was greater, and the height from which they fell was higher. Hosea has the same observation: and there shall be, like people, like priest (Hos. 4:9). Christ would say it more sharply: unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required (Lk. 12:48).

And thus ended the eighth year of the reign of the judges; and the wickedness of the church was a great stumbling-block to those who did not belong to the church; and thus the church began to fail in its progress. — Alma 4:10

The verse names the cost outside the Church. The world will not join a Church it can see is corrupt. The chapter is one of the Book of Mormon's clearest texts on the anti-missionary effect of internal failure: when the people in the Church live no better than the people outside, the people outside have no reason to enter. Paul says the same thing in Rome's letter: for the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you (Rom. 2:24). Peter says it of his own time: by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of (2 Pet. 2:2). Internal corruption is the most effective opposition the Church ever faces.

And it came to pass that Alma, having seen the iniquity of the church, and seeing also the example of the church beginning to lead those who were unbelievers on from one piece of iniquity to another, thus bringing on the destruction of the people. — Alma 4:11

A bleak observation. The Church has begun evangelizing in the wrong direction — leading unbelievers into iniquity by its own example. The chapter teaches that a corrupt Church does not merely fail to convert the world; it actively pulls the world further down. The Saints' bad example is itself a missionary force, working against the gospel they claim to preach.

Yea, he saw great inequality among the people, some lifting themselves up with their pride, despising others, turning their backs upon the needy and the naked and those who were hungry, and those who were athirst, and those who were sick and afflicted. — Alma 4:12

The exact inversion of Alma 1:30. The verse that once described the Church's charity — they did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick — is now run in reverse. The same Church that fed the hungry now turns its back on them. The chapter is one of the Book of Mormon's clearest texts on the failure of charity as the truest measure of the failure of faith. Christ's Olivet warning fits the verse exactly: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not (Mt. 25:43). The proverb fits too: whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard (Pr. 21:13).

The persecution from within and the steadfast few (verses 13–14)

Now this was a great cause for lamentations among the people, while others were abasing themselves, succoring those who stood in need of their succor, such as imparting their substance to the poor and the needy, feeding the hungry, and suffering all manner of afflictions, for Christ's sake, who should come according to the spirit of prophecy. — Alma 4:13

A faithful remnant remains. Others were abasing themselves, succoring those who stood in need of their succor. Even within a Church that has begun to fail, there are Saints who are still walking the Alma 1:30 pattern. The phrase for Christ's sake is one of the Book of Mormon's clearest pre-Christian uses of that exact formula. Peter will canonize it later — if ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye (1 Pet. 4:14) — but the Nephite remnant is already living it. They suffer afflictions for Christ's sake, who should come according to the spirit of prophecy.

Looking forward to that day, thus retaining a remission of their sins; being filled with great joy because of the resurrection of the dead, according to the will and power and deliverance of Jesus Christ from the bands of death. — Alma 4:14

A doctrine of the daily renewed forgiveness, given here in compressed form. The remission is not received once and shelved; it is retained by ongoing charity and forward faith. King Benjamin's parallel discipline is the same: for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day (Mosiah 4:26). Peter, the other side of the doctrine: he that lacketh these things… hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins (2 Pet. 1:9). The chapter teaches that the way to keep what one has been given is to give it away in turn.

Alma's decision and the yielding of the judgment-seat (verses 15–20)

And now it came to pass that Alma, having seen the afflictions of the humble followers of God, and the persecutions which were heaped upon them by the remainder of his people, and seeing all their inequality, began to be very sorrowful; nevertheless the Spirit of the Lord did not fail him. — Alma 4:15

One of the tenderest verses in the Book of Alma. The shepherd grieves. He sees the humble persecuted, the inequality entrenched, the Church divided against itself, and began to be very sorrowful. But the Spirit does not leave him. The chapter teaches the principle that godly sorrow over the Church does not separate a leader from the Spirit; it draws the Spirit closer. Paul knew the same comfort: without were fightings, within were fears. Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus (2 Cor. 7:5–6). The Spirit sustains the leader who grieves rightly.

And he selected a wise man who was among the elders of the church, and gave him power according to the voice of the people, that he might have power to enact laws according to the laws which had been given, and to put them in force according to the wickedness and the crimes of the people. — Alma 4:16

Alma's selection of a successor follows a careful pattern: the candidate is named by the priesthood (Alma and the elders), and the office is conferred by the voice of the people. The Mosiah 29 constitutional rule and the priesthood-recommendation procedure work together. The pattern is exactly the Acts 6 pattern, where the apostles propose and the multitude chose: look ye out among you seven men of honest report (Acts 6:3). Two distinct authorities, one combined act.

Now this man's name was Nephihah, and he was appointed chief judge; and he sat in the judgment-seat to judge and to govern the people. — Alma 4:17

Nephihah enters the record. His name is a theophoric compound — Nephi and Yahweh, Nephi-of-the-Lord — and the very name canonizes the Nephite identity as Yahwist. Nephihah will serve as chief judge for decades; his death will not be recorded until Alma 50:37 (the twenty-fourth year). His succession is the first orderly handoff of the judgment-seat in the Nephite record, and the chapter is the founding text for the orderly Nephite transfer of civil office.

Now Alma did not grant unto him the office of being high priest over the church, but he retained the office of high priest unto himself; but he delivered the judgment-seat unto Nephihah. — Alma 4:18

The two offices part. The verse names the decisive separation. Mosiah 29:42 had let the double office sit on the founding judge as a one-time arrangement. Alma now separates them on purpose, and the separation becomes the Nephite norm. The chapter is the cleanest scriptural articulation of the principle that civil power and priesthood power are different instruments, meant for different purposes, and best held by different officers when the corruption that needs addressing is spiritual.

The pattern is biblical. Moses transferred civil authority to Joshua, but the priesthood remained with Eleazar (Num. 27:18–23). The Mosaic king and priest were always distinct offices, and the messianic king-priest of Hebrews 7 (after the order of Melchisedec) is the exception that proves the rule. Alma's choice to separate the offices is the Nephite version of the same long discipline.

And this he did that he himself might go forth among his people, or among the people of Nephi, that he might preach the word of God unto them, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty, and that he might pull down, by the word of God, all the pride and craftiness and all the contentions which were among his people, seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure testimony against them. — Alma 4:19

The chapter's resolution. Alma cannot reach pride by law; pride does not stop at a statute. The only instrument that can pull pride down is the word of God in pure testimony. The verse names three targets — pride, craftiness, contentions — and one weapon: the bearing down of testimony, unmixed with personal gain or political ambition.

Paul will name the same weapon in the same way: the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations (2 Cor. 10:4–5). Jeremiah was called to the same work: to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant (Jer. 1:10). Alma 4:19 is the Nephite version, and it is the resolution that will frame the next twelve chapters.

The phrase pure testimony is itself doing careful work. It is Alma's deliberate inversion of Nehor's mode. Nehor's preaching was paid and popular; Alma's preaching will be unmixed with gain and direct. The pure testimony is the explicit anti-priestcraft discipline, and the phrase will recur in the Restoration canon: speak the thoughts that I shall put into your heart (D&C 100:7).

And thus in the commencement of the ninth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, Alma delivered up the judgment-seat to Nephihah, and confined himself wholly to the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to the testimony of the word, according to the spirit of revelation and prophecy. — Alma 4:20

The chapter ends with the phrase that will set up Alma 13: the high priesthood of the holy order of God. Hebrews names the same priesthood: thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec (Heb. 5:6). The Doctrine and Covenants names the same office: the oath and covenant of the priesthood (D&C 84:33–44). The Nephite founding moment of this priesthood will be developed at length in Alma 13, but the chapter that begins to confine itself wholly to it is Alma 4. The Spirit of revelation and prophecy is named explicitly as the instrument by which the office will now operate. The civil power has been laid down; the spiritual power has been picked up; and the man left holding it is a man whose pride has been examined first.

The chapter's architecture

The chapter has four panels. Verses 1–5 give the prosperity of the Church and the baptism at the Sidon. Verses 6–12 give the rise of pride and the persecution within. Verses 13–14 give the faithful remnant and the doctrine of retained remission. Verses 15–20 give Alma's decision and the yielding of the judgment-seat.

The theological center is v. 19: seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure testimony against them. The civil power cannot do the work. Only the word of God in pure testimony can. The chapter is the Book of Mormon's clearest statement of the principle that statute reaches the act but the word reaches the heart, and that pride is a disease of the heart.

The chapter operates as the Book of Mormon's master text on the limits of civil power against spiritual corruption. The laws of Mosiah can handle Nehor (murderer and priestcraft-practitioner) and can defend against Amlici (rebel and would-be king). But the laws cannot reach pride growing in the Church itself. The chapter teaches that the priesthood must act where the law cannot reach.

Alma 4 is also the Book of Mormon's master text on the prosperity-pride cycle. The chapter establishes the pattern that will recur all through the rest of the record: affliction → humility → prosperity → pride → affliction. Helaman 12 will canonize the cycle in Mormon's editorial treatise. Alma 4 is where the cycle is first laid out as a Nephite phenomenon worth naming.

The chapter is also the founding text for the separation of Church and civil leadership in the Nephite tradition. Mosiah 29 abolished the king but allowed Alma's double office. Alma 4 separates the double office into Nephihah's civil office and Alma's priesthood office, and from this point the offices stay separate as a matter of practice. It is the Book of Mormon's cleanest articulation of the principle that the Church is healthiest when its religious leadership is not also its political leadership.

Finally, the chapter is the prologue to the missionary journey that fills the next twelve chapters. Alma's resolve to bear down in pure testimony will take him to Zarahemla (Alma 5), Gideon (Alma 7), Melek (Alma 8:3), Ammonihah (Alma 8–14), and Sidom (Alma 15). The whole arc of Alma 5–16 begins as one man's decision to lay down the office that cannot heal his people and to pick up the one that can.