Book of Mormon Commentary CofC - Odessa, Missouri Community ...

Book of Mormon Commentary
Alma Chapter 2
The first high priest among the Nephites was Alma, the father of the Alma who gave up the
judgment seat. He was "the founder of their church" (Mosiah 11:17). The descriptive words "of
the holy order of God" do not appear in the references to the high priesthood of Alma I. Some
have thought that because the Nephites were living under the Mosaic law (see 1 Nephi 1:117; 2
Nephi 4:14; 11:45; Mosiah 8:90; Alma 14:74, 75) the office Alma I held was that of high priest of
the Aaronic order. There is room for discussion at that point; however, in the case of Alma II the
language applying to him points quite clearly to the Melchisedec order .
In the revelation "on priesthood" given through Joseph Smith, Jr., March 28, 1835, we are told that
the name of the high priesthood was changed in the days of Melchisedec. Before this time it was
called "the holy priesthood, after the order of the Son of God; but out of respect or reverence to the
name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name, the church, in ancient
days, called that priesthood. .the Melchisedec priesthood" (D. and C. 104:1c).
Later Alma called on his brethren to "humble yourselves even as the people in the days of
Melchisedec, who was also a high priest after this same order which I have spoken. ...And it was
this same Melchisedec to whom Abraham paid tithes" (Alma 10:7,8).