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

Book of Mormon Commentary
Alma Chapter 16
ALMA PREACHES TO OUTCAST POOR, VER. 121-200
Alma 16:122 And it came to pass that after much labor among them, they began to have success among
the poor class of people; for behold, they were cast out of the synagogues, because of the courseness of
their apparel;
The poor were considered filthy, as dross. Because of this discrimination, they were poor in
"things of the world; and they were poor in heart" (123).
As Alma preached on the hill Onidah, "a great multitude" of these poor outcasts came. They asked
what they should do. They could not get into the synagogues "which we have labored abundantly
to build, with our own hands. ..and we have no place to worship our God" (126). Immediately
Alma turned and talked to this poverty-stricken group, for they were prepared to hear the word
(127).
Alma 16:130 Behold, I say unto you, Do ye suppose that ye can not worship God, save it be in your
synagogues only?
This was followed with another hypothetical question: "Worship God only once in a week?" He
told them, "It is well that ye are cast out of your synagogues, that ye may be humble, and that ye
may learn wisdom" (132). Sometimes when one is compelled to be humble, he repents, finds
mercy, and, if he endures to the end, is saved (135). "Blessed is he that believeth in the word of
God, and is baptized without stubbornness of heart; yea, without being brought to know the word,
or even compelled to know, before they will believe" (138). Many want "a sign from heaven,"
then they say they shall believe. But this is not faith, "for if a man knoweth a thing, he hath no
cause to believe, for he knoweth It" (140). "faith, is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; ...if
ye have faith, ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true" (143) .
Alma 16:151 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my
words, and exercise a particle of faith; yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire
work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.
Alma then gives his classical illustration of faith as a seed. If it is a good [live] seed, and you do
not cast it out by unbelief, .'it will begin to swell within your breasts" (153). Then you will say, "It
must needs be that this is a good seed, ... for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to
enlighten my understanding." Then he asks, "Would pot this increase your faith?" (155). "for
behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow" (1:56}-. "Ye must needs know that the
seed is good" (159). "Your understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth begin
to expand" (161).
Alma 16:162 O then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea; because it is light; and whatsoever is light, is
good, because it is discernible; therefore ye must know that it is good.
Alma reminded them that tasting light is not perfect knowledge, "neither must ye lay aside your
faith, for ye have only exercised your faith to plant the seed." Your experiment was to test whether