Brief biography
Circa 144 B.C.-73 B.C.
Alma the Younger was the son of Alma the Elder who organized the Church of Christ among the people of King Noah in the land of Nephi. In his earlier life Alma had been a wicked man but was converted to Christ after the miraculous intervention of an angel of God (Mosiah 27:8-37). King Mosiah entrusted him with the sacred archive of Nephite records (Mosiah 28:20). Following the death of his father Alma became High Priest over the Church. Alma also served as the first Chief Judge over the people of Nephi for eight years after which he voluntarily gave up the judgment-seat to spend the remainder of his life preaching the Gospel (Alma 4:16-19).
Total recorded words -- 20,005
Insights into words and phrases
Alma refers to God’s plan 18 times, more than any other single speaker, and
more than all other speakers combined. His most common phrase is the "plan
of redemption" (11 times), "plan of salvation" (once), "plan of restoration"
(once), "plan of happiness" (2 times), and "plan of mercy" (3 times). The
last three phrases are only used by him. He uses the phrase "it came to
pass" only about one-eleventh as often and the word "king" only about
one-eighth as often as the rest of the Book of Mormon writers.
Alma uses the word "spirit" primarily in reference to the Spirit
of God, or the gift which comes from Him: "the Spirit" (11 times), "Spirit
of God" (7 times), "Holy Spirit" (4 times), "spirit of prophecy" (4 times),
"spirit of revelation" (4 times), "Spirit of the Lord" (3 times), "born of
the Spirit" (once), "his Spirit" (once), "spirit of truth" (once), as
opposed to the "spirit of the soul" of man (once), or that of the adversary,
"spirit of the devil" (once), and "lying spirit" (once). With two
exceptions, all references to spiritual rebirth in the Book of Mormon are
from Alma’s testimony and teachings. These include the phrases "born of God"
(8 times), "born again" (4 times), and "born of the Spirit" (once). The last
phrase is unique to Alma.
Alma’s teachings are influenced by the
teachings of Lehi, Nephi, and Jacob from the plates of Nephi, and the
teachings of Abinadi witnessed and recorded by his father. We can hear
echoes of his own conversion experience as he invites others to repent and
come unto Christ. Like the sons of Mosiah, Alma seemingly cannot bear the
thought that any should perish. "And now, my brethren, I wish from the
inmost part of my heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye
would hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not procrastinate
the day of your repentance" (Alma 13:27).
Personal application
Alma’s anxiety for the eternal welfare of others was clearly based on the memory and knowledge of his own past experiences, when he turned back from the edge of misery and self-destruction to partake of the joyful fruit of the tree of life (Alma 36:24). As you read Alma’s words, note how merciful the Lord was to him. Consider how that mercy also extends to you, and can bring you similar joy as you strive to repent, follow these teachings, and come unto Christ.
Alma’s Use of the Phrase "Cast Out"
Behold, what shall these my brethren do, for they are despised of all men because of their poverty, yea, and more especially by our priests; for they have cast us out of our synagogues which we have labored abundantly to build with our own hands; and they have cast us out because of our exceeding poverty; and we have no place to worship our God; and behold, what shall we do? (Alma 32:5).
As a master teacher, Alma helps the Zoramite poor to understand the importance of heeding the gospel message by incorporating the image of being "cast out" in his sermon on faith. Alma and Amulek actually use the words "cast out" or "cast away" 11 times in their sermons (Alma 32:9, 12, 24, 28, 32, 38; 33:10; 34:29, 40).
Alma likens faith in the words of Christ to a seed that we should plant in our hearts. He invites these Zoramites, who said they had "no place" to worship God, to "give place" in their own hearts to test the goodness of his words. Alma teaches, "Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts" (Alma 32:28). A seed that grows is good, but a seed that does not grow is bad and is "cast away" (Alma 32:32).
Further evidence of the goodness of the word is found as this growth continues; but if one fails to nourish one’s faith, it will wither away and die, and one will "cast it out" (Alma 32:38). This is not because the word of Christ was bad or undesirable, but because the hearer failed to diligently care for and nourish faith in the word (Alma 32:39). Through diligence, patience, and consistent nourishment, the seed will grow into a tree and bear the fruit of happiness and eternal life, which is most precious and desirable above all other things (Alma 32:41-43). In his teachings on prayer, Alma cites the words of Zenos who had also been "cast out" (Alma 33:10), but found mercy through the Son of God (Alma 33:11).
Personal application
The Zoramite poor felt very keenly the injustice of being "cast out" and treated as if they had no worth. By incorporating this idea into his sermon, Alma helps his listeners relate to his teachings by underscoring the value of his teachings, and the wrongness of dismissing the words of Christ and casting them away as if they were nothing. As you read Alma’s teachings to the Zoramites, think about how you can more fully cherish, nourish, and act in faith upon the words of Christ to obtain greater happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come.
Alma’s Use of the Term "State"
Alma’s use of the noun "state" to refer to the various conditions of the
soul (35 times) is significant. This is about ten times as often as any
other writer. Alma often concentrates this word within a cluster of verses
in his sermons. In his teachings to Corianton, "state" occurs nine times in
Alma 40:11-15, six times in Alma 41:11-12, and six times in Alma 42:10-13.
Alma also uses the term "state" to reword various conditions. He
first speaks of mortality as a probationary "time" (Alma 42:4) and then
rewords this as a probationary "state" (Alma 42:10, 13). The people of
Zarahemla were in an "awful dilemma" (Alma 7:3), which he then rewords as a
"state of dilemma" (Alma 7:18). When he discusses the principle of agency,
in contrast to Lehi (2 Nephi 2:26-28), Jacob (2 Nephi 10:23), and Samuel
(Helaman 14:30-31), Alma describes man as being placed in a "state to act"
(Alma 12:31), as opposed to simply being "free" or "free to choose." This
usage also distinguishes Alma from discussions of agency in the Doctrine and
Covenants and Pearl of Great Price (Doctrine and Covenants 29:35-39;
58:27-28; 93:30-31; 107:78; Moses 6:56).
Personal application
Sometimes the unique emphasis of a Book of Mormon speaker points us to a facet of the plan of salvation that we might need to understand. Alma’s distinctive use of the term "state" emphasizes the condition in which the Lord has placed us to exercise our gift of agency. As you read Alma’s words, consider how you can more fully act in faith, now in your mortal state and in the individual daily circumstances of your life.