Comments on Alma 39 This chapter starts out a rather lengthy (cf. 39-42) lecture by Alma to his youngest son Corianton. The chapter is mainly composed of Alma's stern reprimand of Corianton for three particular sins: pride (v. 2), harlotry (v. 3-13), and materialism (v. 14). This chapter is presented as the reverse of the preceding chapter's comments on Shiblon. Shiblon was zealous for the ministry, but had some relatively minor problems. Here, Corianton has serious problems, and he abandoned the ministry. Alma points out this contrast in v. 1. The discussion on harlotry is lengthy because it is a serious sin (v. 5-10), but more so because his bad example negatively impacted the missionary labors among the Zoramites (v. 3-4, 11-13). The matter of Corianton's harlotry merits some discussion. The harlotry issue is not one dealt with in a cut and dry fashion by Alma. His accusations against Corianton's immorality are bound together with the fact he abandoned the ministry in order to pursue them (v. 3-4). His warnings in these verses focus more on the matter of abandoning the ministry (v. 3-4), and therefore potentially causing his own spiritual death as a result of his denial of the gospel (v. 5-6), than on the matter of unchastity (v. 9). And, note, the command from the Lord which motivates Alma is one dealing not with the matter of unchastity, but with the potential impact of the bad example (v. 12). Thus, v. 7 is most likely speaking of his abandoning the ministry and not of the harlotry. This is not to say the harlotry isn't a serious issue, because Alma indicates plainly it is in v. 9. But, the matter of harlotry is secondary to the danger of spiritual death in Corianton and his causing it in others by his bad example. That said, it is not entirely clear from the text how immoral Corianton was. All it says in v. 3 is he "did go...after the harlot Isabel" and in v. 4 it says "she did steal away the hearts of many; but this was no excuse for thee". The text does little to suggest literal fornication. In v. 9 Alma says "go no more after the lusts of your eyes". It reads more like a burlesque or striptease as there were many who had their hearts stolen away and it involved lusting with the eyes. Had Corianton's sin involved literal fornication with a prostitute it seems likely Alma would have been much more vehement about calling him to repentance on matters of sex immorality rather than focusing more on abandoning the ministry. It is common for us to read the text and assume the worst about him, but there is nothing in the text requiring it. The plainest reading is that Corianton left the ministry to see some lascivious beautiful woman ply her trade. The display was public enough for him to be seen at it and recognized, so he became a scapegoat for the Zoramite leaders hostile to Alma's preaching. He didn't solicit her as a prostitute or fornicate with her, so in his own mind it was easy to rationalize what he did wasn't all that bad (hence Alma's warning in v. 9 that even entertaining the "lusts of your eyes" made him unfit for the kingdom of God). But, Alma's main point is the real damage is his denial of the Lord by abandoning the ministry, and the bad example he set which turned into fodder for gainsayers. As for Corianton's fate, he repents and attends to the ministry (cf. 43:1, 49:30), and ultimately heads off with Haggoth to shores unknown (cf. 63:10). v1 "have ye not observed the steadiness of thy brother?", Alma is referring to Shiblon and not Helaman as Helaman did not go with them to minister to the Zoramites, cf. 31:7. v5 "the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost", the typical reading on this is that two separate things are being presented in order of more serious sinfulness. The first being murder, as in "Thou shalt not kill", and the second being the sin of Perdition. This typical reading results in the ranking of most grievous sins as 1) perdition, 2) literal murder, 3) sex immorality. However, another reading would be to see the "or" as an equation and not a separator. As in "the shedding of innocent blood is also known as denying the Holy Ghost". The context definitely favors this reading. There is nothing in surrounding text blatantly referencing literal physical murder while the surrounding text does have numerous references to figurative spiritual murder (v. 6 "murdereth against the light and knowledge of God", v. 12 "lest they lead away the hearts of many people to destruction", note Alma uses both "murder" and "destruction" in spiritual senses in 36:14). And, in D&C 132:27 the two are equated "The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost...is in that ye commit murder wherein ye shed innocent blood". This strongly suggests "the shedding of innocent blood" here is not a reference to physical murder, but is referring to "denying the Holy Ghost". v6 "deny the Holy Ghost...a sin which is unpardonable", cp. Matt. 12:31, D&C 76:30-49. v9 "cross yourself", meaning "go against, thwart, frustrate, deny" yourself. Unlike v. 11 where Alma indicates the devil is tempting him, the statement here is the desire, the "lusts of your eyes", is within Corianton. Alma understands clearly there is a natural urge out of control, and he admonishes him to deny himself those things. The underlying concept is an issue of desire and self-denial, the conflict between the spiritual self and the carnal self. This belies a rather sophisticated understanding of psychology, one we commonly don't project back into ancient history. v12 As Alma is the high priest of the Nephites the conduct of his sons would certainly be under considerable public scrutiny. Particularly in a society where the office of high priest when from father to son. Hence the Lord's command to Alma to reprimand Corianton so as to not be a bad example to the Nephites and thus lead them into sin. v13 "acknowledge your faults and that wrong which ye have done", the 1st Edition BofM read "and retain that wrong which ye had done" suggesting that by acknowledging his actions were wrong he might take back the bad example away from the Zoramites. I don't know what edition "retain" was omitted from the text and if it was in the original printer's manuscript or not. v15-19 Alma returns his attention to the ministry which Corianton was supposed to attended to (v. 15-16), and introduces the topic of the next few chapters (v. 17-19). v15 "he cometh to declare glad tidings of salvation to his people", missionaries are heralds of the gospel (note in v. 16 Alma says Corianton was called to be a herald of the gospel), but here Alma presents Jesus as the epitome of the messenger in Isa. 52:7. Copyright © 2001 by S. Kurt Neumiller . All rights reserved. No part of this text may be reproduced in any form or by any means for commercial gain without the express written consent of the author. Digital or printed copies may be freely made and distributed for personal and public non-commercial use.