Alma 7:10-13

As Alma(2) continues preaching Christ, he says the following in verse 10:

10  And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.

Alma 7:10 (Emphasis mine)

This verse is used by opponents of the Church and the Book of Mormon to show it can’t be true.  Christ was not born in Jerusalem, they tell us.  He was born in Bethlehem.   Joseph Smith got it wrong.  This shows he wrote the Book of Mormon.

Are they correct?

As I discuss this issue, I am going to use information from an article found at the Maxwell Institute (accessed August 28, 2011), On Alma 7:10 and the Birthplace of Jesus Christ by Daniel C. Peterson. (Emphasis in article mine)

“One of the most popular anti-Mormon claims is that the Book of Mormon gives the wrong location for the birth of Jesus Christ. ‘The Book of Mormon teaches that Jesus Christ was born at Jerusalem (Alma 7:10),’ says one representative anti-Mormon volume. ‘Of course, the Bible teaches He was born at Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1).’ However, since Bethlehem is five or six miles from Jerusalem, and is a distinct town, the critics claim that "Alma 7:10 is clearly a false prophecy.’

“…no Latter-day Saint has ever interpreted the Book of Mormon as claiming that Jesus was born in Jerusalem rather than in Bethlehem. Alma 7:10 does not even mention the city of Jerusalem. Rather, the text reads: ‘And behold, he [Jesus] shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers.’ (emphasis in original)  The Jerusalem at which Jesus was to be born is thus quite clearly called a land, not a city.

“From across the ocean, the distance between Jerusalem and Bethlehem would hardly have seemed significant to a Nephite. We routinely speak, in the United States, of people who live in ‘the Chicago area’ or in ‘the vicinity of Boston.’  When in the Middle East or Europe (or often even in Utah), one of the authors routinely answers ‘Los Angeles’ when asked where he is originally from, although that answer is literally untrue, and the more accurate reply would be ‘Pasadena’ (birthplace), or ‘San Gabriel’ (residence through high school), or even ‘Whittier’ (residence of his parents since the mid-1970s).”

(Personal note.  When I was in the Air Force, my hometown was Sandy, Utah.  When people would ask me where I’m from, at first I responded “Sandy, Utah.”  The next question was, “Where is that?”  “A suburb of Salt Lake.”  Then people understood where I was from.  I eventually stopped saying “Sandy” and began saying “Salt Lake.”  As with Dr. Peterson, that wasn’t accurate; however, people have an idea where Salt Lake was located.  Back to Dr. Peterson.)

“Furthermore, to suggest that Joseph Smith knew the precise location of Jesus' baptism by John (‘in Bethabara, beyond Jordan,’ 1 Nephi 10:9; cf. John 1:28), but hadn't a clue about the famous town of Christ's birth, is inconsistent.  It is highly improbable that the Book of Mormon's author or authors missed one of the most obvious facts about the most popular story in the Bible—something known to every child and to every singer of Christmas carols?

“It must not be forgotten, in the consideration of this issue, that Alma was writing some time in the first century B.C. In other words, more than five centuries separated him and his people and their habits of speech from their ancestral homeland and its characteristic expressions. This is plenty of time for linguistic change to accumulate, as anyone can testify who has tried to read Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in the original Middle English.”

The quotes I’ve included are a simple overview of Dr. Peterson’s article.  It’s worth reading the entire article.

This also brings up a point about how opponents of the Church work.  They take an issue like this and make a “simple” statement – “The Book of Mormon says Christ will be born in Jerusalem.”  

As you can see, the response and explanation is more involved and much longer.  Sadly, it’s easy to make simplistic and short attacks.  It frequently is more involved to respond to that simplistic statement.

Back to Alma(2)’s sermon.

11  And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12  And he will take upon him death,

        that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people;

    and he will take upon him their infirmities,

        that his bowels may be filled with mercy,

            according to the flesh,

        that he may know according to the flesh

            how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

13  Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

Alma 7:11-13 (Emphasis mine)

(Formatting in verse 12 from The Book of Mormon – A Reader’s Edition, by Grant Hardy, pg. 269.)

Alma(2) explains what Christ will suffer.  After saying he would suffer pain, affliction, and temptation, he explains that this is to fulfill words of Isaiah.

3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4  ¶ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Isaiah 53:3-5 (Emphasis mine)

He continues explaining that He will die to defeat death; He will take upon Him the sins of the people, and our transgressions will be blotted out.  Alma(2) then states that this is his testimony.

17  Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

18  For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Hebrews 2:17-18 (Emphasis mine)

14  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 4:14-15 (Emphasis mine)

35  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

36  But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

37  All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

38  For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

John 6:35-38 (Emphasis mine)

1  THERE is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

Romans 8:1-3 (Emphasis mine)

And here ends Alma(2)’s testimony of Christ.