20 Now, it was for the sole purpose to get gain, because they received their wages according to their employ, therefore, they did stir up the people to riotings, and all manner of disturbances and wickedness, that they might have more employ, that they might get money according to the suits which were brought before them; therefore they did stir up the people against Alma and Amulek.
21 And this Zeezrom began to question Amulek, saying: Will ye answer me a few questions which I shall ask you? Now Zeezrom was a man who was expert in the devices of the devil, that he might destroy that which was good; therefore, he said unto Amulek: Will ye answer the questions which I shall put unto you?
Alma 11:20-21 (Emphasis mine)
Why were the lawyers causing the people to contend with and accused Alma(2) and Amulek? They were paid based on the suits that were brought. The more suits, the more money. They saw an easy way to make a few bucks.
Thomas Valletta wrote:
“The unrighteousness of the Ammonihahite lawyers and judges consisted not so much in their chosen profession, but rather that ‘their hearts [were] set so much upon the things of this world"’(D&C 121:35). The record is clear that it was their ‘sole purpose to get gain’ (Alma 11:20). Their law and their lucre had become their God. Their craving for the things of this world was so intense that ‘they did stir up the people to riotings, and all manner of disturbances and wickedness, that they might have more employ, that they might get money according to the suits which were brought before them’ (Alma 11:20). Possibly this emphasis on ‘gain’ as a driving force of the order of Nehor was a major reason that Alma 11 includes the only extant scriptural account of the Nephite monetary system.” [1] (Emphasis mine)
22 And Amulek said unto him: Yea, if it be according to the Spirit of the Lord, which is in me; for I shall say nothing which is contrary to the Spirit of the Lord. And Zeezrom said unto him: Behold, here are six onties of silver, and all these will I give thee if thou wilt deny the existence of a Supreme Being.
23 Now Amulek said: O thou child of hell, why tempt ye me? Knowest thou that the righteous yieldeth to no such temptations?
24 Believest thou that there is no God? I say unto you, Nay, thou knowest that there is a God, but thou lovest that lucre more than him.
25 And now thou hast lied before God unto me. Thou saidst unto me—Behold these six onties, which are of great worth, I will give unto thee—when thou hadst it in thy heart to retain them from me; and it was only thy desire that I should deny the true and living God, that thou mightest have cause to destroy me. And now behold, for this great evil thou shalt have thy reward.
Alma 11:22-25 (Emphasis mine)
Zeezrom asked Amulek if he would answer a few questions. He said he would if it “be according to the Spirit of the Lord.” (verse 22) He told him he would say nothing contrary to the Spirit of the Lord.
Zeezrom wastes no time and offers him six onties if he will deny the existence of God. An onti has the greatest value (verse 13). Six onties would be a large sum having great value.
Amulek responds by calling him a child of hell. He says he knows that Zeezrom knows there is a God. He loves wealth more than he loves God.
Then Amulek said he knew he was lying. He never intended to give him the onties. He wanted him to deny God and this would allow Zeezrom to destroy him. For his evil, he would receive his “reward.”
Hugh Nibley comments:
“He has it all set up. He asks a very crude question here. I mean if he is trying to be subtle, isn't this about as crude as you can get? He says, ‘Behold, here are six onties of silver, and all these will I give thee if thou wilt deny the existence of a Supreme Being?’ In front of all those people there, you see. Would he accept a bribe as conspicuously as that after his moral tirades, etc.? Well, of course he wouldn't. What is the guy planning to do? It lets us know what he's planning to do. As Amulek tells him, I know you had no intention to pay. What he was going to do was to up the ante … He was going to offer him a fabulous amount, so people would think the guy was crazy for not taking it, whatever he believed. It's the corruptibility of the times. But Amulek said, I know you weren't going to pay it anyway, but I'm not going to accept it whatever it is. It seems like a rather crude approach, but you can see what he was doing. He had these people in the palms of his hands. It said he had much business with the people, and he was the most skillful lawyer in the place. He was the top man.” [2] (Emphasis mine)
[1] Conflicting Orders: Alma and Amulek in Ammonihah, Thomas R. Valletta, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed October 23, 2011.
[2] Lecture 48: Alma 10-12, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed October 23, 2011.
No comments:
Post a Comment