10 And it came to pass that when Ammon had said these words, his brother Aaron rebuked him, saying: Ammon, I fear that thy joy doth carry thee away unto boasting.
11 But Ammon said unto him:
I do not boast in my own strength,
nor in my own wisdom;
but behold,
my joy is full,
yea, my heart is brim with joy,
and I will rejoice in my God.
12 Yea, I know that I am nothing;
as to my strength
I am weak;
therefore I will not boast of myself,
but I will boast of my God,
for in his strength
I can do all things;
yea, behold, many mighty miracles
we have wrought in this land,
for which we will praise his name forever.
Alma 26:10-12 (Emphasis mine)
Aaron jumps in a quietly chastises Ammon. I think you’ve gone beyond praise and started to boast. Maybe you’ve gone too far.
But Ammon knows what he is saying. Continuing in poetic/song form, he reminds Aaron that he knows he’s nothing. Whatever he is, it is because of the God.
Richard Rust comments on Ammon’s praise and reminds us who is central in the Book of Mormon.
“The truly central hero of the Book of Mormon is Jesus Christ. It is he who gives direction to the other heroes and whose redeeming power is affirmed throughout the book, climaxing at his personal visit. He is the hero whom the others represent. As Ammon declares, ‘I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things’ (Alma 26:12). Throughout the book, it is Jesus Christ who lifts, heals, and redeems.” [1] (Emphasis mine)
13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.
14 For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.
15 And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.
16 I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.
2 Corinthians 7:13-16 (Emphasis mine)
9 For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;
1 Thessalonians 3:9 (Emphasis mine)
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:12-13 (Emphasis mine)
13 Behold, how many thousands of our brethren
has he loosed from the pains of hell;
and they are brought to sing redeeming love,
and this because of the power of his word
which is in us,
therefore have we not great reason to rejoice?
14 Yea, we have reason to
praise him forever,
for he is the Most High God,
and has loosed our brethren
from the chains of hell.
15 Yea, they were encircled about
with everlasting darkness and destruction;
but behold, he has brought them
into his everlasting light,
yea, into everlasting salvation;
and they are encircled about
with the matchless bounty of his love;
yea, and we have been instruments
in his hands
of doing this great and marvelous work.
16 Therefore, let us glory,
yea, we will glory
in the Lord;
yea, we will rejoice,
for our joy is full;
yea, we will praise our God forever.
Behold, who can glory
too much in the Lord?
Yea, who can say too much
of his great power,
and of his mercy,
and of his long-suffering
towards the children of men?
Behold, I say unto you,
I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.
Alma 26:13-16 (Emphasis mine)
Ammon rejoices in the thousands who were saved; for the thousands who were released from the pains of hell. They are loosed from the chains of hell.
He calls all to glory in the Lord, to praise God forever. He praises His great power, mercy, and long-suffering towards the children of men.
Hugh Nibley writes about Ammon’s joy.
“This is pure joy. This is what you call charity. Our word cheer is the same as charity, the Greek charis, Latin gratia, etc. It's no mental reservations, no gnawing discontent, no vaulting ambition. These are the seeds of tragedy, you see. If you have to have your success here in the world and this is the only place you can get it, then you have the making of a tragedy …. He [Ammon] says, ‘Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel,; because he is liberated from all the things that make us afraid and make us do the things that always lead to tragedy.” [2] (Emphasis mine)
Let’s turn to the words of Richard Rust once more.
“At the completion of this missionary service, Ammon tries to convey to his brothers his feelings. He is limited, though, in expression: ‘I cannot say the smallest part which I feel,’ he acknowledges (Alma 26:16). Nevertheless, the feelings he does communicate are presented indirectly but effectively through imagery. The Lamanites were ‘in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God!’ (Alma 26:3) … Continuing to convey his feelings with figurative language, Ammon compares his heart to a cup: ‘My heart is brim with joy’ (Alma 26:11). The converts have been brought to ‘sing redeeming love’ (Alma 26:13) … Reflecting on his and his brothers' own experience of conversion, Ammon wonders why God did not let the ‘the sword of his justice’ fall on them (Alma 26:19). … Thus, through use of appropriate imagery, Ammon calls on his auditors to enrich the meaning of his words by making associations from their experiences, just as Jesus did with his parables.” [3] (Emphasis mine)
[1] Annual FARMS Lecture – February 1990, Richard Dilworth Rust, Maxwell Institute, accessed October 1, 2011.
[2] Lecture 53: Alma 23-27, Hugh W. Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed October 1, 2011.
[3] "Not Cast Off Forever" – Imagery, Richard Dilworth Rust, Maxwell Institute, accessed October 1, 2011.
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