Mosiah 27:1-6

(Note:  The next two nights I have Parent/Teacher’s Conference in the evenings.  My next post will be on Thursday, February 2^nd.)

Chapter 27

Mosiah forbids persecution and enjoins equality—Alma the younger and the four sons of Mosiah seek to destroy the Church—An angel appears and commands them to cease their evil course—Alma is struck dumb—All mankind must be born again to gain salvation—Alma and the sons of Mosiah declare glad tidings. About 100–92 B.C.

¹ AND now it came to pass that the persecutions which were inflicted on the church by the unbelievers became so great that the church began to murmur, and complain to their leaders concerning the matter; and they did complain to Alma.  And Alma laid the case before their king, Mosiah.  And Mosiah consulted with his priests. ² And it came to pass that king Mosiah sent a proclamation throughout the land round about that there should not any unbeliever persecute any of those who belonged to the church of God.

Mosiah 27:1-2 (Emphasis mine)

The persecution of the believers by the unbelievers became quite intense.  The believers went to their leaders and Alma(1), complaining about what was happening. 

He then took it to King Mosiah. The first thing the King did was consult with his priests.  In a revelations to Joseph Smith, the Lord emphasized the importance of listening to counsel:  “And listen to the counsel of him who has ordained you from on high, who shall speak in your ears the words of wisdom, that salvation may be unto you in that thing which you have presented before me, saith the Lord God” (D&C 78:2). 

Who were these priests that counseled the King?  John Sorenson writes:

“They would have been the priests in charge of the (in effect, the king's) temple and who saw that its rituals were carried out on schedule. (The need for scheduling naturally would have placed responsibility for keeping up the calendar in priestly hands, as had been the case at Jerusalem; compare 3 Nephi 8:1—2.) The refusal by Mosiah's priests to enter into the particular issue of moral and political behavior (‘persecution’) that Alma(1) had raised is consistent with the definition of their role as largely ceremonial, focused on what went on at the temple itself rather than dealing much with ethical issues among the public at large.” [1] (Emphasis mine)

Sorenson also wrote:

“Finally, it should be noted that certain priests among the Nephites either held political power themselves or were closely allied with rulers; that is, they were part of the elite (see Mosiah 17:6; 29:42; Alma 14:18; 30:29; 4 Nephi 1:34). The king's court at the time of Mosiah had a corps of priests around the monarch who seem to have had no connection to the ‘church’ (see Mosiah 27:1).” [2] Emphasis mine)

A decision was made to issue a proclamation that unbelievers should not persecute any believer.  Hugh Nibley tells us that it went even farther:

“No persecution either of believers by unbelievers, of unbelievers by believers or of believers by other believers, or unbelievers by other unbelievers (cf. Mosiah 27:1—3). In short, there was to be no persecution, and the purpose of all this was so that ‘there should be an equality among all men’ (Mosiah 27:3) [cf. Alma 1:21]. When one group can bring social pressure one against another, you do not have equality.” [3]  (Emphasis mine)

³ And there was a strict command throughout all the churches that there should be no persecutions among them, that there should be an equality among all men; ⁴ That they should let no pride nor haughtiness disturb their peace; that every man should esteem his neighbor as himself, laboring with their own hands for their support. ⁵ Yea, and all their priests and teachers should labor with their own hands for their support, in all cases save it were in sickness, or in much want; and doing these things, they did abound in the grace of God.

Mosiah 27:3-5 (Emphasis mine)

Persecution was not acceptable.  It didn’t matter who was doing.  It just wasn’t done.  No one should let pride “disturb the peace.”  Care for one another.  Work for your support.  All were equal.  “Now if a man desired to serve God, it was his privilege; or rather, if he believed in God it was his privilege to serve him; but if he did not believe in him there was no law to punish him … For there was a law that men should be judged according to their crimes.  Nevertheless, there was no law against a man's belief; therefore, a man was punished only for the crimes which he had done; therefore all men were on equal grounds” (Alma 30:9, 11).

This was expected even of the priests and teachers.  People were expected to work for their support.  When Alma(1) first set up his church, “… he also commanded them that the priests whom he had ordained should labor with their own hands for their support … And the priests were not to depend upon the people for their support; but for their labor they were to receive the grace of God, that they might wax strong in the Spirit, having the knowledge of God, that they might teach with power and authority from God” (Mosiah 18:24, 26). 

⁶ And there began to be much peace again in the land; and the people began to be very numerous, and began to scatter abroad upon the face of the earth, yea, on the north and on the south, on the east and on the west, building large cities and villages in all quarters of the land. ⁷ And the Lord did visit them and prosper them, and they became a large and wealthy people.

Mosiah 27:6-7 (Emphasis mine)

Peace broke out across the land.  And the population increased.  They began to fill the land and build cities and villages through the land.  “The Lord did visit them” and they became a prosperous people.

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[1] Religious Groups and Movements among the Nephites, 200–1 B.C., John L. Sorenson,
Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed January 30, 2012.

[2] The Book of Mormon as a Mesoamerican Record, John L. Sorenson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed January 30, 2012.

[3] Criticizing the Brethren, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed January 30, 2012.