7 And it came to pass as he was going, to preach to those who believed on his word, he met a man who belonged to the church of God, yea, even one of their teachers; and he began to contend with him sharply, that he might lead away the people of the church; but the man withstood him, admonishing him with the words of God. 8 Now the name of the man was Gideon; and it was he who was an instrument in the hands of God in delivering the people of Limhi out of bondage. 9 Now, because Gideon withstood him with the words of God he was wroth with Gideon, and drew his sword and began to smite him. Now Gideon being stricken with many years, therefore he was not able to withstand his blows, therefore he was slain by the sword. 10 And the man who slew him was taken by the people of the church, and was brought before Alma, to be judged according to the crimes which he had committed.
Alma 1:7-10 (Emphasis mine)
While Nehor was going throughout the land, he met a teacher in the church of God. Nehor “began to contend with him sharply.” (John Sorenson speculates, “Nehor apparently did not encounter church members frequently.”)
The man Nehor met was Gideon. This is the same Gideon who came up with the idea that freed the people of Limhi. (“And Gideon said unto [the king]: Behold the back pass, through the back wall, on the back side of the city. The Lamanites, or the guards of the Lamanites, by night are drunken; therefore let us send a proclamation among all this people that they gather together their flocks and herds, that they may drive them into the wilderness by night. And I will go according to thy command and pay the last tribute of wine to the Lamanites, and they will be drunken; and we will pass through the secret pass on the left of their camp when they are drunken and asleep. Thus we will depart with our women and our children, our flocks, and our herds into the wilderness; and we will travel around the land of Shilom. And it came to pass that the king hearkened unto the words of Gideon” [Mosiah 22:5-9].)
Reading the account in Mosiah 22, you would come away thinking that the Lord played no part in the people of Limhi being released from bondage. Alma(1) made it clear when preaching to the people of Limhi that “all those that had been delivered out of bondage, that they should remember that it was the Lord that did deliver them” (Mosiah 25:16).
Mormon also stresses this in verse 8 when he wrote, “the name of the man was Gideon; and it was he who was an instrument in the hands of God in delivering the people of Limhi out of bondage.”
Gideon was able stand up to Nehor and refute his arguments. This did not go over well with Nehor. In anger, he pulled out his sword and began to attack Gideon. Gideon, being an old man, was not able to fight back, and Nehor killed him.
The people took Nehor before Alma(2) “to be judged according to the crimes he had committed.
11 And it came to pass that he stood before Alma and pleaded for himself with much boldness. 12 But Alma said unto him: Behold, this is the first time that priestcraft has been introduced among this people. And behold, thou art not only guilty of priestcraft, but hast endeavored to enforce it by the sword; and were priestcraft to be enforced among this people it would prove their entire destruction. 13 And thou hast shed the blood of a righteous man, yea, a man who has done much good among this people; and were we to spare thee his blood would come upon us for vengeance. 14 Therefore thou art condemned to die, according to the law which has been given us by Mosiah, our last king; and it has been acknowledged by this people; therefore this people must abide by the law. 15 And it came to pass that they took him; and his name was Nehor; and they carried him upon the top of the hill Manti, and there he was caused, or rather did acknowledge, between the heavens and the earth, that what he had taught to the people was contrary to the word of God; and there he suffered an ignominious death.
Alma 1:11-15 (Emphasis mine)
Nehor apparently did an outstanding job of defending himself “with much boldness.” Still it did not help.
Alma(2) told him that, not only was he guilty of priestcraft, but he “enforced it by the sword.” Priestcraft was a concern going back to Nephi. Nephi wrote that the Lord “commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion” (2 Nephi 26:29). Peter also expressed concerns. He told the church to “[tend] the flock of God which is among you, taking the [guarding] thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;” (1 Peter 5:2).
Thomas Valetta and Hugh Nibley wrote about the problems caused by priestcraft.
“The order of Nehor was a schismatic apostate group that originated in the early years of the reign of the judges. Its name was derived from the heretic Nehor who introduced priestcraft into Nephite society (see Alma 1:12). Nehor's doctrine and approach included bearing down against the church; declaring unto the people that every priest and teacher ought to become popular; and they ought not to labor with their hands, but that they ought to be supported by the people (Alma 1:3).” [1]
“That there was a real danger of reviving an ancient priest-rule is apparent from the fact that the new system had no sooner been established than a certain Nehor, in the first case to be tried by the new chief judge, is charged with being first to introduce priestcraft "among this people." The chief judge on this occasion observes that such a business if allowed by the people ‘would prove their entire destruction’ (Alma 1:12). So the abuses of the system and its ties with priestcraft were still vividly remembered from the Old World.” [2] (Emphasis mine)
Alma(2) also reminded him that he killed a “righteous man.” Failing to demand justice would mean “his blood would come upon us for vengeance.” The Savior warned “shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily…” (Luke 18:7-8).
John Welch explains, “Alma argued that Gideon's blood ‘would come upon us for vengeance’ (Alma 1:13)—that is, would bring condemnation not only upon Alma but also upon all his people if they were not to reach a proper verdict and execute Gideon's slayer, Nehor.” [3] Nehor was condemned to death.
He was taken to “the top of the Hill Manti.” There he confessed that “he had taught to the people was contrary to the word of God; and there he suffered an ignominious death.”
Thomas Valetta writes:
“As is evidently not uncommon among apostates, Nehor attempted to enforce his priestcraft by the sword in his murder of Gideon. As a result, he was condemned to die according to the law set forth by King Mosiah (see Alma 1:13–14). The description of his execution suggests a ceremonial invoking of a covenantal cursing, and, as has been suggested by Nibley, may hark back to an ancient tradition of the fallen angel Shamhozai, who ‘repented, and by way of penance hung himself up between heaven and earth.’ [4] (Emphasis mine)
[1] Conflicting Orders: Alma and Amulek in Ammonihah, Thomas R. Valletta, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 17, 2012.
[2] Politics in Jerusalem, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 17, 2012.
[3] The Trial of Jeremiah: A Legal Legacy from Lehi's Jerusalem, John W. Welch, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 17, 2012.
[4] Conflicting Orders: Alma and Amulek in Ammonihah, Thomas R. Valletta, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 17, 2012.
No comments:
Post a Comment