This is a diagram of the Chiasmus found in Alma 36.
I discussed the literary structure of this Hebrew form in a previous post. Today I want to look at this particular chiasmus chapter because it is one of the most complex and beautiful examples found anywhere in scripture.
The outline was prepared by James Welch, co-founder of Book of Mormon Central. It was as a young missionary to Germany in the 1960s that a young Elder Welch first identified the chiastic form in the Book of Mormon Brother Welch went on to make Book of Mormon study a key focus area in his life.
Here is a link from Book of Mormon Central with Brother Welch describing this form as used in Alma 36.
Here is a link from Book of Mormon Central with Brother Welch describing this form as used in Alma 36.
In the video, Dr. Welch points out that the key to understanding chiasmus is to look for the turning point. The primary focus of the message is found in the exact center, the point when the first lines are now repeated in opposite order. On the illustration above, we see the the key point of this message is in lines p and p': Jesus Christ. It is easy to see in this diagram because it makes an arrow shape with the key point at the exact tip of the arrow.
This turning point is important in our understanding the message the prophet wants to teach. In the story of Alma's conversion, Jesus Christ is not only the turning point in the chiasmus, He was the turning point in Alma's life.
He was teaching his 3 sons, Helaman, Shiblon, and Corianton. He spent some time with Helaman because that son would one day lead the Church. He spent less time with Shiblon because Shiblon understood the gospel well and was living it. He spent the most time with his son Corianton because Corianton, who was with him on the mission to the Zoramites, committed a moral sin, which not only put his own salvation in jeopardy, but set an awful pattern for the Zoramites, who weren't listening to his father and now could use Corianton's behavior as a further excuse.
It was to Helaman that Alma recounted his own conversion story. (Alma 36) He wanted his son to understand that it was through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that Alma was saved. In writing down his words, he helps all of us to know to whom we can turn in our hour of anguish.
When come to the crucial turning points in our lives, remember that it is to Christ that we should call, for it is by His grace that we are saved, after all that we can do. (2 Nephi 25:23)
This turning point is important in our understanding the message the prophet wants to teach. In the story of Alma's conversion, Jesus Christ is not only the turning point in the chiasmus, He was the turning point in Alma's life.
He was teaching his 3 sons, Helaman, Shiblon, and Corianton. He spent some time with Helaman because that son would one day lead the Church. He spent less time with Shiblon because Shiblon understood the gospel well and was living it. He spent the most time with his son Corianton because Corianton, who was with him on the mission to the Zoramites, committed a moral sin, which not only put his own salvation in jeopardy, but set an awful pattern for the Zoramites, who weren't listening to his father and now could use Corianton's behavior as a further excuse.
It was to Helaman that Alma recounted his own conversion story. (Alma 36) He wanted his son to understand that it was through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that Alma was saved. In writing down his words, he helps all of us to know to whom we can turn in our hour of anguish.
When come to the crucial turning points in our lives, remember that it is to Christ that we should call, for it is by His grace that we are saved, after all that we can do. (2 Nephi 25:23)
© Kathleen Rawlings Buntin Danielson July 2020
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