About 24 years before King Benjamin’s speech Alma forms a church based on the teachings of Abinadi. “he being concealed for many days did write all the words which Abinadi had spoken.” (Mosiah 17:4) An important principal was that everyone should give of their substance based on their individual circumstances to every needy person.
“Alma commanded that the people of the church should impart of their substance, every one according to that which he had; if he have more abundantly he should impart more abundantly; and of him that had but little, but little should be required; and to him that had not should be given. And thus they should impart of their substance of their own free will and good desires towards God, and to those priests that stood in need, yea, and to every needy, naked soul.” (Mosiah 18:27-28)
King Benjamin may have given the most effective sermon ever recorded. We are told that all the people listening to him, except for the little children, who were not accountable, were so moved by his sermon that they "entered into a covenant with God to keep his commandments" and took "upon them the name of Christ" ( Mosiah 6:1-2 ). The effectiveness of this sermon continues with those who experience it today.
It appears that King Benjamin had written his speech earlier, prior to quoting the words of the angel.“the things which I shall tell you are made known unto me by an angel from God” (Mosiah 3:2)
There are many similarities/echoes in the teachings of Abinadi in Mosiah 13-16 and King Benjamin’s discourse in Mosiah 2-5. Perhaps, the prophet Abinadi the first Nephite martyr was the angel that appeared to King Benjamin. Other similarities/echoes will be included at the end.
One of these echoes is the need to impart of our substance based on our individual circumstances to anyone in need.
King Benjamin mentions “substance” 8 times in Mosiah 4. He instructs us to teach our children to “to love one another and to serve one another. And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need” (Mosiah 4:15-16) He condemns any for “withholding your substance, which doth not belong to you but to God, to whom also your life belongeth” (Mosiah 4:22)
In order to retain a remission of our sins we must impart of our substance based on our individual circumstances.
“And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you—that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God—I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants.” (Mosiah 4:26)
Substance would include our “time, talents, or means, in service of God and fellowman.” (D & C 59:12b- footnote)
Mormon incorporates King Benjamin’s teachings on succor, imparting our substance based on our individual circumstances and retaining a remission of sins.
“.. they did impart of their substance, every man according to that which he had, to the poor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted;” (Alma 1:27)
“while others were abasing themselves, succoring those who stood in need of their succor, such as imparting their substance to the poor and the needy, feeding the hungry, and suffering all manner of afflictions, for Christ’s sake, who should come according to the spirit of prophecy; Looking forward to that day, thus retaining a remission of their sins;” (Alma 4:13-14)
Jacob condemns pride and then provides a solution.
Jacob, describes the problem of pride and then provides the solution. “And the hand of providence hath smiled upon you most pleasingly, that you have obtained many riches; and because some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and wear stiff necks and high heads because of the costliness of your apparel, and persecute your brethren because ye suppose that ye are better than they.” (Jac. 2:13)
Solution: 1.) “Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and 2.) be familiar with all and 3.) free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you.” (Jac. 2:17)
Amulek, teaches about prayer and that if we do not impart of our substance our prayers “availeth you nothing”
“And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith.” (Alma 34:28)
Moroni, introduces himself to us his latter-day audience by stating: “Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing. And I know that ye do walk in the pride of your hearts; and there are none save a few only who do not lift themselves up in the pride of their hearts, unto the wearing of very fine apparel, unto envying, and strifes, and malice, and persecutions, and all manner of iniquities; and your churches, yea, even every one, have become polluted because of the pride of your hearts. For behold, ye do love money, and your substance, and your fine apparel, and the adorning of your churches, more than ye love the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted.” (Mor. 8: 35-37)
How can we overcome pride and ensure our hearts are not set upon riches?
“And thus, in their prosperous circumstances, they did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, whether out of the church or in the church, having no respect to persons as to those who stood in need.” (Alma 1:30)
C.S. Lewis said: “I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc, is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditure excludes them.” (“Mere Christianity”)
Similar phrases and teachings between Abinadi in Mosiah 13-15 (about 148 B.C.) and King Benjamin in Mosiah 2-5 (about 124 B.C.):
· "working many mighty miracles among the children of men" (Mosiah 15:6)
"among the children of men...working mighty miracles" (Mosiah 3:5)
· "die in their sins" (Mosiah 15:26) "dieth in his sins" (Mosiah 2:33)
· "every nation, kindred, tongue and people" (Mosiah 15:28 and 16:1) "every nation, kindred, tongue, and people". (Mosiah 3:20) also, "every kindred, nation, and tongue" (Mosiah 3:13)
· "his judgements are just" (Mosiah 16:1) "his judgement is just" (Mosiah 3:18)
· "enemy to God" (Mosiah 16:5) “enemy to God” (Mosiah 2:38 and 3:19) this phase only appears in 4 verses in all the scriptures, twice in Mosiah 16:5 also in Mosiah 2:38 and 3:19, + “devil is an enemy unto God” (Moroni 7:12)
· "own carnal nature" (Mosiah 16:5) "own carnal state" (Mosiah 4:2)
· "speaking of things to come as though they had already come" (Mosiah 16:6)
"as though he had already come among them" (Mosiah 3:13)
· "if Christ had not risen from the dead" (Mosiah 16:7) "he shall rise the third day from the dead" (Mosiah 3:10)
· "judged…whether they be good or whether they be evil" (Mosiah 16:10)
"judged…whether they be good, or whether they be evil" (Mosiah 3:24)
· "remember that only in and through Christ ye can be saved?" (Mosiah 16:13)
"only in and through the name of Christ" (Mosiah 3:17)
· "law of Moses...shadow of those things to come" (Mosiah 16:14) also "a type and a shadow of things which are to come" (Mosiah 13:10) "the law of Moses...types and shadows...concerning his coming" (Mosiah 3:14-15)
· "holy prophets" (Mosiah 15:11,13) "holy prophets" (Mosiah 2:34; 3:15)
· "salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement" (Mosiah 13:28) "the law of Moses availeth nothing except it were through the atonement of his blood" (Mosiah 3:15)
· "cannot deny justice" (Mosiah 15:27) "which justice could no more deny" (Mosiah 3:26)
· "thus they have eternal life through Christ..those..that have died...in their ignorance..And little children also have eternal life" (Mosiah 15:23-25) "his blood atoneth for the sins of those..who have died not knowing the will of God..who have ignorantly sinned." (Mosiah 3:11) "little children...the blood of Christ atoneth for their sins" (Mosiah 3:16)
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