As we’ve seen this week, Book of Mormon prophets drew practical lessons from the story of Adam and Eve. Lehi learned that agency requires enticing options. Benjamin recognized that mortal bodies have improper inclinations which must be intentionally discarded. Abinadi added that the devil collaborates with those improper inclinations to reduce people’s agency. And Alma identified mortality as a time of probation and preparation to return to God’s presence.
The story as it appears in Genesis is sparse and subject to multiple possible interpretations. How did these individuals approach the story which enabled them to extract so much meaning?
- They applied the passage and its symbols to their current circumstances. Lehi found lessons about agency in the two trees because that’s what he wanted to teach his sons. Benjamin addressed the natural tendencies of mortality to identify why his people needed to be saved. Abinadi focused on the influence of the serpent as he addressed people who he perceived to be under the influence of the devil. Alma explained to the people of Ammonihah that the cherubim had given them a gift—a finite period of time in which to repent.
- They used the text as a launching point for personal inspiration and insight. Genesis 3 doesn’t say that Adam and Eve couldn’t have children in the Garden of Eden. Lehi likely learned that truth some other way, and it dramatically affected his reading and his conclusions. An angel described to Benjamin the nature of humanity after the Fall and the reach of the Savior’s atonement, specifically clarifying that small children and others who don’t understand right from wrong are not accountable for wrong decisions motivated by their natural tendencies.
- They read the story in light of what they already understood about God. Alma disagreed with Antionah’s interpretation of the final three verses in the chapter because Alma believed in a loving God who wants what is best for His children. Alma also recognized that the tree of life appears in other scriptures as the goal of mortality. Reading the passage with that understanding allowed him to see the exclusion from the tree as a temporary measure, intended to facilitate growth and progression.
All four of them explore the text creatively, looking for implications and new meaning. However, they all remain anchored to the text and to its symbols. Their readings are therefore both flexible and disciplined, willing to fill in the gaps in the text but committed to do so conscientiously, in a way that is both truthful and useful to their listeners.
With the foundation provided by the Book of Mormon understanding of the Fall of Adam and Eve, we are ready to turn our attention to God’s primary tool to help His children overcome “the natural man”: covenants.
Today, I will follow Book of Mormon prophets’ examples in my scripture study by applying God’s word to my current circumstances, seeking understanding by inspiration, and interpreting confusing passages in light of what I already know.
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