“Churches Have Become Corrupted”

Brant Gardner

Verse 11 has the people becoming corrupt, and this verse extends the individual apostasy to a general apostasy of the collective "churches." As noted earlier, this use of "church" should be seen in the context of Nephi's understanding of the Great and Abominable church - a collective representation of those who fight against the truth. These churches are not the "great and abominable" church, but rather those that have fallen from the true way. In Nephi's usage, this can mean both Christian and Jewish congregations who are not following the strict path of God.

The idea embedded in the word "corrupt" should also be examined. Typical current meaning would imply some connotation of ill to anything that is corrupt. A corrupt politician (leaving aside the jokes about finding any other kind) is one who has compromised a moral principle.

It is unnecessary to carry that connotation of malevolence to the "corrupt" churches. Even among those with the best of intentions and the highest moral principles, they would yet be "corrupt" because they would no longer be the pure gospel of Christ. Corruption in this sense is the contrast to purity, not honesty or goodness.

Multidimensional Commentary on the Book of Mormon

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