“In Open Rebellion Against God”

Brant Gardner

The “man that doeth this” is one who has received the gospel (verse 36). That is the important predication for this example. If we receive, understand, and believe in the gospel, and then elect to follow the evil one, that choice is what brings us “out in open rebellion against God.” We rebel precisely because we were once on God’s side, and have chosen the opposite course.

When we are in such a state of rebellion, the spirit of God necessarily withdraws from us. God has no place in us, not because he chooses not to, but because we make no room for him, having chosen another “god” instead.

Vocabulary: We are familiar with the image of the body as a temple, an image also used in the New Testament (John 2:21; 1 Cor. 6:19). The image is appropriate in ancient Israel because of the sanctity of the temple, and imagery that certainly carried over to the Nephite temples in the New World. In the New World, however, the imagery may have had extended meaning, as the “contentions” Benjamin has fought so hard against – those religious rebellions that were listening to the “evil spirit,” would have had competing temples if I am correct in ascribing those contentions to the surround Mesoamerican religions. Thus the “unholy temple” for Benjamin would have a dual meaning – not only the physical body of the person who has turned away, but the competing temple to which that person likely has turned.

Multidimensional Commentary on the Book of Mormon

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