“One Priest to Every Fifty of Their Number”

Brant Gardner

Culture: Alma not only created a church but a community. He organized both a system of belief and a system of communal care. By assigning a priest to every fifty people, Alma was organizing his people so that they could be cared for and governed. The number fifty provides a reasonable division of his people (four priests and eight “fifties”) while allowing for future growth. Why fifty? Perhaps from the brass plates: “Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens” (Ex. 18:21). Alma’s people were few enough that there was no reason for the larger divisions, and perhaps not even the “rulers of tens.” The rulers of fifty did have divine sanction and may have been his source.

Second Witness: Analytical & Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 3

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