“Adam Did Fall by the Partaking of the Forbidden Fruit”

Brant Gardner

Alma deftly picks up Antionah’s introduction of Adam’s story and launches into a detailed discussion of the spiritual implications of the Garden of Eden. He first points out that the entire world became “lost and fallen” by reason of the fall, an assertion with which Antionah would likely agree. Alma next shows that Yahweh required Adam to die by citing the same text as Antionah. God dictated that Adam’s actions would result in death, a death that became inevitable once Adam partook of the fruit. (See “Excursus: Understanding the Symbols of the Trees in the Garden,” following this chapter.)

Second Witness: Analytical & Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 4

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