“Arise Why Hast Thou Fallen?”

Brant Gardner

Narrative: The fact that the Lord would know the reason that the brother of Jared had fallen to the earth is not an issue in the telling of this story. The tale needs the drama of the Lord asking the question. This is not to say that the story of the brother of Jared is nothing more than a story. It is, rather, an understanding that it was a story that was told for effect. The reason that this story is retold by Moroni is the same reason that it is one of the more popular stories from the Book of Mormon. There is a surprise in the story, and the asking of this questions heightens the tension of the essential part of the story. It is told this way for effect, not for absolute doctrinal accuracy.

Multidimensional Commentary on the Book of Mormon

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