Alma repeats the basic theme of the priests who receive their holy order due to their righteousness. In addition, he specifically links the priesthood to the atonement, noting that these priests are “washed white through the blood of the Lamb.” (See commentary accompanying Alma 5:22–23 for the stained/cleansed garment.)
Text: This verse begins with a slight recapitulation, perhaps suggesting some type of break in the sermon that Mormon did not record. Since Mormon typically breaks between discourses, he must have considered it a separate discourse—perhaps delivered at a different time or interrupted by some unspecified event. The original chapter continues through the end of our current chapter 15. Most of our chapters 14 and 15 are narrative, rather than quoted sermons, even though they include some inserted texts. As I read it, Mormon was looking for an introduction to this next narrative section and elected to begin that narration with part of its initial cause, which is Alma’s preaching.
Variant: The typesetter for the 1830 edition misread “of” for “or” in the printer’s manuscript. Verse 10 therefore read, “concerning the holy order of this holy priesthood.” This error was not corrected until the 1981 edition.