"when all the saints shall dwell with God" (Moroni 8:26)

In 1898 the biblical scholar E. W. Bullinger identified a significant figure of speech in the Bible that he labeled climax (Greek for ladder).[1] A climactic form contains words or expressions that are duplicated as the writer moves from one phrase or clause to the next. This duplication creates a progression of thought from one sentence to the next, adding power to the discourse through repetition while connecting the lines into a greater whole. Then, at least in some cases, there is an important crowning point, or climax, at the end. Bullinger described climax in the Bible as “a beautiful figure, very expressive; and at once attracts our attention to the importance of a passage.”[2]

Bullinger provides the following biblical example of climax from Joel 1:3–4. To make the form easily recognizable, I have restructured the verse and underlined the duplicated words:

Tell ye

your children of it, and let

your children tell

their children, and

their children another generation. That which the palmerworm hath left hath the

locust eaten; and that which the

locust hath left hath the

cankerworm eaten; and that which the

cankerworm hath left hath the

caterpiller eaten.

Note how the repetition and progression of your children, their children, locust, and cankerworm create a continuation of thought from one segment to the next. In the first sequence, four generations of one family are spoken of—ye, your children, their children, and another generation. This structure indicates an ascension of thought from the first generation to the last. The four generations parallel the four varieties of pests in the second sequence: palmerworm, locust, cankerworm, and caterpillar.

The Book of Mormon exhibits multiple examples of climactic forms.[3] We will briefly look at three.

And the first fruits of repentance is

baptism; and

baptism cometh by faith unto

the fulfilling the commandments; and

the fulfilling the commandments bringeth

remission of sins; and the

remission of sins bringeth

meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of

meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the

Holy Ghost, which

Comforter filleth with hope and perfect

love, which

love endureth by diligence unto prayer,

until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God. (Moroni 8:25–26)

This extended climactic form has five duplicated words or phrases: baptism, the fulfilling the commandments, remission of sins, meekness and lowliness of heart, and love. Additionally, Holy Ghost parallels Comforter. These words reflect an ascension of experience from repentance to baptism to the remission of sins to the Holy Ghost to love, or the gift of charity. The passage ends with an important climax that suggests the outcome of pursuing the prescribed course of action: “when all the saints shall dwell with God.”

Another powerful climactic passage, in Mormon 9:12–13, begins with the Fall of Adam and concludes with humankind’s being “brought back into the presence of the Lord” because of Jesus Christ.

Behold, he created

Adam, and by

Adam came

the fall of man. And because of

the fall of man came

Jesus Christ, even the Father and the Son; and because of

Jesus Christ came the

redemption of man. And because of the

redemption of man, which came by

Jesus Christ, they are brought back into the presence of the Lord.

The key terms in this passage stand as opposites to each other: fallen Adam, corresponding to fall, is a functional opposite of Jesus Christ, corresponding to redemption; and fall of man similarly contrasts with redemption of man. This passage also sets forth an important sequence—God created Adam, Adam brought about the Fall, Christ came to redeem us because of the Fall, and He, as the Redeemer, indeed brought about our redemption. The climax at the conclusion of the passage states that because of Jesus Christ, Adam and all humankind are “brought back into the presence of the Lord.”

A passage Alma 42:22–23 is another impressive climactic form in the Book of Mormon:

But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a

repentance granted; which

repentance, mercy claimeth; otherwise,

justice claimeth the creature and executeth the

law, and the

law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of

justice would be destroyed, and

God would cease to be God. But

God ceaseth not to be God, and

mercy claimeth the penitent, and

mercy cometh because of the

atonement; and the

atonement bringeth to pass the

resurrection of the dead; and the

resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the

presence of God; and thus they are restored into his

presence.

In addition to featuring a climactic structure, this passage has two internal chiasms: justice, law, law, justice and repentance, mercy claimeth, and mercy claimeth the penitent. The consciously crafted duplication gives special emphasis to the truths being taught.

This passage also emphasizes the principle of causation: justice executes the law; the law inflicts the punishment; God brings about the Atonement; the Atonement brings about mercy; the Atonement also brings about the Resurrection. Then, in the climactic ending of this passage, Alma testifies that because of the Atonement and Resurrection, we will be able to return to God’s presence.

Notes

[1] Bullinger, Figures of Speech Used in the Bible, 256–59.

[2] Bullinger, Figures of Speech Used in the Bible, 256.

[3] See Parry, “Climactic Forms in the Book of Mormon” and Poetic Parallelisms in the Book of Mormon, xxvi–xxviii. Additional examples include 1 Nephi 15:13–20, 33–35; 2 Nephi 1:13; Mosiah 2:17–19; Alma 42:17–20; Helaman 5:6–8; Mormon 9:12–13; and Ether 3:15–16.