Preview

Analysis of John Edward's "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
391 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Analysis of John Edward's "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"
Through metaphors and similes used in Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, the speaker, Jonathan Edwards, convinces the reader of the power of their sins. The powerful figurative language used by Edwards helped to convey the terror of God’s wrath on those who do not fully devote themselves to their faith. One of the greatest images in this passage is the idea that one’s good deeds are like a spider’s web, delicate and fragile. In contrast, the sinful transgressions of a being equate to the falling rock on an unequivocal path towards the spider’s web. This depiction clearly indicates that the power of one’s good deeds have no effect on the power of one’s sins. The use of a spider’s web to symbolize one’s benevolence conveys that a person cannot possibly have a strong connection with God if they rely on only their good deeds to carry them to the Promised Land: they must also fully dedicate themselves to their piety to truly create an enduring bond with the Lord. In addition, Edwards also communicates a spectacular simile to the audience in this passage. To delineate the potential of God’s fury to the reader, Edwards compares a human being to a spider being held in palm of God’s hand over the fiery pit of Hell. From this statement it can be inferred that God only saves those who truly earned his forgiveness; and as for those who did not totally commit themselves to their spirituality, the Lord could easily drop them into the pit of Hell with indifference. Lastly, Edwards compares God’s wrath to a bow and arrow towards the end of the passage. When a person commits a sin, the bow is bent, forming tension which will eventually need to be released, causing the arrow to strike its target. In this analogy, the arrow represents God’s fury, while the target represents the sinner. It can also be inferred from this comparison that the sinner has few options for retribution and faces certain damnation. In each example of figurative language in this passage, Edwards successfully
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The Bible Cause John Fa Summary
    • 935 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Bible Cause John Fa Summary

    In The Bible Cause, John Fea explores the American Bible Society (ABS) and the plucky Christians who built and sustained it. Published to coincide with the ABS’s 2016 bicentennial, the book offers a chronological institutional history peppered with quotations from letters written by supporters (and occasionally critics) and tales from agents working across the United States and the globe. At its heart, this book argues that two motivating commitments have driven the history of the ABS. Since its founding in 1816, it has sustained a belief in the power of the Bible to lead people to salvation and has maintained a cultural mandate to build a Christian society in the United States and throughout the world.…

    • 935 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    St. John The Divine Analysis
    • 114 Words
    • 1 Page

    St. John The Divine Analysis

    Even though the Italians said the Gothic architecture is “barbaric” and should discontinue the style, surprisingly the style is still being constructed to this day. I chose the St. John the Divine because it has so much similarity to the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris. Even though the St. John the Divine is unfinished, it is a very big tourist attraction, just like the Cathedral of Notre Dame. They both have the whole gothic style look, such as the wheel windows, that you notice, almost always, first and stained glass windows. The only difference that is noticeably is how the Cathedral of Notre Dame has a different front look then St. John the Divine.…

    • 114 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Chapter Analysis of Howard Thurman's Jesus and the Disinherited
    • 814 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Chapter Analysis of Howard Thurman's Jesus and the Disinherited

    I’ve read a lot of things about “fear.” There’s the fear of failing in the eyes of others, the fear of self-failure and God-failure, the fear of what other think about me, fears of an unknown future, and many practical fears about family and friends with their jobs and illnesses and relationships. While the kind of fears I normally deal with are important, the kind of fear Thurman writes about is different in its oppressive, relentless pursuit to dispossess and marginalize. The fear Thurman talks about is the concrete, real presence of political and religious powers who use their powers and religion to crush the spirits of people. He writes: “Fear is one of the persistent “hounds of hell” that dog the footsteps of the poor, the dispossessed, the disinherited… When the power and the tools of violence are on one side, the fact that there is no available and recognized protection from violence makes the resulting fear deeply terrifying.” And: “There are few things more devastating than to have it burned into you that you do not count and that no provisions are made for the literal protection of your person.” Of course not all fear is bad. God made us so to fear the tornado that spins on the horizon, heading our way. Not to fear this is not to care about friends and families. This is fear as, says Thurman, a “safety device.”…

    • 814 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Tim Butcher's Passage Analysis
    • 860 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Tim Butcher's Passage Analysis

    How does Tim Butcher emphasise the problems and possible dangers faced on his journey during this passage? (P59-63)…

    • 860 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Suffering In William R. Jones's Book Is God A White Racist
    • 3127 Words
    • 13 Pages

    Suffering In William R. Jones's Book Is God A White Racist

    Jones recognizes divine punishment as the consequence for man’s sin. Jones uses the example of Adam and Eve being banished from Eden, as divine punishment. Consequently, Jones fail to state that the reason Adam and Eve were banished is because their disobedience to God and how this example is relative to blacks. Jones goes on to analyze the suffering servant theme to demonstrate the relation of divine favor and suffering. Jones analysis is that suffering is not a punishment, instead suffering is a glorious and essential aspect of man’s salvation. This theme here affirms suffering is inherent in the life of the Christian. This is the view of most black theologians, because it gives them a reason to the centuries of ethnic suffering and the lack of liberation. However, in the whole analysis Jones fails to cite passages in the bible where this concept is supported. Another face of suffering analyzed by Jones is the neither favor nor disfavor aspect. In his analysis Jones goes on to state that suffering is simply a part of being human. To be human is to suffer, regardless of one’s divine status. This is actually important for the fact that…

    • 3127 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God Analysis
    • 517 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God Analysis

    When Jonathan Edwards gave his sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” (291-303) he used several analogies that would give his listeners a better understanding of the danger the non-believers were in.…

    • 517 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Preacher Jonathan Edwards In Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God
    • 296 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Preacher Jonathan Edwards In Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God

    Preacher Jonathan Edwards in Sinners in the Hands of a an Angry God used fear of eternal damnation to motivate his followers to repent. In Scared Straight? The program used fear to make teenagers experience the consequences about their acts. I think fear is a good motivational between kids and parents . It works between teachers and students , it works between citizens and law.…

    • 296 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
    • 598 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

    Jonathan Edwards uses metaphors to connect to the people’s everyday lives. He tells them that their sin is as “heavy as led” and will pull them straight down to hell. “Your wickedness makes you as it were as heavy as lead, and…

    • 598 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God Analysis
    • 245 Words
    • 1 Page

    Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God Analysis

    I found "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" written by Jonathan Edwards as a terrible misconception. From the things I've learned through my own faith and Theology classes I've taken God is nothing like the god that Edwards portrays. Edwards's god is one of destruction and hatred. Where as the true God is full of love and compassion for his children. This sermon suggests that God is ready at any moment to condemn man to Hell. In Theology however we learned that God does not choose to send anyone to Hell, rather it is our sin that condemn us to this destiny. Edwards fills his sermon with scripture in an attempt to solidify his beliefs. However upon closer examination these quotes are bits and pieces of the complete text. These instances…

    • 245 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sinners In The Hand Of An Angry God Analysis
    • 598 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Sinners In The Hand Of An Angry God Analysis

    Fear can change people from bad to good. And sometimes the people are so worried about being cool they don’t even act like fear is not even a tragically developing change. The fear that teens have seeing their family hurts and their friends shot sometime shows them that they shouldn’t be on the streets to be cool. The main goal of being on the streets is to show that you are man enough to be friends with everyone.…

    • 598 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God Analysis
    • 898 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God Analysis

    Imagine being told how to make a moral and not an immoral life decision. In recent discussions regarding learning forms, a controversial issue has been whether it is better for people to learn through fear or through positive example. On the one hand, some argue that learning through fear teaches discipline. On the other hand, however, others argue that learning by positive example teaches nothing and is shortly forgotten. It appears that it is better to frighten the learner into making the right choice than to show them how it is done. Jonathan Edwards’ sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” and Benjamin Franklin’s, “Autobiography,” portray how to succeed in the world in two completely different ways. Edwards speaks through…

    • 898 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sinners In The Hands Of Angry God Analysis
    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Sinners In The Hands Of Angry God Analysis

    The Puritans have been here since they arrived to the shores of the Native lands starting to influence others. As the Puritans believes were taken to consideration or the people were left to judgment. Although, they were very anti-Catholic, but they were still biblical, such as Dr. Laura who is a talk show host, radio personality, philanthropist, medical professional educator and in video called, “Letters to Dr. Laura” one of the questions was about the ability to own slaves. In her influential show advises, that in “Leviticus 25:44” states that I may indeed process slaves both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. (Laura) “A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians” said a professor.…

    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Why Is Blackburn Wrong
    • 1019 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Why Is Blackburn Wrong

    He further argues God’s unwillingness to solve the issues at hand in the first place such as how the survival of some creatures are undeniably based upon the suffering of others; he goes as far as even giving…

    • 1019 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God By Jonathan Edwards
    • 532 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God By Jonathan Edwards

    In Sinners in the hands of an angry god, Jonathan Edwards does not show individualism instead he gives all the power to God, and none to the individual. One quote that shows Edwards giving the power to god is. “That the reason why they are not fallen already and do not fall now is only that God's appointed time is not come. For it is said, that when that due time, or…

    • 532 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Pulley
    • 1030 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Pulley

    In George Herbert’s poem “The Pulley”, there is a direct parallel to Pandora’s Box. Pandora’s Box contains all the evils of the world; opening the box releases evil that cannot be undone. In the poem, “The Pulley,” by George Herbert, he uses a metaphorical pulley on Man so that God can keep a pull on man to come to his salvation and not take part in opening Pandora’s box. The theme of this poem is a relationship between God and his creation of man. God is the father and uses this pulley to pull man back to him and keep him good. “The Pulley” illustrates the life of a man growing up, experiencing life, and developing a pulley relationship with God.…

    • 1030 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics