Cited: Edwards, J. (n.d.). from Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God
Cited: Edwards, J. (n.d.). from Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God
In the sermon, “Sinners In The Hands of An Angry God,” Jonathan Edwards utilizes imagery as one of the rhetorical devices in order to scare his audience back to the pious ways of the first generation Puritans. Edwards’ vivid descriptions of hell and eternal torment are examples of the emotional appeal pathos. He uses figurative language including metaphors, similes, and personification to illustrate this unfortunate scenario in the minds of his listeners. For example, Edwards’ states, “The devil is waiting for them, hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them, and would fain lay hold on them, and swallow them up…” (8-10). In this example the audience can clearly imagine the horrors of hell, which encourages them to look to God for salvation, thus also making use of logos as the audience rationalizes and considers the situation. Hell is described as a “world of misery, that lake of burning brimstone…” (19-10), among many other things. The speaker/writer’s depictions of hell work to keep the audience members on their toes so they remember what they are doomed for if they dare to stray further from the Church or anger God even more than they have already done so. The rich imagery in this sermon is significant to the uniqueness of the piece because Edwards’ uses this literary device to scare the audience into compliance, and it serves as a main support for the author’s overall purpose, which is to get people to solidify ties to the…
In the beginning of Edward’s sermon, he compares creatures to humans; you’re a nasty dirty thing in the eyes of God if you are a sinner. A tone of fear is already being set, you should be afraid because God “hates you.”…
Consider the fearful danger you are in it is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of fire wrath.’ this rhetorical strategy that is being is called pathos. Pathos is used to appeal to the readers emotions. In this case Jonathan Edwards uses pathos to appeal to people fear. he is using this to scare people to convert Christ and to stop committing sin. This also helps because most people don’t want to feel the wrath of God. Pathos is one of the best rhetorical strategies that Jonathan Edwards used. Appealing to someone’s emotions is the best way to grab and keep there attention. Fear is a powerful thing if you can get fear into someone you can possible persuades them to do just about anything. That why pathos is an important part of his…
Edward uses so many images of Hell, suffering, and eternity because he wants people to understand what he’s talking about and he repeats them so that people will remember what he tells them. Edward says “ your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to pressure you towards Hell; and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless…
When first reading Jonathan Edwards’ sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” shocked readers how it started right in about the wrath of God and Hell. His diction and images create a tone of alarming immediacy – act now for your own good.…
In the sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" by Jonathan Edwards the author describes how God will condem all sinners into hell. Jonanthan Edwards vividly informs his audience that God has infinite power and that the almighty will not hesitate to send anyone in the fiery pit of hell. He disguises his message under a variety of methods such as imagery, alliteration, and similes.…
Jonathan Edwards preached his sermon “Sinners in the hands of an angry God” at a time of religious revival. In his sermon Jonathan Edwards uses many techniques, his biggest one being metaphors. Edwards uses his metaphors to reach out to his followers as well as to the sinners. One of the images Jonathan Edwards portrays is the image that Gods wrath is a “ bow”, ready with an arrow to pierce the sinners. Another striking image that Edwards delivers to make the sinners change their ways was the comparison of God's wrath to “great waters” that will rise up, destroying the sinners. Edwards used these and many more metaphors to convey the image of God. In doing this, many people understood the weight of God's wrath. Using metaphors, Edwards not…
Furthermore Edwards had a powerful impact on his puritan audience because of his use of cautionary tone for example he says. “thus easy is it forgot when he please to cast is enemies down to hell,’’ this reveals that it is easy for God to destroy sinners who have made him angry, additionally Edwards compares the ease of god destruction of sinners to that of Skilling insets, for instance when you or anybody disrupt him he…
Jonathan Edwards' Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God depicts an illustration when he vividly expresses that "there is dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell's wide gaping mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon, nor anything to take hold of; there is nothing between you and hell but the air" (47). Jonathan Edwards emphasizes fear to influence people, impacting them and persuading them; however, some people do good deeds because they fear the consequences. This quote describes harsh Puritan beliefs and people's fear of a wrathful God threading them on the verge of hell. Also, this quote further supports the idea that people establish good behavior and actions because they fear the outcomes of not doing good deeds. Besides, Margaret Mead agrees with the idea that "it is an open question whether any behavior based on fear of eternal punishment can be regarded as ethical or should be regarded as merely cowardly" ("Margaret Mead"). This quote questions people's motives for doing good deeds; they fear the punishment of not doing good. People persuaded by fear do not carry out their actions because they want to improve the world, but because they do not want to face the outcomes. Likewise, the Bible declares to "be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free" (The Holy Bible, Proverbs 11:21). This Bible verse highlights what will happen to those who refuse helping others because of fear; they will receive punishment because they fear the consequences if they do not help others. Either way, people will not be off the hook for helping others while under the idea that they only do it because they fear the consequences of not doing good deeds. Indeed, outcomes can make or break a decisions, but the intentions define people and their…
Referring to the article “Sinners in the hands of an angry God,” which is the work of Jonathan Edwards, a religious scholar who acknowledges the idea that the Israelites sinned and were wicked in the eyes of God. According to Edwards, the Israelites were God`s chosen people, and they were privileged to live by the grace of God. As a result of their wickedness, there was an impending danger because the wrath of God was upon them. Despite this imminent risk of vengeance from God, they were given an opportunity to amend their wicked ways. Edwards argues that the situation was worsen since God had said that the Israelites were prone to fall even without being thrown down. He goes on to claim that the path the Israelites followed was too dangerous for them to handle and argues that due to the magnitude of the sins they committed, it would lead them to their ultimate destruction.…
In conclusion, Edward's sermon had a tremendous impact on his puritan audience because of his vexed tone, vivid imagery,and use of figurative language.Those characteristics he used to put fear into his audience so they that they will do right by God and not sin against him. Those who use to sin against God in the audience will not do it anymore if they don't want to end in the wrath of an angry…
Generally, people motivate themselves more effectively when considering extrinsic motivators, or rewards, just like the Puritans thought. The Puritans often wrote about doing everything right so that they evade the consequences of possibly going to hell, or to gain passage to the glorious Heaven. Like in Jonathan Edwards' sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," when he proclaims that the sinners are in "a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that [they] are held over in the hand of God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against [them], as against many of the damned in hell." He asserts that if sinners do not stop sinning, admit their sins, and convert to Protestantism, God's wrath will remain inevitable. God hangs them over the gaping pits of hell by a string, according to Jonathan Edwards, and now the sinners feel motivated…
“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” is sermon that deals with the concept of wrath. Edwards states that at any moment men will be sent down to hell and they should be living in peril because, “As he that walks in slippery places is every moment is liable to fall” (Edwards 430). The only reason why they are not in hell yet is because, “God’s appointed time is not come” (Edwards 430). It is God’s judgement that casts men into hell at any moment. These statements instill a sense of fear into the audience. Edwards…
The imagery of hell as seen by Edwards creates a punishment in “the lowest place in hell.” He feels like he is the “very worst of all mankind.” In the simile, “as bad as the devil himself,” his followers make him feel as though his “wickedness” and “vileness” are greater. This portrays his remorseful attitude.…
John Edwards is trying to why you should believe in Christ and what are you effects if you do not . An example of why it is bad to sin and believe in him as your savior is that because “ his wrath will burn like fire”. What he is trying to say is that to all the sinners who dont believe him as their savior will feel his wrath and hatred so strongly it will burn like fire. When john says this , he shows very good pathos because it makes the audience feel scared because his hate and wrath will be so strong towards all the sinners who do not except him . If youre a sinner who does not except him , be very aware that all his hate towards all you sinners will burn so much like fire and you will regret it ,and at the end it will be too late for you.…