Jonathan Edwards“Sinners in the Hands of

an Angry God” (1741)

Jonathan Edwards

• One of America’s most _________ (and sometimes ____________) theological scholars• Showed tremendous _______ and _______ at

an early ______• Educated at ______, first ______ we have

studied born in _____ (Connecticut)

Jonathan Edwards

• Puritan __________ who became known for his “___________________________”

• Part of a religious revival known as “___________________” (thought the church had become too _______ and wanted to return to ______ ______________- religious teachings popular in the 1720’s)

• Calvinism stressed ______________: only a _______ few chosen by ______ would be ________. Individuals could not earn grace by doing good deeds; everyone was __________ in controlling his or her own fate.

• In other words, he believed God was all __________ and humans had no _______________

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

• _______: an _______ of _________ ________ delivered by a member of the ______ as part of a religious service on a ________ ______• __________ in Enfield (now part of Connecticut, but at

the time, part of the Massachusetts Bay colony)• When first _________ before a congregation, reports

__________ that many people _____ loudly, while others __________

Literary Terms

• Imagery – __________ that evokes _________ _______ or _________; appeals to ______ or ____ of the _____ senses: seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching• Sensory details!

• Extended metaphor- a __________ (a comparison of two unlike things saying that one is the other) that is ______________ for several _______ and sometimes _____________ an entire poem or story

• Sermon – an __________ of ___________ ____________ delivered by a member of the _______ as part of a religious service on a __________ _______________

Calvinism

• ___________ : the ______ that some people were _______ by God & others were not• Edwards ________ believed this• stressed ______________: only a select few chosen by God

would be saved. Individuals could not earn grace by doing good deeds; everyone was powerless in controlling his or her own fate.

• Congregation _________ this belief to ______ that _________ ________ was a sign of God’s _______

• Many believed a way God ________ people for their ___________ and ______ behavior was with earthly _______.

• You can’t __________ your divine fate

Five Points of Calvinism

• 1. Man is corrupt of Adam’s fall – People cannot, of their own free will, choose to do good things.• 2. God alone elects those souls that will be

saved; People can’t influence this decision• 3. Only those elected for salvation by God will

receive divine grace• 4. Once a soul is among the holy elected by

God, he is assured eternal salvation• 5. Humanity has been partially forgiven by

Jesus’ martyrdom

“Natural Men”

• “Natural Men” – people who have not ________• These “natural men” are ______ in the ______

of God _____ the _____ of _____• God is ________ at man, and it is up to God

whether he _______ man into hell of holds him up. Man has _____ _________ over the situation• Man is at the _______ of ______

• Metaphor: comparison not using like or as• ______________ = the grace he ________ when keeping sinners from hell

• Images: “the devil is waiting for them”“hell is gaping for them”“the flames gather and flash before them”

Powerless

• Again the idea is __________ that man can do nothing to __________ himself from falling into hell. It is only the “power and mere pleasure” of God that _______ man up.

To save them or Not to save them

• Most people think that, if we take good care of ourselves and our lives, we can ______ _____of ______, but this is not the case. If God ___________ his hand (his _______) we would _______ through “thin air” into hell.

Metaphors

• Metaphor:comparison not using like or as• “Mans good health, his prudence, his

righteousness, and his plans have no more influence than a spider’s web would stop a falling rock”

• ________ ______ = our righteousness, prudence, plans

• ______ = our ________ ______________

Metaphors ctd

• Metaphor: God’s wrath (or _______) _______ his bow and keeps the arrows _______, and at any moment, that arrow can be made ______ with our blood. Again his grace ______ the weapon in _______• God’s _______ = ______ and ________• His ______ = ______ the weapon from ________

In God’s hands

• All _________ are in the hands of an _______ God. And it is his mere ________ that keeps us from being _________ up in destruction.

God’s hate for man

• Simile: We are like spiders dangling over the fires of hell. God “Abhors” man and his anger burns like fire. God loathes us, the way we hate the most venomous serpent.• _____ = _______ or loathsome ______• God’s _______ = keeps us ___________ there and

not ___________ into the fires of hell

Repetition

• Edwards uses the word “_______” five times to __________ that there is ______ a thing man can do to save himself.

No, not me!

• Here he ______ on the psychology of the people, _______ that some are ___________ for hell, therefore, keeping everyone _______ of being the person who will be _____ there for _________ punishment.

REPENT !

• Here he _________ to those in the “land of the living” to __________ their ways. They still have _______; those in hell _______ they had the opportunity to _______.

Enter !

• Now is the time; Christ has ______ the door of mercy” open to all who wish to _____ their ways.

Allusion

• Now awaken and escape “the wrath to come”• Symbol and allusion• __________ = all conditions of ________ living• __________ of Sodom and _______