Archetypes In Sinners Of An Angry God By Jonathan Edwards

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In the sermon “Sinners of an Angry God'', Jonathan Edward tries persuasive techniques on people's fear of the wrath of God, and utilizes archetypes in the excerpt of commit to the Puritan ways, or they will burn in Hell forever. Edward uses archetypes to help his points come across in his message. Archetypes are very typical examples of certain things. The archetypes Edward uses are Black Clouds, Holding a Spider, and Bow and Arrow. Jonathan Edwards uses the archetype Black Clouds. This metaphor Edward uses is to discourage the congregation and influence the threat of harsh punishment from God. In the sermon he states, “There are Black clouds of God's wrath now hanging directly over your heads, full of the dreadful storm and big with thunder” (Edwards 88). God's wrath is very strong …show more content…

This is another example of a metaphor that changes the congregation's perspective on Hell. In the sermon he says “ The God that holds you over a pit of Hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire” (Edwards 89). This illustration is how human beings are looked at by God. Edward is telling the people they are like the spiders, vulnerable and helpless. Humans have no hesitation in crushing a spider, and killing it. God has no hesitation on doing the same to the people. Casting them down into Hell. When God holds us accountable for our sins we are faced with troubles. Holding a spider metaphor is one of the most famous in his sermon. In the article from Study.com the author says, “These themes are made more potent by the use of vivid metaphors, which are the heart and soul of Edwards' emotional appeal to his listeners” (Sinners). Edwards uses these to persuade the messages hard and to engrave it in the people's brains. Using the Spider as a representation of us makes the congregation rethink how they are living and aching toward