Journal for Edwards

Gregory Alcala
English 48A
Lankford
Journal for Edwards

Quote:
“Under all the cultivations of heaven, they brought forth bitter and poisonous fruit.” -Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Jonathan Edwards
Summary:
This quote was very early in his writing but I truly think I know what heart string Edwards is trying to pluck. The bible speaks so much about farming and fruit. The fruit of someone’s spoils and the forbidden fruit of knowledge. The labor of farming so backbreaking labor up until very recent times. So when the fruit was ready for harvest and it’s was bitter and poisonous it was wasted time, money and effort. That God was punishing you by spoiling your crops. People had to grow their own food back in Edwards time. Edwards would reminding people of the power of God. I even think of Cain, the farmer, who was punished by God and could not yield any more crops from the earth. Cain feared that if anyone met him and found out that he could not farm that he would be killed. In the footnote, it says that Edwards was referring to the fruit as from Sodom and Gomorrah.

Quote:
“When you read "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," you see quickly that Edwards was not falling into this kind of language by accident. He was laboring as a pastor to communicate a reality that he saw in Scripture and that he believed was infinitely important to his people.” -The Pastor as Theologian, John Piper (http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Biographies/1458_The_Pastor_as_Theologian/)
Summary:
Edwards wanted to reach the wider audience with his writings. He didn’t want to limit his speak to just his church. The image that is seen of Edwards today to people who only got the quick glimpse of his history might see a dark and gloomy man. Something that might turn many people away from trying to see deeper into his history to get a better understanding of the man. To read is message and understand why he wanted to share it with the world.

Overall Summary:
Jonathan Edwards really did seem like a dark individual that I couldn’t really understand quite so easier. He lived in a very different time them I do. Plus I don’t see myself as a religious person, but I still am able to get the message. I think Edwards way trying to get a deeper understanding for the religion. Edward was a man of knowledge and took his academic mind into religion.

*the syllabus had incorrect page numbers that did not match the author listed so I hope that Jonathan Edwards is the correct author for this week