Question

so that, thus it is that natural men are held in the hand of god, over the pit of hell; they have deserved the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it; and god is dreadfully provoked, his anger is as great towards them as to those that are actually suffering the executions of the fierceness of his wrath in hell.
-jonathan edwards

why does edwards use the word provoked instead of the word angered in this passage?

• the word provoked suggests that gods anger is fierce and irrational.
• the word provoked suggests that sinners bear responsibility for gods anger.
• the word provoked suggests that gods anger is sharp and deadly.
• the word provoked suggests that sinners do not want to change their ways.

Explanation:

🆕 New Concept Discovered: Word Choice and Connotation
Analyzing how specific words shape meaning and tone.

Step 1: Analyze the definitions and connotations

To understand why Jonathan Edwards chose the word "provoked" instead of "angered," we must look at the difference in meaning (connotation) between the two words:

• Angered simply describes an emotional state of being mad. It does not explain why or how that anger came to be.
• Provoked means to be stimulated, incited, or stirred into anger by an outside action. It implies a cause-and-effect relationship: someone did something specific to trigger that reaction.

Step 2: Connect to the context of the passage

In the passage from "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," Edwards writes:

"...and God is dreadfully provoked, his anger is as great towards them as to those that are actually suffering..."

By stating that God is "provoked" by "natural men" (sinners), Edwards emphasizes that God's anger is not random or unprompted. Instead, it is the active behavior and sinfulness of the people themselves that have triggered and brought about this wrath. This places the blame and responsibility directly on the sinners.

Step 3: Evaluate the given options

• Option 1: "The word provoked suggests that God's anger is fierce and irrational."
• Incorrect. Edwards portrays God's anger as highly justified and deliberate, not irrational.
• Option 2: "The word provoked suggests that sinners bear responsibility for God's anger."
• Correct. Because "provoke" requires an action that triggers a reaction, it shows that the sinners' own actions caused God's anger.
• Option 3: "The word provoked suggests that God's anger is sharp and deadly."
• Incorrect. While His anger is deadly, the word "provoked" specifically deals with the cause of the anger, not its physical sharpness.
• Option 4: "The word provoked suggests that sinners do not want to change their ways."
• Incorrect. While this may be true in the broader sermon, the word "provoked" itself does not describe the sinners' desire to change, but rather their responsibility for triggering God's wrath.

Answer:

The word provoked suggests that sinners bear responsibility for God's anger.