Brief Biography: Jonathan Edwards
Who was Jonathan Edwards?
Jonathan Edwards was born in East Windsor, Connecticut on October, 5, 1703. During his 54 years of life he was a preacher, a theologian, a missionary, and a president of an Ivy League school. He died from a smallpox vaccination on March 22, 1758. Many regard Jonathan Edwards as America’s most important theologian. His ideas still influence us today.
The Misconception:
Many of us are under the misconception that Jonathan Edwards was an angry, hellfire preacher. Most of us were given this impression in our Jr. High American History classes, where we read an excerpt from his most famous sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”.
“The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours.”
What most of us didn’t learn in Jr. High was that this sermon was not an angry pronouncement against sinners but rather a plea to turn to the one who can save. His vivid imagery was his attempt to communicate the reality found in Scripture.
John Piper will say of Jonathan Edwards, “Most of us don’t know that he knew his heaven even better than his hell, and that his vision of glory was just as appealing as his vision of judgment was repulsive.”
Three Things about Jonathan Edwards
His Diligence
“Does any of us know what an incredible thing it is that this man, who was a small-town pastor for 23 years in a church of 600 people, a missionary to Indians for 7 years, who reared 11 faithful children, who worked without the help of electric light, or word-processors or quick correspondence, or even sufficient paper to write on, who lived only until he was 54, and who died with a library of 300 books – that this man led one of the greatest awakenings of modern times, wrote theological books that have ministered for 200 years and did more for the modern missionary movement than anyone of his generation?” John Piper
His Depth
Charles Spurgeon will say the following in a sermon on faith:
“The old writers, who are by far the most sensible—for you will notice that the books that were written about two hundred years ago, by the old Puritans, have more sense in one line than there is in a page of our new books, and more in a page than there is in a whole volume of our modern divinity…”
This is very true of the writings of Jonathan Edwards. It may be a struggle for you to work through one of his sermons but you will find a depth that is not often seen today. (see below for a recommended sermon)
His Dedication to Scripture
“He had taken a big Bible apart page by page and inserted a blank sheet of paper between each page and resewn the book together. Then he drew a line down the center of each blank page in order to make two columns for notes. On page after page in the remotest parts of Scripture there were extensive notes and reflections in his tiny almost illegible handwriting.” John Piper
You don’t just see this dedication to Scripture in his personal study, but you find it flows out through his sermons and his writing. He was a man who struggled to make the glories of the Bible real to his hearers. This is a valuable thing for us in a day when Scripture is often just a passing mention.
For More Information:
Biography
Works of Jonathan Edwards
Recommended Sermon
What are you afraid of, that you dare not venture your soul upon Christ? Are you afraid that he cannot save you, that he is not strong enough to conquer the enemies of your soul? But how can you desire one stronger than “the almighty God“? as Christ is called, Isa. 9:6. Is there need of greater than infinite strength? Are you afraid that he will not be willing to stoop so low as to take any gracious notice of you? But then, look on him, as he stood in the ring of soldiers, exposing his blessed face to be buffeted and spit upon by them! Behold him bound with his back uncovered to those that smote him! And behold him hanging on the cross! Do you think that he that had condescension enough to stoop to these things, and that for his crucifiers, will be unwilling to accept of you, if you come to him?