Hebrews 13:25

Grace be with you all. Amen.

This was Paul's customary way of concluding a letter except for the omitted signature. See Romans 16:20; 1 Corinthians 16:23; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 6:18; Ephesians 6:24; Philippians 4:23; Colossians 4:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:28; 2 Thessalonians 3:18; 1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 4:22; Titus 3:15 and Philemon 1:1:25. In this light, Paul's benediction of grace, as in this final verse, has much of the quality and significance of a signature - Paul's!

Grace means the favor of God, especially with regard to his mercy in sending his only begotten Son to suffer and die for people. The grace of God is exclusive only in the sense that some shall fall short of it (Hebrews 12:15), for the scriptures affirm that it has indeed appeared unto all people (Titus 2:11), being therefore available for all who will properly seek and apply for it. This all-comprehensive word of summary for the entire system of salvation provided by God for sinful mortals is a fitting word with which to close the passionate words of this loving letter.

You all is an expression often criticized by the ignorant, as though there were in it some suggestion of tautology or circumlocution; but this is not the case. As a matter of fact, the English language affords no way of indicating the plural of the word "you" except by the inclusion of another word to denote who is meant. Thus, the expressions "you two," "you both," "you three," or "you all" are not merely grammatical, they are the only grammatical means of conveying the exact meaning.

Amen. This proud and devout word that stands at the end of many a prayer is here used to conclude the epistle to the Hebrews. It sounds a note of consciousness that God observes and takes cognizance of the affairs of men. When the Pilgrim fathers landed on the bleak shores of Massachusetts in January, 1621, they brought with them the Mayflower Compact, signed earlier aboard ship. It began with the solemn words, "In the name of God. Amen." The very word is hallowed in the song and story of faith. It is sounded in the halls of Congress, pronounced fervently on the field of battle, enunciated over the grave, and murmured by the dying. It is a blessed word.

And how shall it be pronounced? Ah-men, or A-men? One might say it makes no difference; and, for many, that is surely true. However, this writer would like to express a preference. Once he was invited to offer prayer for the opening of one of the daily sessions of the Congress of the United States, the invitation coming from Chaplain Brasscamp. Inquiry was made of the chaplain as to the proper pronunciation; and the chaplain, who always said "A-men," explained it by saying that this is the traditional AMERICAN WAY to pronounce it. The Pilgrim fathers, the founding statesmen, and the great body of religious leaders of the American Republic, throughout two and one-half centuries of American history pronounced it "A-men." Most of our own fathers said, "A-men"; and the kind of sophistication that considers it a little more "cultured" to say "AH-men" is absolutely ridiculous. This writer, who had often wavered between the pronunciations, has never, since that May morning in 1953, pronounced it any other way than "A-men."