Amen (281) (amen) is a transliteration of the Hebrew noun amen and then into Latin and into English and many other languages, so that it is practically a universal word. Amen has been called the best-known word in human speech. To say “Amen” confirms a statement by someone else.
Amen is a response to something that has just been said, except in Jesus' teachings. Jesus, the ultimate "Amen" (Rev 3:14), is the supreme authority and so it is clearly apropos that His teachings be introduced by amen. John's Gospel has 25 uses of "amen" and every use is a double amen (or double "truly" in the NAS - 25 times). None of the other 3 Gospels use a "double amen." It is also notable that in the four Gospels, amen is used only by our Lord Jesus Christ, almost always "to introduce new revelations of the mind of God." (Vine) Every use of "amen" or "truly" by Jesus serves to affirm what follows and by extension to cause us to pay close attention to the teaching. The Pauline uses of amen occur primarily at the close of his prayers or doxologies, and as such serve to confirm them as "it is firm" (or "so let it be").
BDAG has an interesting note that in the papyri amen was
symbolically expressed by the number 99 [α=1 + μ=40 + η=8 + ν=50) (and had two basic meanings) (1) strong affirmation of what is stated...(2) Christ as the ultimate affirmation, the Amen. (Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature or Wordsearch)
W E Vine...commenting on amen notes that
Its meanings may be seen in such passages as Dt. 7:9, ‘the faithful (the Amen) God,’ Isa. 49:7, ‘Jehovah that is faithful.’ 65:16, ‘the God of truth,’ ‘the God of Amen.’ And if God is faithful His testimonies and precepts are “sure (amen),” Ps. 19:7; 111:7, as are also His warnings, Hos. 5:9, and promises, Isa. 33:16; 55:3. ‘Amen’ is used of men also, e.g., Pr. 25:13.
There are cases where the people used it to express their assent to a law and their willingness to submit to the penalty attached to the breach of it, Dt. 27:15, cf. Neh 5:13. It is also used to express acquiescence in another’s prayer, 1Ki 1:36, where it is defined as “(let) God say so too,” or in another’s thanksgiving, 1Chr 16:36, whether by an individual, Je 11:5, or by the congregation, Ps 106:48.
Thus ‘Amen’ said by God ‘it is and shall be so,‘ and by men, ‘so let it be.’
Once in the NT ‘Amen’ is a title of Christ, Rev 3:14, because through Him the purposes of God are established, 2Co 1:20.
The early Christian churches followed the example of Israel in associating themselves audibly with the prayers and thanksgivings offered on their behalf, 1Co 14:16, where the article ‘the’ points to a common practice. Moreover this custom conforms to the pattern of things in the Heavens, see Rev 5:14, etc.
“The individual also said ‘Amen’ to express his ‘let it be so’ in response to the Divine ‘thus it shall be,’ Rev 22:20. Frequently the speaker adds ‘Amen’ to his own prayers and doxologies, as is the case at Ep 3:21, e.g. (Vine, W E: Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. 1996. Nelson or Wordsearch)
TDNT writes that in the NT, amen has three main uses...
1. As an acclamation in worship, it signifies response (Rev. 5:14).
2. At the conclusion of prayers and doxologies (e.g., Gal 1:5; Ep 3:21; 1Ti 1:17...), it expresses the priority of prayer and doxology////
3. When Jesus places Amen before his own sayings, both in the Synoptics and (liturgically doubled) in John, the point is to stress the truth and validity of the sayings by his own acknowledgment of them. The sayings vary in content but all relate to the history of the kingdom of God as this is bound up with His own person, so that in the Amen we have all Christology in a nutshell. Acknowledging his word, Jesus affirms it in his life and thus makes it a claim on others. (Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Eerdmans or Wordsearch)
Vincent on "amen"...
The English word is a transcription (or transliteration) of the Greek and of the Hebrew. (Amen is) a verbal adjective, meaning firm, faithful.
As Utley reminds us...
Jesus is the only one who ever started a sentence with this term. It seems to have the connotation of “this is an important and trustworthy statement, listen closely.”
Amen is our Lord's self-designation in Rev 3:14 (cp Isaiah 65:16 where "God of truth" is literally "God of amen"). We can be preeminently certain that His Word is always faithful and true, because He is none other than the Creator of all things, and thus He is our eternal "Amen." J. Hampton Keathley III adds that...
Amen also connoted the idea of finality or the last word; is used of our Lord as the True One, the last word and final authority in each individual’s life as well as for the entire world. As used of Christ, it points to Him as the end, the finality and certainty of all things. With Him one needs no substitutes, no subtractions or additions. With Jesus Christ there is no further search needed for truth for in Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3). Thus, every promise He makes is true and every woe He pronounces shall come to pass.
In his devotional on Rev 3:14, Spurgeon writes...
The word Amen solemnly confirms that which went before; and Jesus is the great Confirmer; immutable, for ever is “the Amen” in all his promises. Sinner, I would comfort thee with this reflection. Jesus Christ said, “Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” If you come to him, he will say “Amen” in your soul; his promise shall be true to you. He said in the days of his flesh, “The bruised reed I will not break.” O thou poor, broken, bruised heart, if thou comest to him, he will say “Amen” to thee, and that shall be true in thy soul as in hundreds of cases in bygone years. Christian, is not this very comforting to thee also, that there is not a word which has gone out of the Saviour’s lips which he has ever retracted? The words of Jesus shall stand when heaven and earth shall pass away. If thou gettest a hold of but half a promise, thou shalt find it true. Beware of him who is called “Clip-promise,” who will destroy much of the comfort of God’s word.
Jesus is Yea and Amen in all his offices. He was a Priest to pardon and cleanse once, he is Amen as Priest still. He was a King to rule and reign for his people, and to defend them with his mighty arm, he is an Amen King, the same still. He was a Prophet of old, to foretell good things to come, his lips are most sweet, and drop with honey still—he is an Amen Prophet. He is Amen as to the merit of his blood; he is Amen as to his righteousness. That sacred robe shall remain most fair and glorious when nature shall decay. He is Amen in every single title which he bears; your Husband, never seeking a divorce; your Friend, sticking closer than a brother; your Shepherd, with you in death’s dark vale; your Help and your Deliverer; your Castle and your High Tower; the Horn of your strength, your confidence, your joy, your all in all, and your Yea and Amen in all. (Ed: And all God's people said "Amen"!)
It is, therefore, profoundly meaningful that the entire Bible closes with an "amen." "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen" (Revelation 22:21), assuring everyone who reads these words that the whole Book is absolutely true and trustworthy. Amen! - HMM (Source unknown)
In his introduction to his sermon on "The Amen" Spurgeon writes...
THE word “Amen” is much more full of meaning than may be supposed, and as a title of our Lord Jesus Christ it is eminently suggestive. As you know the word is a Hebrew one, which has been very properly conveyed not only into our language, but into most, if not all the languages of Christendom. It is a happy circumstance that some of these words should have had vitality enough in them to be transplanted into other tongues, and still to flourish; it gives some faint foreshadowing of the united worship of celestial spirits; and it indicates the Lord’s will that the Hebrew race shall not be forgotten by his Church, and that the language of his well-beloved Israel stills sounds sweetly in his ear.
AMEN signifies, true, faithful, certain, but its sense will he better seen by carefully noting its uses. It had at least three forms of practical meaning.
First, it was used in the sense of asserting; when a person would give peculiar authority to his words, he either commenced or concluded with the word Amen; and thus declared as with the solemn “yea, yea,” of an honest truth-loving man, certainly, assuredly, so it is. Our Savior uses the term frequently. The word, which we translate “Verily, verily,” is this word “Amen.” You must have observed that John who has a quick eye for the divine moods of the Lord Jesus notes with unerring fidelity the repetition of the asserting word. Whenever our blessed Lord was about to say something peculiarly solemn, into which he would throw the full weight of his authority, he asserted it by the doubling of the word “Amen, amen,” or “Verily, verily,” at the commencement of it.
The second sense of the word Amen slightly varies from asserting, and may be more properly described as consenting. There is a memorable instance of this in the case of the woman who drank the water of jealousy. (Nu 5:22.) When she drank the water of jealousy, it was enacted that if she had been guilty of the crime laid to her door, certain terrible results should follow as the effect of this water; she, at the time she drank it, said “Amen, amen;” that is, she gave her consent that such-and-such pangs should fall upon her if she had been really guilty of adultery. And a more memorable instance still is that of the people assembled upon Mount Ebal and Gerizim; when the threatenings and the blessings were both read in their hearing, the people said “Amen, amen.” So let it be. Of the like character is the case in the book of Nehemiah; when Ezra blessed Jehovah, the great God, all the people answered, Amen, with lifting up of their hands.
A third meaning of the word Amen is what we may call petitionary. In this sense we use it at the close of our prayers. “Our Father who art in heaven” is not a complete model of public prayer till it concludes with “Amen.” In the ancient Church it was customary for the entire congregation to say Amen. Paul alludes to this custom in that expression in the Corinthians, where he speaks of persons praying in an unknown tongue; he says, “How should he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?” We have it put on record by Jerome, that at Rome the people were accustomed to say Amen in the gatherings of the early Christians so heartily, I might add so lustily, that it was like the dash of a cataract, or a clap of thunder. I could wish that we more uniformly and universally said Amen at the close of public prayer; I am sure it would be scriptural and apostolic, and I believe it would be useful to you all. Perhaps the custom was dropped on account of the irregular way in which the brethren said Amen. I have heard the same regularity in certain rustic Methodist congregations, when I have thought that the Amen was put in the wrong place; and could have wished the custom to be discontinued altogether, because certain illiterate, rash, but zealous brethren said Amen when there was nothing to say Amen to, and so rather created ridicule than reverence, and showed as much folly as fervor. However, a judicious revival of the custom would, I doubt not, be useful in the Church of God. It then signifies, “So be it, so let it be,” and is virtually the consent of the entire congregation to the prayer which has been put up. Observe the devout Amen of Benaiah, at the close of David’s dying prayer, with the remarkable addition, “The Lord God of my lord the king say so too.” (1Ki 1:36.) Notice also how the psalmist closes several of the psalms, such as the forty-first and the seventy-second with the emphatic conclusion, “Amen and Amen.”
“Let every creature rise and bring
Peculiar honors to our King;
Angels, descend with songs again,
And earth, repeat the long Amen.”
NIDNTT notes that...
The sayings of Jesus introduced by amen often show primitive traits, eschatological pronouncements (Matt. 10:23; 19:28; 24:34; 5.40" class="scriptRef">25:40), and a sharp contrast with Pharisaism (Mt. 6:2, 5, 16; 8:10). ([Tr.] The contrast here is rather with standard Judaism or its exaggeration.) By introducing his words with amen Jesus labelled them as certain and reliable. He stood by them and made them binding on himself and his hearers. They are an expression of his majesty and authority.
Spurgeon comments on the striking use of the word amen by his audience...
I have preached during this week in the simplest manner I could these truths to somewhere about twenty or thirty thousand Welsh people in one congregation, and such a sight I never saw, when all as one man they kept crying out, “Aha! Amen! Amen–Gogoniant (Ed: In the Welsh Dictionary = "glory");” the whole sermon through, carried away with enthusiasm because they heard again the good old truths that Christmas Evans (Ed: The theme of his preaching was free and sovereign grace) used to thunder out to them, and which the Welsh still hold intact, even though the English may choose to reject and scorn them. (Sovereign Grace Sermons)
God's "Amen"
1Cor 15:17 --- If Christ was not raised, their faith had failed to secure its end or aim, namely, salvation. There could be no assurance that he had not died for his own sin. The Resurrection was necessary to demonstrate the perfection of the character of the Redeemer (cf. Acts 2:24) and to demonstrate the acceptance of the Son's work by the Father (cf. Ro 4:25). As someone has said, the Resurrection is God's "Amen" to Christ's "It is finished." (Jn 19:30-note) We observe the cross and see redemption effected; we see the Resurrection and know the redemption is accepted. (The Wycliffe Bible Commentary)
The "Amen" of Revival (Vance Havner)
It amounts to this: what we need is a revival. If you can't have one in your church get alone with God and have one yourself. Tell Him you're slipping, getting over it, getting used to being a Christian, and that you don't like it. Get back past all the world confusion and church quarrels and differences among the saints and the weaknesses of the brethren, back to Christ, to One you can trust. Come to Him afresh and fall in love with Him again and get such an eye-full and heart-full of Him that you feel like you did when you were converted. If it brings tears to the eyes and a tremor to the voice and an "amen" to the lips, well and good. (Jesus Only: Devotional Meditations)
Amen or So What? (Vance Havner)
For this generation, brought up on movie thrillers and silly comics, I covet a childhood nurtured on the Word of God. It might seem the depth of boredom to a modern youngster fed on trash and jaded from worn-out excitements, but life was happier before the "Amen" age gave way to the era of "So What?". (The Vance Havner Quotebook)
Amen and Worship (A W Tozer)
First, I do not believe it is necessarily true that we are worshiping God when we are making a lot of racket. But not infrequently worship is audible....Second, I would warn those who are cultured, quiet, self-possessed, poised and sophisticated that if they are embarrassed in church when some happy Christian says "Amen!" they may actually be in need of some spiritual enlightenment. The worshiping saints of God in the Body of Christ have often been a little bit noisy. Lord, may my worship be genuine and heartfelt, whether it be in quiet meditation or in loud exaltation! Amen. (Tozer on the Almighty God: A 366-Day Devotional)
Amen in the NT - 129x in 103v in the NAS - Amen(30), truly(99).
Matthew 5:18-note "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
Comment: When Jesus uses Amen, it points to a solemn declaration that the hearers should note.
Matthew 5:26-note "Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.
Matthew 6:2-note "So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
Matthew 6:5-note "When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
Matthew 6:13-note 'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.'
Matthew 6:16-note "Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
Matthew 10:15 "Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.
Matthew 10:23 "But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.
Matthew 10:42 "And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward."
Matthew 11:11 "Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Matthew 13:17 "For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
Matthew 16:28 "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."
Matthew 17:20 And He said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.
Matthew 18:3 and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:13 "If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.
Matthew 18:18 "Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.
Matthew 19:23 And Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 19:28 And Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Matthew 21:21 And Jesus answered and said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it will happen.
Matthew 21:31 "Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.
Matthew 23:36 "Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
Matthew 24:2 And He said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down."
Matthew 24:34 "Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.
Matthew 24:47 "Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
Matthew 25:12 "But he answered, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you.'
Matthew 24:40 "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'
Matthew 24:45 "Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'
Matthew 26:13 "Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her."
Matthew 26:21 As they were eating, He said, "Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me."
Matthew 26:34 Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."
Mark 3:28 "Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter;
Mark 8:12 Sighing deeply in His spirit, He said, "Why does this generation seek for a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation."
Mark 9:1 And Jesus was saying to them, "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power."
Mark 9:41 "For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.
Mark 10:15 "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all."
Mark 10:29 Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel's sake,
Mark 11:23 "Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.
Mark 12:43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, "Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury;
Mark 13:30 "Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.
Mark 14:9 "Truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her."
Mark 14:18 As they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, "Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me-- one who is eating with Me."
Mark 14:25 "Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."
Mark 14:30 And Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you, that this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times."
Luke 4:24 And He said, "Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown.
Luke 12:37 "Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them.
Luke 18:17 "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all."
Luke 18:29 And He said to them, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,
Luke 21:32 "Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place.
Luke 23:43 And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."
John 1:51 And He said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
John 3:5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:11 "Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony.
John 5:19 Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.
John 5:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
John 5:25 "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
John 6:26 Jesus answered them and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.
John 6:32 Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven.
John 6:47 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.
John 6:53 So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.
John 8:34 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.
John 8:51 "Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death."
John 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am."
John 10:1 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber.
John 10:7 So Jesus said to them again, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
John 12:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
John 13:16 "Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.
John 13:20 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me."
John 13:21 When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me."
John 13:38 Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.
John 14:12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.
John 16:20 "Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy.
John 16:23 "In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.
John 21:18 "Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go."
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