The English word “amen” is transliterated
from the Hebrew אָמֵן [aw-mane'] and the Greek ἀμήν [amēn], meaning “so be it” or
“truly.” It is derived from the same Hebrew root as āmán (“faith” or “faithfulness”) and is related to amanah
(“truthfulness”). The “God of amen” is the God of truth or faithfulness
(Isa. 65:16; Rev. 3:14).
The
term “amen” served as a Jewish liturgical formula (BAGD 45) spoken by the
congregation at the end of a prayer, a reading of scripture, or a prophetic
declaration.1 It was adopted by Christians (cf. 1 Cor. 14:16) and by
Paul in particular (see below).
The Old Testament
“Amen” occurs in the earliest Jewish documents,
appearing thirty times in the Hebrew scriptures.2 Three usages are
found: (a) the initial “amen,” introducing an affirmative statement and
referring back to something previously stated (1 Kings 1:36); (b) the detached
“amen,” referring back to something previously stated but not followed by
another statement (Neh. 5:13); and (c) the final amen (Psa. 41:13).
The New Testament
Usage of the initial
“amen” (“verily,” “truly”) in the New Testament, sometimes in double form,
occurs only in the sayings of Jesus, affirming and emphasizing his own teaching
rather than referring back to someone else’s.3 Nothing comparable is
found anywhere else in the Bible. The Lord occasionally employed the final
“amen” (Matt. 6:13; Mark 16:20),4 which is the most common form in
the rest of the New Testament, especially in Paul’s writings.5 Outside of Paul and the Gospel narratives, the word is used in Hebrews,
the Petrine letters, Jude, and the Apocalpse.6
In the Byzantine Majority Text, several other
Pauline texts also include the term.7 In fact, according to the vast
majority of Greek manuscripts, all New Testament documents conclude with amēn except Acts, James, and 3 John. M. A. Robinson
observes: “There is no logical reason
why the Byzantine MSS would leave out an amēn at the end of three books while supposedly adding it
everywhere else – unless the
inclusion or exclusion truly reflects the original
text of each book” (The NT in the
Original Greek: Byzantine Textform 551 n. 59, emp. in the text).
Conclusion
The practice of concluding prayers with
“amen” was taught by Jesus (Matt. 6:13) and appears in a number of written
prayers or doxologies (Psa. 41:14; 72:19; 89:53; 106:48; Rom. 1:25, 9:5, 11:36, 15:33; 16:24, 27; etc.). The New Testament itself concludes
with a final “amen” (Rev. 22:21).
Every word spoken by
God is true. May every word spoken about God and to God be true. Amen.
--Kevin L. Moore
Endnotes:
1 1 Chron. 16:36; Neh. 5:13; 8:6; cf. 2 Esdr. 15:13;
18:6; 3 Macc. 7:23; 4 Macc. 18:24.
2 Num. 5:22; Deut. 27:15-26; 1
Kings 1:36; 1 Chron. 16:36; Neh. 5:13; 8:6; Psa. 41:13; 72:19; 89:52; 106:48;
Jer. 28:6.
3 Single: Matt. 5:18, 26; 6:2, 5, 16
[6:13]; 8:10; 10:15, 23, 42; 11:11; 13:17; 16:28; 17:20; 18:3, 13, 18; 19:23,
28; 21:21, 31; 23:36; 24:2, 34, 47; 25:12, 40, 45; 26:13, 21, 34; Mark 3:28;
6:11; 8:12; 9:1, 41; 10:15, 29; 11:23; 12:43; 13:30; 14:9, 18, 25, 30; Luke
4:24; 12:37; 13:35; 18:17, 29; 21:32; 23:43. Double: John 1:51(52); 3:3, 5, 11; 5:19, 24, 25; 6:26, 32, 47, 53; 8:34,
51, 58; 10:1, 7; 12:24; 13:16, 20, 21, 38; 14:12; 16:20, 23; 21:18.
4 In a
number of manuscripts, also in Matt. 28:20; Luke 24:53; John 21:25.
5 Rom. 1:25; 9:5; 11:36; 15:33; 16:27; Gal. 1:5; 6:18;
Eph. 3:21; Phil. 4:20; 1 Tim. 1:17; 6:16; 2 Tim. 4:18; cf. 2 Cor. 1:20.
6 Heb. 13:21, 25; 1 Pet. 4:11;
5:11; 2 Pet. 3:18; Jude 25; Rev. 1:6, 7; 3:14; 5:14; 7:12; 19:4; 22:20, 21.
7 Rom. 16:20, 24; 1 Cor. 16:24;
2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 6:24; Phil. 4:23; Col. 4:18; 1 Thess. 5:28; 2 Thess. 3:18; 1
Tim. 6:21; 2 Tim. 4:22; Tit. 3:15; Philem. 25.
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