Biblical Definition Of

AMEN

‘Amen’ is a transliteration from a Hebrew word meaning ‘surely, truly, certainly, trustworthily’. It was used as a formula expressing agreement to a variety of statements or announcements; for example, an oath (Num 5:19-22), a blessing or curse from God (Deut 27:11-26; Jer 11:5), an announcement (1 Kings 1:36), a prophecy (Jer 28:6), an expression of praise (1 Chron 16:36; Ps 41:13; Jude 24-25), a prayer (1 Cor 14:16), a statement (Rev 1:7) or a promise (Rev 22:20).

Since the promises of God find their true fulfilment (their ‘yes’, their ‘amen’) in Jesus Christ, he may be called ‘the Amen’. He is what the Old Testament calls ‘the God of truth’, ‘the God of the amen’ (2 Cor 1:20; Rev 3:14; cf. Isa 65:16). Christians acknowledge this by adding their own ‘amen’ (2 Cor 1:20). Jesus, by introducing many of his statements with ‘Amen’ (i.e. ‘Verily’ or ‘Truly’), guaranteed that those statements were true, certain, reliable and authoritative (Matt 8:10; 10:15,23,42; 11:11; 13:17; etc.).