Feb 12, 2026 3 min read Deep Dive

The God of Amen

Jesus invokes divine authority before speaking. In ancient Israel's legal culture, “Amen” seals truth. Jesus puts the seal on His own words. He speaks as the source of truth!

Oh, this is a rich word! “Amen” is one of those terms that survived untranslated because it carries more theological weight than any single English word can hold. Familiar to us all, but not often understood beyond an affirmation of what one considers to be a certainty or fact. In fact, it is essentially universal and one of the most well-known words in human speech. So, let's dive in...

Hebrew Roots & Greek Usage

The Hebrew root word אָמַן (ʾāman, Strong’s H539) means to be firm, reliable, and faithful. It implies stability and trustworthiness.

So “Amen” does not mean merely “the end” or even just “so be it.”
It means:

“This is firm.”
“This is reliable.”
“This is true.”
“I stand on this.”

It is a declaration of stability, faithfulness, trustworthiness.

For example, Deuteronomy 27:15 (BHS - Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible):

וְאָמַר כָּל־הָעָם אָמֵן
weʾāmar kol-hāʿām ʾāmēn
“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’”

Here, Israel responds to covenant curses with Amen — meaning: “We agree. This is binding. Let it stand.” This is covenant oath language.

The Septuagint (LXX) often transliterates ἀμήν (amēn) rather than translating it. (Note: Transliteration represents or spells words in the characters of another alphabet, focusing on how the original sounds are pronounced rather than translating the meaning.)

Interestingly, the Greek NT translators preserved the Hebrew sound: ἀμήν (amēn) — Strong’s G281. This indicates that the translators determined the word was too sacred and too loaded to be underestimated by attempting to simply translate it.

By the Second Temple period:

The congregation would say Amen after the blessings.
Amen functioned as a participatory agreement.
Amen was a covenantal affirmation.

Dead Sea Scrolls (1QS – Community Rule) show communal “Amen, Amen” responses reinforcing corporate oath loyalty.

This is not casual as we find in today's most common usage. It is allegiance language.

Jesus’ Radical Use

Now here’s where it gets exciting. In the Hebrew Bible, Amen is spoken by the listener in response to someone else. But in the Gospels, Jesus says: “Amen, I say to you…” Greek: ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν (amēn legō hymin).

Examples:

"For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished." (Matthew 5:18)

"Jesus answered him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.'” (John 3:3 double Amen!)

Look a little closer at John's Gospel. This is not Jesus agreeing with someone else. He is invoking divine authority before speaking. In ancient Israel's legal culture, “Amen” seals truth. Jesus puts the seal on His own words. He speaks as the source of truth.

Digging a Little Deeper

Hebrew text: Isaiah 65:16

בֵּאלֹהֵי אָמֵן
beʾlōhê ʾāmēn
“the God of Amen” (LSB)

This is often translated as “the God of truth”. God is literally called: “The God of Amen.”

Now look at Revelation 3:14:

“These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness…”

Jesus is called:

ὁ Ἀμήν (ho Amēn)
“The Amen.”

He is not just saying Amen. He IS Amen. He is the embodiment of covenant loyalty. This connects deeply with the Hebrew root meaning: firmness, faithfulness, stability. Christ is the unshakable reality behind every promise.

As Paul says: