BIBLICAL BRIEFS 129
The word ‘amen’ is mostly used without giving it much thought. In the faith tradition, we have learned that ‘Amen’ is merely a confirmation that you agree with the one who gives the testimony, or the one who gives a teaching, or in concurrence with the truth being spoken. Thus, within this understanding, Amen cannot only be regarded as a word that is only being used specifically at the end of a prayer; it is much rather a reminder or endorsement of the fact that God confirms His word in Jesus Christ, according to His nature. Only a few believers know that Amen is also one of the names of Jesus. Rev. 3:14 states, “The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation…” As a matter of fact, the word ‘amen’ has its origin in Jesus, the Origin’s Name. In 2Cor. 1:20 Paul spells out this truth: “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen to the glory of God through us.” The Ancient Hebrew Lexicon Bible describes the word ‘amen’ interestingly enough in pictorial language as “blood continues”. The basic word for the word ‘amen’, is ‘aman’, and this Hebrew word means “to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse … to go to the right hand”. God is a ‘cherishing, nurturing, tending’ Father, and this particular characteristic He completely embodied in Jesus, the Amen. Figuratively spoken, the Spirit Blood of God flows in Jesus the Amen – He duplicates and confirms exactly this specific characteristic in his descendants through the special nurturing care He offers to them. Thus, He ensures specifically that the “blood continues”. The only difference now is that the blood, which is propagated in spiritual sons, is not the contaminated blood of man, and not the transferable mortality of the earthly, but in reality the light of life. With the utterance of the word ‘amen’ we attach ourselves over and over to God’s promise that He will reconcile all things through Christ with Himself. Amen is the keystone of our hope. Against this background, we can now emphatically and with greater conviction say Amen!
Dr Tom Gouws
