JESUS CHRIST, THE AMEN

Definition

1.  The Greek amen (ajmhvn) = Hebrew 'amen (/m@a*), amen; true and binding; truly; that which is sure and valid.  It acknowledges what is valid and the validity of what is binding to the individual.1
2.  Hebrew 'amen (/m@a*) (Deut 27:15-26; 1 Chron 16:36; Psa 41:13; Isa 65:16)

Jesus, Witness of Himself

1.  In the Gospels, "Truly, truly" is really "Amen, amen" (e.g. Jn 6:53). The two words, side-by-side, are the sign of a witness.
Then Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I am saying to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you do not possess Life in yourselves." (John 6:53)
His "amen" means His sayings are reliable and true because He Himself bears witness of them and thus makes them valid.1

2.  Jesus was a witness in behalf of Himself (Jn 8:14).  He told the Pharisees that He could bear witnss of Himself.

Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I bear witness in behalf of Myself, My witness is true, because I know from where I came and where I am going; but you absolutely do not know from where I come or where I am going." (John 8:14)
Jesus could bear witness of Himself because He was not alone.  The Father sent Him, and He was doing the work of the Father (Jn 5:30-32).  He and the Father are one in essence.  The essence of God includes veracity, absolute truth.  So, even if Jesus Christ spoke by Himself, His saying was absolutely true and valid because His essence of God made it valid.

3.  Jesus' Judgment is true and just because it comes from two witnesses, both He and the Father (Jn 5:30-32; 8:16).  The Mosaic Law required two or more witnesses to establish the truth (Deut 19:15).

4.  Both Jesus and the Father bear witness in behalf of Jesus (Jn 8:18).

I am He who bears witness in behalf of Myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness in behalf of Me. (John 8:18)

Faithful and True Witness

1.  Jesus is the faithful and true Witness (Rev 3:14; 19:11; 21:5; Jer 42:5).
"And to the messenger (pastor-teacher) of the church in Laodicea write:  The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Origin of the creation of God, says these things: (Revelation 3:14)
"Faithful" is the Greek pistos, meaning faithful, dependable, trustworthy.  Jesus Christ is always dependable and faithful to do the right thing.  He keeps His Word.  "True" is the Greek alethinos, meaning true, in accordance with truth.  Jesus Christ is always truthful.  Thus, He is a good witness.

2.  Jesus Christ is "the faithful witness" (Rev 1:5).  He is as faithful as the witness of the Sun and Moon in the sky (Psa 89:36-37).  They rise on schedule every day.

Psalm 89:36-37
36 "His descendants shall endure forever,
And his throne as the Sun before Me.
37 Like the Moon, it shall be established forever,
And the witness in the sky is faithful." [Selah].
The descendants of David, including Jesus Christ, will live forever.  Jesus Christ will rule from the throne of David, which will be established forever.  Just as the witness of the Sun and Moon in the sky are faithful, this prophecy is reliable.  The Sun symbolizes the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Moon the glory of His Bride, the Church.

3.  Jesus is the true witness (Rev 3:7; Jn 18:37; 1 Tim 6:13).

"And to the messenger (pastor-teacher) of the church in Philadelphia write:  These things says the Holy One, the Truthful One, who has the Key of David:  who opens and no one shall shut, and who closes and no one opens." (Revelation 3:7)
"Truthful One" is, again, the Greek alethinos.  When Jesus Christ bore witness of Himself before Pilate, He said that He came into the world to bear witness to the truth.
Therefore, Pilate said to Him, "So you are a king?"  Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king.  I have been born for this purpose and for this purpose have come into the world, in order that I might bear witness to the truth.  Everyone who is from the source of the truth listens to My voice." (John 18:37)
Jesus Christ's testimony before Pilate was truthful, and Pilate found no fault in Him.

The Amen

1.  Jesus Christ is the Amen (Rev. 3:14).  He obeys God and is thus, the reliable and true Witness of God.

2.  Jesus Christ is the Amen (2 Cor 1:20).  He is the reliable and true Witness of the Glory of God.

For you see, all the promises of God, in Him (Christ) are Yes; therefore, also through Him (Christ) is the Amen to the glory of God through us (Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy). (2 Corinthians 1:20)
God the Father turns all His promises into Yes (Rev 22:20) – He delivers them.  And Jesus Christ as the Amen is the Witness of that. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy have taught the Corinthians about Jesus Christ, through whom the promises of God are fulfilled.  Thus, Jesus Christ is the Amen to the glory of God.

3.  God is called the "God of Amen" ('Elohe 'Amen), meaning God of truth (Isa 65:16).  He delivers His promises.

So that the one who blesses himself in the land
Shall bless himself by the God of truth ('amen),
And the one who takes an oath in the land
Will take an oath by the God of truth ('amen),
Because the former troubles are forgotten,
And they are hidden from My eyes. (Isaiah 65:16)
The Lord will destroy the evil ones and deliver His servants in the land of Israel.  "The one who blesses himself" is the Hebrew barak in the Hithpa'el (reflexive) stem, meaning to bless oneself.  To bless oneself means to seek a blessing from God.  It is not self-aggrandizement.  "Shall bless himself" is another Hithpa'el, which means to receive a blessing from God.  He will receive a blessing from the "God of Amen" ('Elohe 'Amen), meaning "God of truth."  God keeps His promises to His servants, and He keeps His promises to destroy evil doers.

Further, the one who takes an oath will take it by the God of truth ('amen).  God will be his witness as to the truth and validity of what is binding (the oath).

4.  The Hebrew 'emeth (tm#a#) = faithfulness, truth (Psa 31:5) is derived from Hebrew 'amen (/m@a*).

Into Your hands I commit my spirit;
You have rescued me, O Lord, God of truth. (Psalm 31:5)
Thus, from 'emeth is derived "Grace and Truth" in the New Testament (Psa 86:15 cf. Jn 1:14, 17; 14:6).
But You, O Lord, are a merciful and gracious God,
Slow to anger and abounding in Gracious Love and truth (doctrine). (Psalm 86:15)

And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us, and we saw His glory, the glory of the uniquely born from the Father, full of Grace and truth (doctrine). (John 1:14)

For the Law was given through Moses; but grace and truth (doctrine) were realized through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the Life; absolutely no one comes to the Father, except through Me. (John 14:6)

References

1.  Vol. 1: Theological dictionary of the New Testament. 1964- (G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley & G. Friedrich, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (338). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Author:  Larry Wood,   Released February 6, 2011 - Revised Sept. 27, 2011

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