When Jesus Said, "Truly, Truly," What Did He Mean?

by Whitney V. Myers

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Download a PDF of The 25 "Truly, Truly" ("Verily, Verily") Statements of Christ.

Sunset and Reservoir - Pixabay Stock Photo - John 6:47

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life."  (John 6:47 NASB)

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life."  (John 6:47 KJV)

"Amen, amen I say unto you: He that believeth in me, hath everlasting life."  (John 6:47 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA))

"Whenever we read in the text of Scripture our Lord giving a statement that is prefaced by the double 'amen,' it is a time to pay close attention." -- R.C. Sproul (Ref. 1)

     Consider.  When Jesus Christ, the Son of God, began a statement with "Truly, truly," what did he mean?  What is special about the expression, "Truly, truly" or "Verily, verily"?

As we will see towards the end of the lesson, when Jesus introduced a statement with "Truly, truly," he was calling attention to the importance of the words which follow.

     Definition.  The English words truly, truly are translated from the Greek words amén amén (Ref. 2).  American theologian R.C. Sproul referred to these words as the "double amen" (Ref. 1, Ref. 3).  The Greek word amén means truly, and is also translated as verily, most assuredly, and so be it (Ref. 2). 

In modern usage, the word amen is typically used at the end of a prayer (Ref. 4).  In the New Testament, the writers frequently closed their letters with Amén (Romans 16:27, 2 Timothy 4:22 KJV, 1 Peter 5:14 KJV, 1 John 5:21 KJV, Jude 24-25, Revelation 22:21). "Placing the word amen at the end of a statement is a way of accepting, agreeing, or endorsing what came before" (Ref. 4).

     Jesus frequently said "Amen" ("Truly") to preface a statement (as compared to saying "Amen" at the end).  "Leading off with amen not only implies that what follows is true but also that the person making the statement has firsthand knowledge and authority about it" (Ref. 4, italics added). 

In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus used a single Amen (Truly, Verily) to introduce over 50 statements of truth (Ref. 5 below, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance).  Consider these references:  Matthew 5:18, Matthew 18:12-13, Matthew 25:11-12, Mark 9:41, Mark 11:23, Luke 18:17.  To the criminal on the cross who asked Jesus to remember him, Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43).

     When Jesus says "Truly, Truly" (double Amen) at the beginning of a statement, he is telling us that the following words are extremely important.  When Jesus begins a teaching and says, "Amen, amen, I say to you," our listening ears should be fine-tuned to take note instantly of what our Lord is going to say, for it is of the utmost importance (Ref. 1). 

Consider the importance of these examples where Jesus introduced his statements with "Truly, truly" (double Amen):

John 3:5 - Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

John 5:24 - "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life."

John 6:47 - "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life."

The "Truly, truly" (double Amen) expressions of Jesus occur only in the Gospel of John.  In John, Jesus provides 25 statements that begin with "Truly, truly."  Click here to see all 25 of Jesus' "Truly, truly" statements. 

"Whenever we read in the text of Scripture our Lord giving a statement that is prefaced by the double 'amen,' it is a time to pay close attention and be ready to give our response with a double amen to it.  He says "amen" to indicate truth; we say it to receive truth and to submit to it." -- R.C. Sproul (Ref. 1) 

     Apply.  I encourage you to read (re-read) the 25 "Truly, Truly" Statements of Jesus.  For which statements are you most thankful?  Which statements are the most challenging?  Thank Jesus for his words of truth. 

References
1.  https://www.ligonier.org/blog/what-does-amen-mean/
2.  https://biblehub.com/greek/281.htm
3.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._C._Sproul
4.  https://www.gotquestions.org/verily-verily.html
5.  James Strong, "The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible," Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995 - note, based on the King James Version of the Bible