Simply Put – “Amen”

Host: Barry Cooper (Ligonier Ministries)
Date: November 18, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode of Simply Put, Barry Cooper unpacks the theological and biblical significance of the word “Amen.” Using personal anecdotes, biblical references, and clear language, Cooper explores how “Amen” serves as more than a signal to end prayers—it is a declaration of affirmation, truth, and yearning for God’s promises to be fulfilled. The episode is accessible, practical, and seeks to deepen listeners’ understanding of a word they likely say daily but may not have considered fully.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cultural Practices Around “Amen”

• [00:00–01:10]
  • In the UK, “Amen” marks the end of someone’s prayer in group settings—an unwritten cue for the next person to begin.
  • In the US, this convention is less common, sometimes leading to awkward pauses or interruptions.
  • Anecdote:
    • “So now I'm the rude British Christian talking over all the American Christians who are just trying to leave pauses between their sentences.” —Barry Cooper [00:51]

2. What Does “Amen” Mean?

• [01:10–02:00]

  • “Amen” is much richer than just a verbal period or “over” on a walkie-talkie.
  • The term is universally understood by Christians, transcending language and culture.

• Personal Experience:

  • Preaching in Georgia, Cooper recounts how encouraging it was to hear “Amen” shouted from the choir.
    • “It was very encouraging, if a little startling, to hear someone in the choir behind me bellowing amen at strategic intervals.” —Barry Cooper [01:33]
  • Later, in Vancouver at a Cantonese church, “Amen” was the only word he recognized, highlighting its universality.

3. Biblical Origins and Use

• [02:00–04:00]

  • Etymology:

    • Derived directly from Hebrew with the same pronunciation and meaning.
    • Rooted in a Semitic word meaning “truth.”

  • Old Testament Usage:

    • 1 Chronicles 16: People respond “Amen” to affirm God’s praise.
      • “Saying amen here is a way of making the song their own, of saying, yes, I want to echo that praise of God myself.” —Barry Cooper [03:05]
    • Deuteronomy 27: Used to affirm judgments regarding God’s law—“let it be so.”
    • Psalm 72: A “double Amen” as strong affirmation.

4. Amen in the New Testament

• [04:00–05:00]
  • Jesus uses “Amen” to begin statements, emphasizing the truth of what follows.
    • “How fitting that you and I often respond to truthful speech with a concluding Amen, while Christ actually begins his speech with Amen, signaling to all that everything he is about to say is utterly truthful and binding.” —Barry Cooper [04:30]

5. Christ as the Ultimate ‘Amen’

• [05:00–06:30]
  • 2 Corinthians 1:
    • Paul links all of God’s promises and our “Amen” to Christ.
    • “Paul is drawing a parallel between saying Amen, yes, let it be so, and Christ himself... Christ is in himself a kind of Amen in that when we cry out to God for justice, for mercy, for compassion, for tenderness, for forgiveness, God the Son is God the Father's way of saying a resounding yes, let it be so to all these things.” —Barry Cooper [05:39]
  • Christ makes it possible for believers’ prayers to be heard and gives substance to their “Amen.”

6. Final Scriptural Bookends: Revelation

• [06:30–07:20]
  • The closing verses of Revelation (“Surely I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus... Amen.”)
  • These are not only affirmations but yearnings for the return of Christ.
  • “Those two Amens are more than mere agreement or affirmation of truth. They are expressions of yearning for the One who is Himself, the Truth, the One in whom all God's promises find their Amen.” —Barry Cooper [07:15]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On cross-cultural prayer habits:

  “I can see some of them thinking, see, this is why we fought for independence.” —Barry Cooper [00:44]

• On the universality of ‘Amen’:

  “Though I understood hardly anything else the people were saying, I did recognize that single word, amen.” —Barry Cooper [01:45]

• On Christ as God’s ‘Yes’:

  “God the Son is God the Father's way of saying a resounding yes, let it be so to all these things.” —Barry Cooper [05:47]

• On the significance in Revelation:

  “Those two Amens are more than mere agreement or affirmation of truth. They are expressions of yearning for the One who is Himself, the Truth, the One in whom all God's promises find their Amen.” —Barry Cooper [07:15]

Important Timestamps

• 00:00–01:10 — Cross-Atlantic differences in saying “Amen”
• 01:10–02:00 — Amen’s deeper meaning and universality
• 02:00–04:00 — Old Testament origins, usage in praise and judgment
• 04:00–05:00 — Amen in the New Testament and Jesus’ usage
• 05:00–06:30 — Paul’s teaching, Christ as the ultimate “Amen”
• 06:30–07:20 — Final “Amens” in Revelation; summary of their deep significance

Summary

Barry Cooper’s “Amen” episode artfully traces the layered meaning and power behind this vital biblical word. Far from a simple prayer-ending word, “Amen” is a deeply scriptural affirmation that unites believers across cultures, languages, and centuries. Ultimately, Cooper ties the term back to Jesus Christ—the embodiment of every promise and the ultimate divine “Yes.” Through scripture, anecdotes, and gentle humor, the episode calls listeners to appreciate the gravity and hope built into every heartfelt “Amen.”