This text review continues...
From the Glossary and Reverend John W. Morris, PhD
Amen
"So be it" in Hebrew. Amen is said or sung at the close of a prayer or hymn, showing the agreement of the people to what has been said (Deut. 27:15-26; 1 Cor. 14:16). (793).
In my view, this entry within that Orthodoxy text, explains the biblical definition, but also how the use of 'amen' fits within the practice and tradition of the Orthodox Church.
The Hebrew from Strong page 16; the Greek from Strong page 10.
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Using the 1 Corinthians 14: 16 example, listed by the Orthodox Study Bible, from the Courson commentary:
"Amen' is one of the two words understood by every believer in every culture--the other is "Alleluia." Courson (1082).
Why should we say Amen? "Amen" literally means "So be it." (1082).
The Corinthians said 'amen' after prayers. (1082). Courson explains (paraphrased) that the Church should agree on prayer. (1082).
Hopefully, being in agreement in prayer through the God the Holy Spirit will lead the Church (and each individual Christian church that prays together) to reasonable, theological, certainty in prayer. There should be a reasonable, theological, certainty when praying that God's will shall be done, as in 'so be it'.
From the Browning, Oxford Dictionary, he explains that 'amen' in Hebrew means 'certainly'. Browning (14). The statement identifies the Church with the preceding prayer, and also notes 1 Corinthians 14: 16 as example (14). The Hebrews connects to ideas of truthfulness and steadfastness (14).
These concepts are transferred from the Hebrew Bible to the New Testament.
BROWNING, W.R.F. (1997) Oxford Dictionary of the Bible, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
COURSON, JON (2005) Application Commentary, Thomas Nelson, Nashville.
STRONG, J. (1890)(1986) Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Burlington, Welch Publishing Company.
The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy,Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.
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