從猶太新約註釋而來的教導 -- 耶書亞如何使用「阿們（Amen）」這個字（馬太 5:18 筆記）
AMEN. ANI OMER LAKHEM (聯合聖經公會) 「英文：Amen. I say to you…」，AMEN OMER ANI LAKHEM (Delitzsch 德里慈翻譯) 「英文：Amen I say to you... -- 或像是英王欽定本聖經，Verily, I say unto you…」。
聯合聖經公會（UBS）置於「阿們」之後的句點是對的，德里慈（Delitzsch）則不是。「阿們」這個字一般而言是禱告者的聽眾確信並同意這人禱告時所禱告的；在這裡的意思是，「確實」、或「就這樣吧」、或是「但願成真」。演講者的「阿們」對他自己的禱告本身是多餘的；更確切地說，這暗示其他人回應他們自己的「阿們」（如在馬太 6:13；羅馬書 1:25, 9:5, 11:36）。
假如阿們是在某人說完話之後而那人不是祈禱者，這意思像是「我打從心底同意你剛才的觀點」、「對，的確是」、「絕對正確！」假如是演講者在自己的演說之中說的，在這節經文的情況一樣，意思是：「對，我剛才說的真的是這樣」。
換句話說，規則是阿們指涉上一段所說的，而不是關於下一段說了甚麼。假如耶書亞的「阿們」是用這種方式理解，它們總是說得通。德里慈的理解，這幾乎是所有新約（New Covenant）翻譯的基礎，使得阿們所說的指涉下一段，意思會是，「實實在在」。阿們因而增添幾分強調語氣，像是「現在，聽著！」但實際上，如果他們參考先前所說的，耶書亞的阿們會比他們所說的更為刺激與有趣。
有些地方翻譯者以新約（New Covenant）內部證據為由使得阿們指涉下一段所說的，因為其中一位福音寫作者有一些平行段落：「阿們我告訴你們⋯」，其他還有「真的（希臘文 aleithos）我告訴你們⋯」（對照路加 12:44 與馬太 24:47 下面，與路加 9:27 與馬可 9:1）。但應用這個解法到所有耶書亞的阿們，需要假設耶書亞發明了在其他的猶太原始資料中可找到的阿們不同的用法。有些基督徒甚至假設為耶書亞的原創性觀點，開創阿們嶄新的前端意義。但原創性假設沒有道理因為沒有必要，即使耶書亞的確是原創性的化身。取而代之的，一個人必須要問的是，是否他的「阿們」說得通，傳統上理解為指涉上一段，而非下一段。並且事實上，它們是這個意思。
具體地說，他的「阿們」對著他自己強調他自己先前的觀點，有時候伴隨著力量，「我剛說的真的是這個意思，你也許不這麼認為，但我是這個意思！」（馬太 5:26; 6:2, 5, 16; 10:15, 42; 13:17; 18:18; 23:36; 24:34, 47; 26:13）。他的「阿們」對一些人來說可以作為傳達他剛才所說的意義的認定，「我正視這個問題」（19:28）或甚至以反諷語氣，「你的提問/回答讓我知道至少你開始明白了！」（21:21, 31），「你不會是認真的吧！」（25:12），「我多麼希望這是如此（卻不是）！」（26:34）。有時候在演說之後，或甚至事件之後，這呼籲人們注意剛剛發生了甚麼，傳達像是，「這令人驚奇！你注意到了嗎？」（8:10）或「沒想到會這樣吧，對吧？」（一個出色的例子在 18:3）；在 19:23 這相當於嘆氣；在 25:40、45 節王的「阿們」意思是，「你對事情是以這樣的方式大吃一驚吧，但就是這樣」；在 26:21 耶書亞的「阿們」意思是，「此刻你輕鬆又舒適，但我有消息要告訴你！」而有時候耶書亞的「阿們」是純粹的肯定（「我同意」）卻成為他自己的加強或是對比言論的起步。（上面的幾個例子還有 8:13，這時他的「阿們」意思是「我的反詰同意你不言而喻的回答」）。另請參閱啟示錄 7:11-12。
塔納赫（Tanakh）提供一個顯著的「阿們」例子用來反諷，甚至挖苦，在句子的開頭。在耶利米書 28 章假先知哈拿尼雅預言兩年內神會帶回被巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒擄走的聖殿器皿。耶利米（Yirmiyahu）答覆，「阿們！願耶和華如此行，願耶和華實現你所預言的話⋯然而⋯哈拿尼雅啊，你應當聽！耶和華並沒有差遣你，你竟使這百姓倚靠謊言！」
-- David H. Stern
譯按：
- 耶書亞 Yeshua 是耶穌的希伯來原文發音
- 新約 New Covenant 請參考希伯來書 8:13
- backward 譯為「上一段」
- forward 譯為「下一段」
- Tanakh 音譯為塔納赫，也就是猶太人的希伯來聖經正典，是 Torah 妥拉（摩西五經）、Navim 先知書、Ketuvim 文集這三個字的縮略語。更多資訊請見維基百科：http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/塔納赫
- Adonai 是猶太人對上主敬畏的替稱念法，譯文依和合本修訂版（RCUV）寫為耶和華，原文請見 CBOL：http://bible.fhl.net/new/s.php?N=1&k=03068
A TEACHING FROM THE JEWISH NEW TESTAMENT COMMENTARY -- on how Yeshua uses the word "Amen" (Note to Matthew 5:18)
AMEN. ANI OMER LAKHEM (United Bible Societies) [English: Amen. I say to you...], AMEN OMER ANI LAKHEM (Franz Delitzsch translation) [English: Amen I say to you... -- or as in King James Bible, Verily, I say unto you...].
UBS is correct with its placement of a period after “Amen,” and Delitzsch is not. The word “Amen” is normally said by the hearers of a prayer to affirm and agree with what the person praying has prayed; in this setting it means, "It is true,” or “So be it,” or “May it become true." A speaker's "Amen" to his own prayer is itself superfluous; rather, it cues others to respond with their own "Amens" (as at Matthew 6:13; Romans 1:25, 9:5, 11:36).
If Amen is said after someone else has spoken words that are not a prayer, it means something like, “I agree wholeheartedly with the point you have just made,” “Yes, indeed,” “That’s absolutely right!” If said by a speaker in the middle of his own speech, as is the case in this verse, it means, “Yes, what I have just said is really the way it is.”
In other words, the rule is that Amen refers backward to what has just been said, not forward to what is about to be said. If Yeshua’s “Amen’s” are understood in this way, they always make sense. Delitzsch’s understanding, which underlies virtually all translations of the New Covenant, makes Amen refer forward, with the meaning, “truly.” Amen is thus made to add a bit of emphasis to what is about to be said, like “Now, listen up!” But actually, Yeshua’s Amens are far more spicy and interesting if they refer to words previously spoken than to words about to be spoken.
There are places where the translators who make Amen refer forward have New Covenant internal evidence as grounds, for there are parallel passages in which one gospel writer has, "Amen I tell you...," while the other has "Truly (Greek aleithos) I tell you..." (compare Luke 12:44 with Matthew 24:47 below, and Luke 9:27 with Mark 9:1). But applying this solution to all of Yeshua’s Amens requires assuming that Yeshua invented a different use for Amen than can be found in other Jewish sources. Some Christians even suppose that an aspect of Yeshua’s originality was in inaugurating this new forward-pointing meaning for Amen. But there is no reason for assuming originality where it isn’t needed, even if Yeshua was indeed originality incarnate. Instead, one must ask whether his "Amens" make good sense understood traditionally as referring back, not forward. And in fact, they do.
To be specific, his "Amen" to himself emphasizes his own previous point, sometimes with the force, "You may not think that I really meant what I just said, but I do!" (Matthew 5:26; 6:2, 5, 16; 10:15, 42; 13:17; 18:18; 23:36; 24:34, 47; 26:13). His "Amen" to what someone else has just said can be an acknowledgement conveying the sense, "I recognize the problem" (19:28) or even ironic in tone, "Your question/answer shows me that at last you're beginning to catch on!" (21:21, 31), "You can't be serious!" (25:12), "How I wish it were so (but it isn't)!" (26:34). Sometimes after a speech, or even after an event, it calls attention to what just happened, conveying things like, "That was amazing! Did you notice?" (8:10) or, "Not what you expected, is it?" (a beautiful example at 18:3); at 19:23 it amounts to a sigh; at 25:40, 45 the King's "Amen" means, "You are astounded that things are working out this way, but that's how it is"; at 26:21 Yeshua's "Amen" means, "Right now you're relaxed and comfortable, but I have news for you!" And sometimes Yeshua's "Amen" is simply affirmative ("I agree") but becomes the take off for his own reinforcing or contrasting remarks (several of the above examples, and 8:13, where his "Amen" means, "I agree with your unspoken answer to my rhetorical question"). See also Revelation 7:11-12.
The Tanakh provides a striking example of "Amen" used ironically, even sarcastically, at the beginning of a sentence. In Jeremiah 28 the false prophet Chananyah predicts that within two years God will restore the Temple vessels taken by Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. Yirmiyahu replies, "Amen! May Adonai do so! May Adonai perform the words which you have prophesied.... Nevertheless, hear now,...Chananyah: Adonai has not sent you. Instead, you are making this people trust in a lie!
-- David H. Stern
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