Jesus often prefaces important statements with the phrases “Verily, verily” or “Truly, truly.” This solemn introduction indicates that what follows is significant and worthy of special attention. The repetition of “verily” or “truly” serves to emphasize the truth and importance of the subsequent words.
The Greek word translated as “verily” or “truly” is “amen.” It expresses strong agreement and affirmation of what is about to be said. When Jesus says “Amen, amen,” it underscores the authority and truthfulness of His teaching.
It indicates a significant statement is coming
When Jesus introduces a statement with “verily, verily,” He is signaling to listeners that something important, meaningful, and true is about to be shared. It immediately grabs the audience’s attention and causes them to focus intently on Christ’s next words.
For example, in John 5:24, Jesus precedes a profound statement about spiritual life and judgment with the phrase “Verily, verily.” This alerts His hearers that He is about to make a weighty pronouncement. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that hears my word, and believes on him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
Again, in John 6:47, Jesus highlights an essential truth about salvation by first saying “Verily, verily.” “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believes on me has everlasting life.” The repetition of “verily” signals that a theologically significant statement will follow.
Jesus uses this emphatic introduction over 70 times in the gospels to stress the importance of His subsequent words. When people heard it, they recognized it as a prelude to divine truth from the Son of God.
It affirms the certainty of what Jesus says
When Jesus says “verily, verily,” it affirms the absolute truthfulness and reliability of His next statement. He is underscoring for listeners that they can completely trust the truth of what He is about to say.
For instance, in John 3:3, Christ assures Nicodemus of the certainty of being born again. “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” The double use of “verily” confirms the truth of this teaching beyond any doubt.
Similarly, in John 16:20, Jesus foretells the sorrow His disciples will have when He is taken from them and the joy that will follow when they see Him again after His resurrection. He prefaces this prophecy by saying “Verily, verily” to emphasize its unquestionable truth and reliability.
When Jesus says “verily, verily,” it is a promise that His next words will be utterly true and trustworthy, with no possibility of error. He is validating the truth before speaking it.
It reveals Christ’s divine identity and authority
The repeated use of “verily” points to Jesus’ divine identity and authority. As the Son of God, Jesus speaks with the full weight of God’s authority behind His words. When He says “verily, verily,” Christ is invoking His deity and unquestionable right to speak eternal truth.
In John 8:51, Jesus claims that those who keep His word will never see death. Such an astonishing statement demands divine authority to be accepted as truth. So Jesus introduces it by saying “Verily, verily, I say unto you.” His use of “verily” verifies that He has the right to make such an incredible assertion.
Additionally, the phrase “I say unto you” confirms that Jesus is speaking with personal authority that supersedes all other voices. By using “verily, verily” combined with “I say,” Christ affirms His identity as the divine Son of God with absolute authority to declare God’s truth.
It reveals the significance of Christ’s mission
Jesus’ use of “verily, verily” also points to the supreme significance of His life and mission. Statements prefaced by “verily, verily” relate to Christ’s purpose in bringing salvation, eternal life, and the kingdom of God to mankind.
For example, in John 6:26, Jesus says “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.” This reveals a key truth about why people were following Him.
Later, He repeatedly uses “verily, verily” to teach that He is the bread of life from heaven and that only through faith in Him can one gain eternal life (John 6:32, 47, 53). Such statements illuminate the divine significance of Christ’s ministry in saving the world.
When Jesus says “verily, verily,” it highlights the supreme importance of His identity, mission, and message as the Son of God who alone offers eternal salvation.
It calls for a response of faith and obedience
The repetition of “verily” is meant to evoke a response from listeners. Jesus uses it to command attention, emphasize important truths, and compel a reaction of obedient faith.
In John 8:34, after saying “Verily, verily,” Christ states that anyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. This convicts hearers of their need for freedom from sin. Later, He declares that if people hold to His word, they will know divine truth and gain freedom from sin’s bondage (John 8:31-32, 51).
Such statements introduced by “verily, verily” contain life-changing truth. They demand a faith response leading to obedience. Those who trust and obey Christ’s words find salvation, while those who don’t remain in darkness (John 12:44-50).
When Jesus says “Verily, verily,” He is calling listeners to react in faithful obedience. The authority of Christ’s teaching demands a response.
It separates true disciples from false disciples
Interestingly, the gospel of John records Jesus using the phrase “verily, verily” primarily when speaking to mixed crowds containing both true believers and false followers. He does this to separate true disciples from superficial ones by highlighting truths that touch the heart.
In John 6, after feeding the five thousand, Jesus begins to teach profoundly about being the bread of life. When many disciples take offense at His statements, Jesus pointedly asks “Does this offend you?” (John 6:61). This reveals the difference between superficial followers who fall away and genuine disciples who remain (John 6:66-69).
Likewise, when Jesus plainly tells the Jews that before Abraham was born “I am,” they pick up stones to kill Him (John 8:48-59). This crystallizes the distinction between hostile unbelievers and devoted followers who accept Christ’s claims.
When Jesus says “verily, verily,” it often reveals who is a genuine disciple and who is not by spotlighting truths that touch the heart and demand a response.
Conclusion
When Jesus Christ prefaces statements with the phrase “Verily, verily” or “Truly, truly,” it serves several key purposes. It signals that important truth is coming that warrants close attention. It affirms the absolute reliability of Jesus’ next words and reveals His divine identity and authority. It highlights the significance of His mission as Savior. And it calls for a response of faith leading to obedience. In these ways, Christ’s use of “verily, verily” or “truly, truly” underscores His unique role as the Son of God who speaks divine truth to save humanity.