Revelation 1:8
Revelation 1:8 reads as follows In the KJV and ESV (and most modern translations).
- Revelation 1:8 (KJV): I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
- Revelation 1:8 (ESV): “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
- Revelation 1:8 (WEB): “I am the Alpha and the Omega, [Textus Receptus adds “the Beginning and the End”] ” says the Lord God, [Textus Receptus omits "God"] “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Interpretation. This verse is understood to mean that the phrase, "Alpha and Omega," refers to the Son, and the phrase, "who is and who was and who is to come," refers to the Father.
Context. The opening eight verses of Revelation is choppy due to the changing subjects. In the World English Bible (WEB) it reads as follows:
- Revelation 1:1-8: This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things which must happen soon, which he sent and made known by his angel to his servant, John, 2 who testified to God’s word and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, about everything that he saw.
- [Bless the listeners.]. 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written in it, for the time is at hand.
- [To whom + doxology]. 4 John, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from God, who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits who are before his throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood— 6 and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father—to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
- [Second Coming]. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen.
- [Doxology] 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, [TR adds “the Beginning and the End”] ” says the Lord God, [TR omits "God"] “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Alpha and Omega usage. The "Alpha" is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and "Omega" is the last letter. Therefore, Alpha and Omega can mean "the First and the Last" or "the Beginning and the End" all at the same time, as is found in Revelation 22:13.
- Revelation 22:12-14: Behold, I come quickly. My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14 Blessed are those who do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.
Note that the context of Revelation 22:12-14 is the Second Coming. This is also true for Revelation 1:8 where verse 7 is speaking of the Second Coming. Two other verses in Revelation refer to Jesus as, "the First and the Last," as follows:
- Revelation 1:17-18: When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am the first and the last, 18 and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.
- Revelation 2:8: To the angel of the assembly in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life says these things:
"who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." This phrase refers to God the Father. The term, "the Almighty" is found over and over again in the Old Testament and is another term for Yahweh. In the New Testament it is found 12 times, nine of which are in Revelation (Revelation 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7, 14; 19:6, 15; 21:22). It is usually phrased, "God Almighty" or "Lord God Almighty." The term "who is and who was and who is to come" or "who is and who was" occurs five times (Revelation 1:4, 8; 4:8; 11:17; 16:5).
Paraphrased. Thus, Revelation 1:8 is not all talking about Jesus and it is not all talking about the Father. Rather, it is talking about both—the first part, "the Alpha and the Omega" is referring to Jesus Christ and the last part, "who is and who was and who is to come," is referring to the Father. It can be paraphrased as follows to better understand its meaning:
- Revelation 1:8 (paraphrased):
“I am the Alpha and Omega,” and my Father who is the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty declares this.
One possible exception. This leaves us with one possible exception, and that is Revelation 21:6 which reads,
- Revelation 21:6: And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment."
The interpretation of the above verse is mixed, where commentators attribute the words to either the Father or the Son. If it is the Father, then this would be the only exception to the rule, since all the others reference the Son. This would not be a problem altogether, given that there are other instances where the Father and Son share the same titles, such as "Lord" and "Savior." However, our inclination is to believe it is referring to the Son. If that is the case, then verse 6 changes from the Father speaking to the Son.
Adventist quotes
Adventist pioneers:
- E. J. Waggoner, Christ and His Righteousness, p. 20.2: The word rendered “beginning” is arche, meaning, as well, “head” or “chief.” It occurs in the name of the Greek ruler, Archon, in archbishop and the word archangel. Take this last word. Christ is the archangel. See Jude 9; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; John 5:28, 29; Daniel 10:21. This does not mean that He is the first of the angels, for He is not an angel but is above them. Hebrews 1:4. It means that He is the chief or prince of the angels, just as an archbishop is the head of the bishops. Christ is the commander of the angels. See Revelation 19:11-14. He created the angels. Colossians 1:16. And so the statement that He is the beginning or head of the creation of God means that in Him creation had its beginning; that, as He Himself says, He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Revelation 21:6; 22:13. He is the source whence all things have their origin.
Ellen G. White:
- 10MR 171.1: . . .uniting link after link in the prophetic chain, even from Genesis to Revelation. Christ is the Alpha, the first link, and the Omega, the last link, of the gospel chain, which is welded in Revelation.
- 1888, 783.2: The law and the gospel go hand in hand. The one is the complement of the other. The law without faith in the gospel of Christ cannot save the transgressor of law. The gospel without the law is inefficient and powerless. The law and the gospel are a perfect whole. The Lord Jesus laid the foundation of the building, and He lays “the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.” Zechariah 4:7. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. The two blended—the gospel of Christ and the law of God—produce the love and faith unfeigned.
Duality
Human history: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." In the book of Revelation "the Last" or "the End" is with reference to Judgment at the end of time. It is the end of sin and suffering and the beginning of a New Age—a New Heavens and a New Earth. Therefore, "the First" and "the Beginning" must be referring to the Creation of this world as told to us in the Genesis account. Jesus was there and involved at the beginning of Creation and he will be there at the end in the Judgment.
Eternity: "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." The Father dwells in Eternity. He "lives" outside of Time.
Duality. Thus, there is an outer-inner relationship between the Father and the Son. In terms of Bible history, the Father dwells in Eternity (the outer realm) and the Son entered our Time (the inner realm).
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