For other uses, see Alpha and Omega (disambiguation).

The labarum or chi-rho symbol with alpha and omega

The coat of arms of the Anglican diocese of Trinidad

Alpha and Omega (Ancient Greek: τὸ Α καὶ τὸ Ω) is an appellation of God in the Book of Revelation (verses 1:8, 21:6, and 22:13). The Labarum (☧ was a military standard that displayed the first two Greek letters of the word " Christ " ( Greek: ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ or Χριστός The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. The Book of Revelation, also called Revelation to John, Apocalypse of John ( pronounced, from the Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰωάννου Its meaning is found in the fact that Alpha (Α) and Omega (Ω) are respectively the first and last letters of the Classical (Ionic) Greek alphabet. Alpha (uppercase Α, lowercase α; Αλφα is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. OMEGA is the premier Counter-terrorism unit of Latvia. Founded in 1992 OMEGA cooperates with many other counter-terrorism units over the world The Greek alphabet (Ελληνικό αλφάβητο is a set of twenty-four letters that has been used to write the Greek language since the late 9th or early This would be similar to referring to someone in English as "the A to Z". Thus, twice when the title appears it is further clarified with the additional title "the Beginning and the End" (21:6, 22:13).

Revelation 1: 8 in the King James Version says, “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. ” This verse referring to God as the “Alpha and Omega” does not receive support from some of the oldest Greek manuscripts, including the Alexandrine, Sinaitic, and Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus. The Sinaitic Palimpsest of Saint Catherine's Monastery Mount Sinai is a late 4th century Manuscript of 358 pages containing a translation of the four Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (Paris National Library Greek 9 Gregory-Aland no It is, therefore, omitted in many modern translations. Scholar Robert Young stated that the “oldest MSS. omit” it. ^[1]

Though many commentators and dictionaries apply this title both to God and to Christ such need not be the case. ^[2] Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament (1974) observes: "It cannot be absolutely certain that the writer meant to refer to the Lord Jesus specifically here. . . There is no real incongruity in supposing, also, that the writer here meant to refer to God as such. " However, most Christian denominations teach that it does apply to Jesus and God.

Therefore the letters Alpha and Omega in juxtaposition are often used as a Christian visual symbol (see examples).

This symbol was suggested by the Apocalypse, where many believe that Christ, as well as the Father, is "the First and the Last" (ii, 8); "the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end" (cf. , xxii, 13; i, 8). Clement of Alexandria speaks of the Word as "the Alpha and the Omega of Whom alone the end becomes beginning, and ends again at the original beginning without any break" (Strom. Saint Clement of Alexandria (born Titus Flavius Clemens) (c150 - 211/216 was the first notable member of the Church of Alexandria, and one of its most , IV, 25). Tertullian also alludes to Christ as the Alpha and Omega (De Monogamiâ, v), and from Prudentius (Cathemer. , ix, 10) we learn that in the fourth century the interpretation of the apocalyptic letters was still the same: "Alpha et Omega cognominatus, ipse fons et clausula, Omnium quae sunt, fuerunt, quaeque post futura sunt. " It was, however, in the monuments of early Christianity that the symbolic Alpha and Omega had their greatest vogue.

This phrase is interpreted by many Christians to mean that Jesus existed from the beginning of time (as the second person of the Trinity), and will exist eternally. SSC RF "Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Termonuclear Research" or TRINITY for shprt Троицкий Институт инновационных и термоядерных

Emet (אמת), literally "truth", one of the names of God in Judaism, has been interpreted as consisting of the first, middle and final letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In Judaism, the name of God is more than a distinguishing title The Hebrew alphabet (אָלֶף-בֵּית עִבְרִי alephbet ’ivri) consists of 22 letters used for writing the Hebrew language.

External links

• Catholic Encyclopedia
• Jewish Encyclopedia

Footnotes

1. ^ Young's Concise Commentary on the Holy Bible p. 179 1977
2. ^ The New Bible Dictionary, edited by Alton Bryant; Bible Dictionary WM. Smith; and the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia All indicate it does apply to God and Jesus