ALPHA AND OMEGA

al'-fa, o'-me-ga, o-me'-ga (Alpha and Omega = A and O): The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, hence, symbolically, "beginning and end"; in Revelation "The Eternal One" in Revelation 1:8 of the Father, in Revelation 21:6 and Revelation 22:13 of the Son. Compare Theodoret, Eusebius, Historia Ecclesiastica, iv. 8: "We used alpha down to omega, i.e. all." A similar expression is found in Latin (Martial, v.26). Compare Aretas (Cramer's Catenae Graecae in New Testament) on Revelation 1:8 and Tertullian (Monog, 5): "So also two Greek letters, the first and last, did the Lord put on Himself, symbols of the beginning and the end meeting in Him, in order that just as alpha rolls on to omega and omega returns again to alpha, so He might show that both the evolution of the beginning to the end is in Him and again the return of the end to the beginning." Cyprian, Testim, ii0.1; vi.22, iii.100, Paulinus of Nola Carm. xix0.645; xxx0.89; Prudentius, Cathem., ix.10-12. In Patristic and later literature the phrase is regularly applied to the Son. God blesses Israel from 'aleph to taw (Leviticus 26:3-13), but curses from waw to mem (Leviticus 26:14-43). So Abraham observed the whole law from 'aleph to taw. Consequently, "Alpha and Omega" may be a Greek rendering of the Hebrew phrase, which expressed among the later Jews the whole extent of a thing.

J. E. Harry

Early Christianity in Other Parts of These Islands. --Ninian in ...
... The Chi Rho is found as early as 312 in Rome and 377 in Gaul, with Alpha and
Omega, 355 in Rome and 400 in Gaul. Hic iacet is found in 365. ...
/.../lecture iii early christianity in.htm

Sige Relates to Marcus the Generation of the Twenty-Four Elements ...
... And for this reason he declares that He is Alpha and Omega, that he may indicate
the dove, inasmuch as that bird has this number [in its name]. ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xv sige relates to marcus.htm

Respecting the Generation of the Twenty-Four Letters.
... And they assert that for this reason He utters the words, "I am Alpha and Omega,"
displaying the dove, which (symbolically) has this number, which is eight ...
/.../the refutation of all heresies/chapter xliv respecting the generation of.htm

The Various Hypotheses of Marcus and Others. Theories Respecting ...
... Behold, then, her head on high, Alpha and Omega; her neck, Beta and Psi; her shoulders
with her hands, Gamma and Chi; her breast, Delta and Phi; her diaphragm ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xiv the various hypotheses of.htm

The Chorus of Angels
... He styles Himself Alpha kai omega " Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8, 11) ,
the Omnipotent, the Upholder and Possessor of all things. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/messiah vol 2/sermon xlix the chorus of.htm

The Trinity.
... "I and my Father are one." John 10:30. Because of his divinity he is eternal. "I
am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending." Rev.1:8. He is omnipotent. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/orr/the gospel day /chapter xv the trinity.htm

Symbolic Ornaments of the Church
... The Alpha and Omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, are used
as the emblem of the eternity of our Lord: "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning ...
/.../regester/the worship of the church/symbolic ornaments of the church.htm

Why Jesus is Called Alpha.
... all numbers. And that on this account He is called Alpha (and Omega),
indicating His generation (to be) from all. [774]. Footnotes: ...
/.../hippolytus/the refutation of all heresies/chapter xlv why jesus is called.htm

Connection of These Primeval Testimonies with Christ.
... But again: if the beginning passes on to the end (as Alpha to Omega), as the end
passes back to the beginning (as Omega to Alpha), and thus our origin is ...
/.../tertullian/on monogamy/chapter v connection of these primeval.htm

The Tabernacle of God with Men.
... These words, uttered by Him who is the "Alpha and Omega," are no rhetorical flourishes,
nor mere figures of speech, but contain the exact and literal truth ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the tabernacle of god with.htm