Topical Bible: Titles and Names of Christ: First and Last

Bible > Topical > Titles and Names of Christ

◄ Titles and Names of Christ: First and Last ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The title "First and Last" is one of the profound designations attributed to Jesus Christ, emphasizing His eternal nature and divine sovereignty. This title is deeply rooted in the biblical understanding of God's nature and is used to affirm the deity of Christ, aligning Him with the eternal God of Israel.

Biblical References:

1. Revelation 1:17-18 : "When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, 'Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.'"

2. Revelation 2:8 : "To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the First and the Last, who died and returned to life."

3. Revelation 22:13 : "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."

Theological Significance:

The title "First and Last" is a direct assertion of Christ's divinity, echoing the Old Testament declarations of God. In Isaiah 44:6 , the Lord declares, "I am the first and I am the last; apart from Me there is no God." This parallelism between the Old and New Testament underscores the Christian belief in the Trinity, where Jesus is fully God, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Eternal Nature:

By identifying Himself as the "First and Last," Christ affirms His existence beyond the confines of time. He is the origin and the consummation of all things, transcending the temporal limitations of creation. This title assures believers of Christ's unchanging nature and His sovereign control over history and eternity.

Christ's Authority:

The title also conveys Christ's authority over life and death. In Revelation 1:18, He declares His victory over death, having been resurrected, and His possession of the "keys of Death and of Hades." This authority is a source of hope and assurance for Christians, affirming that Christ has ultimate power over the spiritual and physical realms.

Application for Believers:

For Christians, the title "First and Last" is a reminder of Christ's preeminence in all things. It calls believers to trust in His eternal wisdom and to find security in His unchanging nature. In a world of uncertainty, the eternal Christ is a steadfast anchor, offering peace and assurance of His ultimate victory and eternal reign.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Revelation 1:17
And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand on me, saying to me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Revelation 2:8
And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things said the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Title "Word" is to be Interpreted by the Same Method as the ...
... prophets a countless number of titles which are ... announce the things concerning Him
under various names. ... a Paraclete with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/23 the title word is.htm

The Benefits of Christ Made Available to us by the Secret ...
... Here it will be proper to point out the titles which the ... full vigor of life, he hence
obtains the names of "Oil ... our minds are intent on the Spirit, Christ is in ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 1 the benefits of.htm

The Revelation and Career of the Anti-Christ.
... between Christ and the Anti-christ in their several names and titles but the ... have
another prophetic picture of the character and career of the Anti-christ. ...
/.../pink/the redeemers return/4 the revelation and career.htm

A Look into the Hebrew Bible.
... that is to say we find the names in our ... original; it was from the Septuagint that
Christ and his ... of which we have no other knowledge; their titles quoted upon ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gladden/who wrote the bible/chapter i a look into.htm

The Third Day in Passion-Week - the Last Controversies and ...
... 5240] These titles are put ... last sets forth their relations to those forerunners of
Christ, whose graves ... Matt.) are quite different names, in Greek as in Hebrew ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter iv the third day.htm

More Particularly, in what Respect Christ is Called the Truth.
... He is the Truth in this regard, that he fully answers all the titles and names which
he ... As he was called Christ, so was he anointed with the Spirit without ...
/.../brown/christ the way the truth and the life/chapter xi more particularly in.htm

Proof of the Catholic Sense of the Word Son. Power, Word or Reason ...
... but if He be less than the names, yet He ... and of the generation from the Father these
titles are tokens ... And again, There is one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/chapter iv proof of the catholic.htm

The Last Interview of Paul with the Elders of Ephesus.
... sinecures in the Christian Church, and that the names of office are not empty titles
of honour ... to contemplate first the example of Jesus Christ, and next ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xxiv the last interview.htm

The Name Above Every Name
... whilst in combination with any other of the titles it is ... in which sense also it is
applied to Christ in the ... and then with the other of the two names that we ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/the name above every name.htm

Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John
... by the Same Method as the Other Titles of Christ. ... 27. Significance of the Names of
John and of His Parents ... The Prophets Bore Witness to Christ and Foretold Many ...
//christianbookshelf.org/origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/