Introduction
One of the most common arguments raised by the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) is that Jesus cannot be God because only the Father is called God.
However, the Book of Revelation contains one of the strongest declarations of Christ's divinity through one extraordinary title:
"I am the Alpha and the Omega."
The real question is:
Can this title belong to anyone besides God?
The biblical evidence gives a clear answer.
No.
Nowhere in Scripture is Alpha and Omega ever used for a prophet, apostle, angel, king, or any ordinary human being.
Instead, it is a uniquely divine title.
Even more remarkable, Revelation applies this same title to Jesus Christ.
What Does "Alpha and Omega" Mean?
Alpha (Α) is the first letter of the Greek alphabet.
Omega (Ω) is the last.
Thus,
Alpha and Omega
means
The Beginning and the End
or
The One who encompasses everything from eternity to eternity.
It signifies:
- Eternal existence
- Absolute sovereignty
- Creator of all
- Lord of history
- The One who completes all things
Only God possesses these attributes.
Old Testament Background
The phrase originates from Old Testament descriptions of Yahweh.
Isaiah repeatedly records God saying:
"I am the first and I am the last."
Isaiah 41:4
"I, the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he."
Isaiah 44:6
"Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel...
I am the first and I am the last;
besides me there is no God."
Notice the connection.
"I am the First and the Last"
is immediately followed by
"Besides Me there is no God."
This is an exclusive claim of deity.
Isaiah 48:12
"I am He;
I am the first,
and I am the last."
Again,
this belongs only to Yahweh.
No human being ever says this.
Revelation Applies the Same Divine Language
Revelation 1:8
"I am the Alpha and the Omega,
says the Lord God,
who is and who was and who is to come,
the Almighty."
This clearly refers to God.
No debate.
Revelation 21:6
Again God says
"I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the Beginning and the End."
Again,
God Himself.
Revelation 22:13
Now comes the crucial text.
Jesus declares:
"I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the First and the Last,
the Beginning and the End."
The INC often argues that this speaker is still the Father.
But the surrounding context proves otherwise.
Who Is Speaking in Revelation 22?
Look carefully.
Revelation 22:12
"Behold, I am coming soon."
Who is coming?
Jesus.
Revelation 22:16
Just four verses later:
"I, Jesus, have sent my angel..."
The speaker identifies Himself explicitly.
The one speaking throughout this section is
Jesus Christ.
Therefore,
the One saying
"I am Alpha and Omega"
is Jesus.
Internal Evidence
The flow is uninterrupted.
Verse 12
"I am coming."
↓
Verse 13
"I am Alpha and Omega."
↓
Verse 16
"I, Jesus..."
The speaker never changes.
Jesus Also Calls Himself "The First and the Last"
Another decisive text.
Revelation 1:17-18
Jesus says:
"Fear not,
I am the First and the Last,
and the Living One.
I died,
and behold I am alive forevermore."
Ask:
Who died?
Only Jesus.
Therefore,
Who is
"The First and the Last"?
Jesus.
Yet Isaiah says
only Yahweh is
"the First and the Last."
The conclusion is unavoidable.
Jesus shares Yahweh's divine identity.
Greek Study
Alpha
Greek:
Ἄλφα
First letter.
Represents origin.
Omega
Greek:
á½®
Last letter.
Represents completion.
Revelation 22:13 Greek
Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ Ἄλφα καὶ τὸ Ὦ
"I AM the Alpha and the Omega."
Notice
Ἐγώ εἰμι
"I AM"
echoes God's self-identification (cf. Exodus 3:14 in the Septuagint, where God reveals Himself as "I AM"; John also records Jesus' use of the absolute "I am" sayings, e.g., John 8:58).
This is deliberate.
John presents Jesus with divine language.
Can Any Human Be Called Alpha and Omega?
Search the entire Bible.
You will never find:
- Moses
- Abraham
- David
- Elijah
- Peter
- Paul
- John
- Mary
- any prophet
called
Alpha and Omega.
Why?
Because it is God's title.
Comparison Table
| Person | Called Alpha and Omega? |
|---|---|
| God the Father | Yes |
| Jesus Christ | Yes |
| Holy Spirit | Never explicitly, though fully divine in Trinitarian theology |
| Moses | No |
| Abraham | No |
| David | No |
| Peter | No |
| Paul | No |
| Angels | No |
| Any human | No |
The Bible reserves this title for deity.
INC Objection #1
"Only the Father is speaking."
Answer:
Revelation 22:12–16 is one continuous discourse.
Jesus identifies Himself in verse 16.
No textual marker indicates a speaker change between verses 12–15.
Therefore,
verse 13 belongs naturally to Jesus.
INC Objection #2
"Jesus merely represents God."
Representation cannot explain why Jesus bears titles that Isaiah reserves exclusively for Yahweh, such as:
- First and Last
- Alpha and Omega
- Beginning and End
Isaiah 44:6 declares:
"Besides Me there is no God."
If Jesus were merely a representative, then attributing Yahweh's exclusive divine titles to Him would blur the very distinction Isaiah insists upon.
INC Objection #3
"Jesus received authority from God."
Catholics fully agree that, in His incarnate mission, the Son receives authority from the Father (cf. Matthew 28:18). But receiving authority according to His mission does not negate His divine nature. The New Testament also teaches that the Son shares the Father's eternal glory (John 17:5), is worshiped (Hebrews 1:6), and possesses the divine name and identity (Philippians 2:9–11).
Additional Biblical Evidence
Jesus possesses titles belonging only to Yahweh.
First and Last
Isaiah 44:6
↓
Revelation 1:17
Lord of Glory
Psalm 24
↓
1 Corinthians 2:8
Savior
Isaiah 43:11
↓
Titus 2:13
Judge of All
Joel 3
↓
John 5:22
Worshiped
Only God receives worship.
Yet
Matthew 14:33
Matthew 28:9
Hebrews 1:6
show Jesus receiving worship without rebuke.
Witness of the Early Church Fathers
St. Ignatius of Antioch (c. A.D. 107)
"Our God, Jesus Christ..."
—Letter to the Ephesians 18.2.^1
St. Irenaeus (c. A.D. 180)
Christ is
"God and Lord and eternal King."
—Against Heresies III.19.2.^2
Tertullian (c. A.D. 210)
The Son shares
the Father's divine substance.
—Against Praxeas 2.^3
St. Athanasius (4th century)
Only God can rightly be called the First and the Last.
The Son possesses these divine titles because He is eternally God.
—Against the Arians.^4
Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church teaches that Jesus is fully God from all eternity.
CCC 454
"The title 'Son of God' signifies the unique and eternal relationship of Jesus Christ to God his Father."^5
CCC 590
Jesus identified Himself with the divine name and exercised prerogatives belonging to God alone.^6
CCC 663
Christ shares the Father's divine glory and reigns eternally.^7
Historical Timeline
c. A.D. 30 – Jesus claims divine prerogatives.
c. A.D. 95 – Revelation identifies Jesus as Alpha and Omega.
107 – Ignatius calls Jesus "our God."
180 – Irenaeus teaches Christ's full divinity.
325 – The Council of Nicaea affirms the Son is "of one substance" (homoousios) with the Father, defending the apostolic faith against Arianism.
Theological Significance
If Alpha and Omega belongs only to God,
and
Jesus is Alpha and Omega,
then
Jesus possesses the divine identity.
This does not mean the Father is the Son.
Rather,
Father and Son are distinct Persons who share the one divine nature.
This is the foundation of the doctrine of the Trinity.
Conclusion
The Bible never attributes Alpha and Omega to any ordinary human being.
It is a uniquely divine title rooted in Yahweh's self-revelation in Isaiah and Revelation.
The Book of Revelation applies this title to both God and Jesus Christ. Likewise, Jesus calls Himself "the First and the Last," a title Isaiah explicitly reserves for Yahweh alone. These texts, together with the witness of the early Church and the Church's constant teaching, provide strong evidence that the New Testament presents Jesus not merely as God's representative but as sharing the divine identity.
Therefore, the claim that Jesus cannot be God because only the Father is God does not adequately account for the biblical data. The scriptural evidence consistently points to Christ's full deity while maintaining the distinction between the Father and the Son within the mystery of the Trinity.
Chicago-Style Inline Footnotes
- Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Ephesians 18.2.
- Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies III.19.2.
- Tertullian, Against Praxeas 2.
- Athanasius of Alexandria, Against the Arians.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, §454.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, §590.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, §663.
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