Editing Alpha and Omega

{{short description|Christian symbol, first and last letters of the Greek alphabet}}
{{other uses}}
[[File:Uppercase Alpha and Omega in Times New Roman.svg|thumb|The Greek letters ''alpha'' and ''omega'']]

'''Alpha''' ('''Α''', '''α''') and '''omega''' ('''Ω''', '''ω''') are the first and last letters of the [[Greek alphabet]], and  a title of [[Christ (title)|Christ]] and [[God in Christianity|God]] in the [[Book of Revelation]]. This pair of letters is used as a [[Christian symbolism|Christian symbol]],<ref>{{cite book | last = Gauding | first = Madonna | title = The Signs and Symbols Bible: The Definitive Guide to Mysterious Markings | publisher = Sterling Pub. Co | location = New York, NY | year = 2009 | isbn = 9781402770043 |page=84 }}</ref> and is often combined with the [[Cross (Christianity)|Cross]], [[Chi Rho]] or other Christian symbols.

==Origin==
The first written record of the phrase "alpha and omega" is from some old manuscripts of the Christian [[New Testament]].

The phrase "I am the Alpha and the Omega" ([[Koiné Greek]]: {{lang|grc|ἐγώ εἰμί τὸ Ἄλφα καὶ τὸ Ὦ}}), is an appellation of Jesus and of the Father in the [[Book of Revelation]] (verses 1:8, 21:6, and 22:13).{{efn|At this time, the Greek name of the letter was still {{lang|grc|'Ô' (Ὦ)}}, which is found in the earliest Greek manuscripts; the later name "omega" ({{lang|grc|Ὦ μέγα}}) is found in many later Greek manuscripts.<ref>{{cite book |first=W. Sidney |last=Allen |title=Vox Graeca |edition=third |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=1987 |orig-date=1968 |page=173 |isbn=978-0-521-33367-2 |location=Cambridge}}</ref>}} The first part of this phrase ("I am the Alpha and the Omega") is first found in chapter 1 verse 8, and is found in every [[manuscript]] of Revelation that has 1:8. Several later manuscripts repeat "I am the Alpha and the Omega" in 1:11 as well, but do not receive support here from most of the oldest manuscripts, including the Alexandrine, [[Sinaitic Palimpsest|Sinaitic]], and [[Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus]]. It is, therefore, omitted in some modern translations. Scholar Robert Young stated, with regard to "I am the Alpha and the Omega" in 1:11, the "oldest [manuscripts] omit" it.<ref>{{cite book|author=Young, Robert|title=Young's Concise Commentary on the Holy Bible|page=180|date= 1977}}</ref>

A similar reference is found in [[Isaiah 44#Verse 6|Isaiah 44]],<ref>{{bibleverse|Isaiah|44:6–8}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/InterlinearGreekEnglishSeptuagintOldTestamentPrint | page = [https://archive.org/details/InterlinearGreekEnglishSeptuagintOldTestamentPrint/page/n2431 2432] | title = Interlinear Greek English Septuagint Old Testament (LXX) | language = grc, en }}</ref> where God is said to be the first and the last. Elsewhere in the New Testament, the phrase [[I am (biblical phrase)#New Testament|"I am"]] is used several times by Jesus, particularly in the [[Gospel of John]].

==Christianity==
[[Alpha (letter)|Alpha]] (Α) and [[omega (letter)|omega]] (Ω) are the first and last letters, respectively, of the classical (Ionic) [[Greek alphabet]]. Thus, the phrase "I am the alpha and the omega" is further clarified with the additional phrase "the beginning and the end" in Revelation 21:6, 22:13, spoken by Jesus Christ to John the Divine. The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet were used because the book of Revelation is in the New Testament, which was originally written in Greek.

The phrase is interpreted by many Christians to mean that [[Jesus]] has existed for all [[eternity]] or that God is eternal. Many commentators and dictionaries ascribe the title "the alpha and the omega" to both God and to [[Christ (title)|Christ]].<ref>''The New Bible Dictionary'', edited by Alton Bryant; ''Bible Dictionary'' by Wm. Smith; and the ''International Standard Bible Encyclopedia''.</ref> ''Barnes' Notes on the New Testament'' (1974) claims: "It cannot be absolutely certain that the writer meant to refer to the Lord Jesus specifically here{{nbsp}}[...] There is no real incongruity in supposing, also, that the writer here meant to refer to God as such."<ref>''Notes on the New Testament, Explanatory and Practical'' by Albert Barnes. 1956, 1962, 1974. {{ISBN|978-0825422003}}.</ref> Most Christian denominations also teach that the title applies to God (Jesus Christ, the Father and the Holy Spirit).

The letters Alpha and Omega, in juxtaposition, are often used as a Christian visual symbol (see examples). The symbols were used in [[early Christianity]] and appear in the Roman [[catacombs]]. The letters were shown hanging from the arms of the cross in [[Early Christian art]], and some [[crux gemmata|cruces gemmatae]], jeweled crosses in precious metal, have formed letters hanging in this way, called [[pendilia]]; for example, in the [[:File:Escudo de Asturias.svg|Asturian coat of arms]], which is based upon the Asturian [[Victory Cross]]. In fact, despite always being in Greek, the letters became more common in Western than [[Eastern Orthodox]] Christian art. They are often shown to the left and right of Christ's head, sometimes within his [[halo (religious iconography)|halo]], where they take the place of the [[Christogram]] used in Orthodox art.

<gallery widths="200" heights="200">
File:Rom, Domitilla-Katakomben, Steintafel mit Inschrift, Alpha und Omega und Christussymbol Chi Rho.jpg|The [[Chi-rho]] symbol with Alpha and Omega, [[Catacombs of Rome#Catacombs of Domitilla|Catacombs of Domitilla]], [[Rome]]
File:Christ with beard.jpg|The Greek letters ''alpha'' and ''omega'' surround the [[Halo (religious iconography)|halo]] of Jesus in the catacombs of Rome from the 4th century.
File:ΑΩwindow.jpg|"ΑΩ" in stained glass
File:DE-ST 15-0-86-140 Friedensau COA.svg|Arms with Alpha and Omega
File:Flag of Asturias.svg|[[Flag of Asturias]]
</gallery>

==Judaism==
In [[Hebrew]], the word {{transliteration|he|emet}} ({{lang|he|אמת}}, meaning 'truth'), is referred to as the "[[Seal (emblem)|Seal]] of God."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Yoma 69b:7-8|url=https://www.sefaria.org/Yoma.69b.7-8|access-date=2020-11-26|website=www.sefaria.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Shabbat 55a:12|url=https://www.sefaria.org/Shabbat.55a.12|access-date=2020-11-26|website=www.sefaria.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Bereishit Rabbah 81:2|url=https://www.sefaria.org/Bereishit_Rabbah.81.2|access-date=2020-11-26|website=www.sefaria.org}}</ref> [Cf. Isaiah 44:6]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Isaiah 44:6|url=https://www.sefaria.org/Isaiah.44.6|access-date=2020-11-26|website=www.sefaria.org}}</ref> The word is composed of the first, middle, and last letters of the [[Hebrew alphabet]].

==Islam==
The [[Qur'an]] gives {{transliteration|ar|al-ʾAwwal}} ({{lang|ar|{{Script/Arabic|ٱلْأَوَّل}}}}), meaning 'The First' and {{transliteration|ar|al-ʾĀkhir}} ({{lang|ar|{{Script/Arabic|ٱلْآخِر}}}}), meaning 'The Last', as two of the [[Names of God in the Qur'an|names]] of [[God in Islam|God]] ({{qref|57|3|b=y}}).

==APL programming language==

Some dialects of the [[APL (programming language)|APL programming language]] support the [[direct function]] syntax where the left (optional) and right arguments are denoted by the letters alpha and omega. For example, the following function computes the sum of the left argument and twice the right argument:{{cn|date=February 2024}}
<syntaxhighlight lang=apl>
{⍺+2×⍵}
</syntaxhighlight>

== See also ==
*[[Alpha et Omega]] 
*[[Attributes of God in Christianity]]
*[[Chi Rho]]
*[[Christian symbolism]]
*[[Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament]]
*[[Names of God in Islam]]
*[[Names of God in Judaism]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Alpha Omega}}
*{{cite Catholic Encyclopedia |wstitle=A and Ω |volume=1 |first=Maurice M. |last=Hassett}}
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01332a.htm "Alpha and Omega (in Scripture)"] in the ''[[Catholic Encyclopedia]]'' at New Advent
*[http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/1307-alpha-and-omega "Alpha and Omega"] at the ''[[Jewish Encyclopedia]]''

{{Titles of Jesus}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alpha And Omega}}
[[Category:Biblical phrases]]
[[Category:Book of Revelation]]
[[Category:Christian symbols]]
[[Category:Christian terminology]]
[[Category:Greek words and phrases]]
[[Category:Greek letters]]
[[Category:Language and mysticism]]
[[Category:Heraldic charges]]
[[Category:Names of God in Christianity]]
[[Category:New Testament words and phrases]]
[[Category:Superlatives in religion]]