Was Jesus the Alpha and Omega?
While John the apostle was in exile on the Island of Patmos, Jesus revealed to him in a vision the events that will occur in the last days. In the vision, John describes the following incredible scene:
“Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him—even those who pierced him…. I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come, the Almighty One.” (Revelation 1:7-8, NLT).
So, who is this Person who is called “the Alpha and Omega,” “the Lord God,” “the Almighty One”? We are told that he was “pierced.” Jesus is the one who was pierced on the cross.
Then John sees Jesus on a throne, judging people from every nation. “And I saw a great white throne, and I saw the one who was sitting on it. … And the one sitting on the throne said … “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End” (Revelation 20:11; 21:6).
It is the Lord Jesus Christ who reigns from the throne. Jesus had already told his disciples that he would be the final judge of men. Then, in the following verse, Jesus removes all doubt about whether he is God. As the Alpha and Omega, Jesus says, “All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children” (Revelation 21:7).
So, did Jesus claim to be God?
- He did so by calling himself, I AM.
- He did so by calling himself the Son of Man.
- He did so by calling himself the Son of God.
- He did so by forgiving sin.
- He did so by accepting worship.
- He did so by rising from the dead.
- He did so by claiming to be the Alpha and Omega.
- He did so by saying, “I will be their God.”
C. S. Lewis writes of Jesus’ uniqueness as both God and man. “What is beyond all space and time, what is uncreated, eternal, came into nature, descended into His own universe, and rose again.”9
And, his purpose was to become our Savior, making it possible for us to live eternally with God. As Packer writes, “Our Creator has become our Redeemer.”
Jesus’ claim to be God the Son needs to be understood in the context of his oneness with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 23:14; Matthew 28:19). The Bible teaches that all three persons of the Godhead are one in essence, attributes and eternal existence. The early church fathers called this unique oneness of God in three distinct persons the “Trinity.”
So, what did the apostles and early church fathers believe about Jesus’ deity? To find out, read the next article, “Did the Apostles Believe Jesus is God?”
Click here to learn about Jesus’ message to you personally in the article “Is Jesus Relevant Today?”
Did The Apostles Believe That Jesus Is God?
If Jesus is God, then we would expect his closest followers to proclaim his deity in their written testimonies. Did the apostles really believe Jesus is God?
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© 2026 JesusOnline Ministries. This article is a supplement to Y-Jesus magazine by Bright Media Foundation & B&L Publications: Larry Chapman, Chief Editor.