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.” (NIV)
Many Trinitarians believe that this passage refers to Jesus because of the words “Alpha and Omega,” and that this makes Jesus into God. However, this verse is not in reference to Jesus, but to God the Father, so, it certainly does not make Jesus into God.
The one, “who is and who was and who is to come” is clearly identified from the context. Revelation 1:4-5 reads: “Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, AND from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.” The separation between “the one who was, is and is to come” and Christ can be clearly seen. The one “who is, and who was and who is to come” is God. This verse is made slightly more ambiguous in the KJV because the word “God” is left out of the Greek text from which the KJV was translated. Nevertheless, modern textual research shows conclusively that it should be included, and modern versions do include the word “God.”
Another reason why we know that this verse is in reference to God, and not to Christ is that the word “almighty” (pantokratōr, Strong’s #3841 παντοκράτωρ) is only used of God in scripture (2 Cor. 6:18; Rev. 4:8; 15:3; 16:7; 19:15; 21:22). He is the only “almighty” one, there is no other.
Therefore, this passage should not be used to support the Trinity.
For further information on the titles “the Alpha and the Omega,” “the Beginning and the End,” and “the First and the Last” as titles for Jesus and as titles for God, see Revelation 22:13.
Hyndman, pp. 93-95
Norton, pp. 479 and 480
Snedeker, pp. 385-389
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