Alpha and Omega Symbols

“I am the Alpha and the Omega. The beginning and the end.”

This familiar Bible verse is easily understood if we know that Alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet and Omega, the last. If one said, “I am the A and the Z” in comparison to our English alphabet, the meaning is clear. I am the beginning and the end and (presumably) everything in between. The shape of Alpha is compared to a pair of compasses symbolizing God and the creator and Omega’s shape much like a torch – a fiery apocalyptic end. Alpha and Omega also have numerical value and are occasionally depicted by imagery such as an eagle and owl or day and night. Alpha and Omega is the succession of time for all that has, does or will ever exist and is believed by some, to contain the key to the universe.

Alpha and omega is Greek words that literally mean first and last. The word in most instances is used in the Bible in reference to God .However some of the critique argues that the words as used in the scriptures do not mean God. However according to the interpretations and most Christian believers, it refers to Jesus and God who are believed to be one as used in most references in the bible especially the new testament in the gospel books as Jesus said the word himself that is the first and last, meaning the beginning and the end.

The words were used in most cases by Christians to visuals symbols. According to some of the earlier Christian writings and art, “crux gemmata”, some of the early crosses were made bearing those words. In juxtaposing the two words, the Christian beliefs thought the meaning of the words to be symbols of antiquity. That is the word alpha meaning the source, therefore a sign of relief to anything that seemed difficulty as the word itself more often would not be assumed to bring happiness and hope to the faint hearted and heal dying hearts.

Omega on the hand would symbolize eternity and even immortality, as it meant the end. Therefore, when Jesus used the word, it was a sign that meant to crown the whole world. And for whatever things that seemed not comprehendible, he was the overall solution and conqueror. The words were therefore inculcated into crosses of early Greek believers as they were believed that by carrying such a cross, it would bring success, healing and solace to the hearts of Christians as well as the power and spirit of God unto them.

However, according to Clement Alexandria, one of the earliest pagan commentators of the second century, he thought that the word Alpha meant the end and the word omega the beginning. He further taught that the end became the beginning and at the same time it’s an end to itself. This was in his allusion a belief about posterity and at the same time an end to it which was very controversial to the teachings and beliefs of the Christians.

In accordance with the Judaism literature, the words Alpha and Omega were used in reference to God and truth. The two words as a result were thought to be symbols of holiness and eternity as they were meant to be in reference to Jesus and the trinity. It was however in the early Christian time that the words had great and monumental symbolism as the words were meant and more specifically in Greek to symbolize Eternity.