Alpha & Omega / Aleph & Tav / First & Last

by AlphaOmega 19 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • AlphaOmega
    AlphaOmega

    Does anyone know anymore about this and whether it has been specifically mentioned in the JW literature ?

    As we all know, the FIRST and LAST letters of the Greek alphabet are ALPHA and OMEGA...

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    The FIRST and LAST letters of the Hebrew alphabet are ALEPH and TAV

    alt

    In Genesis 1:1, the first and last letter of the Hebrew alphabet appear without translation right before the word "God"... it seems as if this reads the same as when JWs say "Jehovah God", as if the Tav Aleph is a name.

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    The Watchtower Library has this to say about those letters :

    ***

    Rbi8Revelation***

    Or, "the A and the Z." Gr., t

    ?` ? ??fa ?a ?` t ?` ? O (toAl´phakaitoO[·me´ga]), the first and last letters of the Gr. alphabet; Sy hJ22, "the Aleph and the Taw."

    See App 1D.

    It is well known that there is a bit of contradiction in the Watchtower literature as to the identity of the "Alpha and the Omega",

    Awake! 1978 August 22 p.28 Who Is "the Alpha and the Omega"?

    Finally, at Revelation 22:12, 13, we read: "Look! I am coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me, to render to each one as his work is. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." This quotation appears among others that are ascribed to an angel and to Jesus Christ. Before these words are quoted in the book of Revelation, the angel who was instrumental in presenting the revelation to the apostle John spoke. (Rev. 22:8, 9) Then, after the quotation that begins with Revelation 22:12 and ends with the words of verse 15, we find the statement: "I, Jesus, sent my angel." (Rev. 22:16) Since the context does not necessitate our attributing the words of Revelation 22:12, 13 either to the angel or to Jesus, they could have originated with another speaker. Consistent with the rest of the book of Revelation, "the Alpha and the Omega" must be the Almighty God. He is the One who comes in the capacity of a judge to reward and to punish individuals according to their works.

    [Emphasis Added]

    Watchtower 1978 October 1 p.15 "Keep on the Watch"

    6 Also, in his final revelation concerning "the things that must shortly take place," Jesus again stresses the suddenness with which he comes:

    "I am coming to you quickly . . . I am coming quickly. Keep on holding fast what you have."-Rev. 2:16; 3:11.

    "Look! I am coming quickly. . . . Look! I am coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me. . . . Yes; I am coming quickly." (Rev. 22:7,12, 20)

    In response to these last expressions of our Master, surely each one of us joins with the apostle John in saying: "Amen! Come, Lord Jesus."

    [Emphasis Added]

    Isaiah 44:6 states that God / Jehovah / Yahweh is the "First and the Last"

    According to the Watchtower, Jesus is also the "First and The Last"

    ***

    rechap.8pp.37-38par.1StrivingtoBeConquerors***

    "And

    totheangelofthecongregationinSmyrnawrite:Thesearethethingsthathesays,‘theFirstandtheLast,’whobecamedeadandcametolifeagain."(Revelation2:8) By stating this to those Christians in Smyrna, Jesus reminds them that he was the first integrity keeper that Jehovah directly resurrected to immortal spirit life and the last to be so raised. Jesus himself would resurrect all other anointed Christians. He is thus well qualified to give counsel to his brothers, who hope to share immortal heavenly life with him.

    Does the information about the Hebrew "Aleph and Taw" add any weight to the fact that they be "one" ?

  • BurnTheShips
    BurnTheShips

    That is a fascinating FIND AO! I am bookmarking this thread.

    Does the information about the Hebrew "Aleph and Taw" add any weight to the fact that they be "one" ?

    It certainly does to me.

  • Leolaia
    Leolaia

    In Hebrew, 't simply marks the object of the preceding verb (along with other sundry uses). In this passage, it has nothing to do with the subject, God.

  • AlphaOmega
    AlphaOmega
    In Hebrew, 't simply marks the object of the preceding verb (along with other sundry uses). In this passage, it has nothing to do with the subject, God.

    Am I right in thinking that 't = taw / tav ? If that is the case, then why is the aleph there ? Even if it is just a gramatical anomaly - it is quite a coincidence isn't it ?

  • Leolaia
    Leolaia

    No, 't includes both consonants. The word is pronounced 'et. It's a grammatical particle marking the accusative.

    What is it supposed to be a coincidence of??? It would be there if the sentence read "Paris Hilton created the heavens and the earth" or if it read "God ate the heavens and the earth". Why should it be surprising at all? It's like being surprised to see the first word of a sentence being capitalized.

  • AlphaOmega
    AlphaOmega

    It's a coincidence because the Bible alleges that God says that he is "The First and the Last".

    Jesus is described as being the Alpha and Omega.

    Then these two letters which happen to be the first and last letters (like Alpha and Omega) are glued into the text next to the word "God" .

    I would be surprised if Paris Hilton created the Heavens and the Earth - but not for grammatical reasons

  • Leolaia
    Leolaia
    It's a coincidence because the Bible alleges that God says that he is "The First and the Last". Jesus is described as being the Alpha and Omega. Then these two letters which happen to be the first and last letters (like Alpha and Omega) are glued into the text next to the word "God" .

    Again, the particle is not "glued into the text"; maybe it looks that way to someone who doesn't know Hebrew, but it is just a prosaic bit of grammar like the plural -s in English or -ed for past tense. Using this same logic, Satan would have to be the Alpha and the Omega (Job 1:7). He is marked the same way with the same word that God is in Genesis 1:1. Or maybe Balaam's donkey is the Alpha and the Omega (Numbers 22:27)? Or King Solomon is indicated as being the Alpha and the Omega (1 Kings 2:27)? Or almost anyone from the OT who acted towards an object in a way that requires a transitive verb with 'et. That terms for God occur with 'et in the OT is not at all remarkable because God is presented as an agent of verbal action. Of course God does stuff in the Bible. God creates things, replies to people, brings storm and fire, etc. etc. But guess what? Moses also does stuff. He stretches forth his hand, breaks the tablets of the ten commandments, wrote things down, etc. And guess what? King David does stuff too! And so does Jonah! And so does Jeremiah!! That 'et occurs is only indicative that a noun is an object of a transitive verb.

    If God were the only subject in the OT that has its verbal objects is marked by 'et, then that would be a striking coincidence. But to single out the former from all other subjects in the OT that have their objects marked by 'et is just special pleading.

  • AlphaOmega
    AlphaOmega

    I wasn't aware that this applied to other "beings" in the OT.

    I was looking for further information, hence the post. Thank you

  • BurnTheShips
    BurnTheShips

    Thanks Leo.

    It seemed interesting for a while.

    And AO-sharp eyes to catch it!

  • AlphaOmega
    AlphaOmega

    Maybe this thread should become, "Using Dodgy Hebrew Grammar to shake a JW's Belief System - is it ethical ?"

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