>>But note that Yahweh didn't say "I was dead but am now alive."
>>One can be "first and last" in more ways than one.
Yes. Thank-you for that insightful observation. 99% of the challenges to so-called contractions in scripture are based upon inadequate understanding of Biblical style or translation issues.
In this case, therefore, if we presume that God and Jesus are Father and Son and yet are both the "first and last", then that would suggest they share this "first and last" definition INDIVIDUALLY. But what could it mean? It sounds so grandiose in English, especially when they don't really have a good understanding of it and they say the "alpha" and the "omega" in English instead of the correct translation which would be the "A" and "Z".
ACTUAL EXPLANATION: So what does it mean when you're the A and Z of something, or the "beginning and end" of something? Simply that you're unique! Can that be said of Yahweh and Yeshua? YES! That's because God is unique being the only being not to have a beginning or an end, to be from everlastsing to everlasting. And Jesus is unique since he is the only creature directly created by God. He's the "only-begotton" son. So as far as spirit beings/creatures go, God is unique and Jesus is unique. They are the beginning and end of their "kind" or category.
So the designation of being the "alpha and omega" in the context of that culture would simply indicate that you were unique, the beginning and end of your kind which is equally applicable to both the Creator and the first-born son.
So again, Mr. Joseph Alward's problem comes from lack of insight and imagination. He sees a corner when really there is a beautiful curve.
But he's fun because he gets comments on various Bible topics which aren't brought up much. So I hope he keeps posting Biblical "errancy" issues which he probably just gets out of some book which came up with a lot of ill-applied errors to distract the unlearned.
Thanks Joseph!
LG
