Bible Dictionary
Alpha
Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. Together with Omega, it signifies completeness and God’s eternal rule from beginning to end; the title is also applied to Christ in Revelation.
Definition
Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. Together with Omega, the last letter, it expresses the whole extent from beginning to end.
Biblical Usage
The paired title Alpha and Omega expresses the eternity of God and is applied in Revelation to the divine speaker and to Christ. The letters became a symbol of the eternal divinity of the Lord.
Historical Background
Both Greeks and Hebrews used letters as numerals. Alpha and Omega were also used with the cross or the Greek monogram of Christ.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Smith's Bible Dictionary
(A), the first letter of the Greek alphabet. With Omega, the last letter, it is used in the Old Testament and in the New to express the eternity of God, as including both the beginning and the end. (Revelation 1:8,11; 21:6; 22:13; Isaiah 41:4; 44:6) hence these letters became a favorite symbol of the eternal divinity of our Lord, and were used for this purpose in connection with the cross, or the monogram of Christ (i.e. the first two letters, ch and r, of Christ’s name in Greek). Both Greeks and Hebrews employed the letters of the alphabet as numerals.