The Enthroned One speaks to John (Revelation 21:6): “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.” It’s a little theology proper.
For starters, there’s the Greek version of God’s name – ego eimi, I am, translating the Hebrew ‘ehyeh (Exodus 3:14; LXX has ego eimi), the root of the name Yahweh. The One on the throne is the God of Israel, the God of exodus and second exodus and, finally, the third exodus of the saints from Babylon the harlot city. John is in the wilderness (cf. 17:3), a new Moses to whom God reveals a new name.
As so often in the New Testament, the name of the God of Israel is unfolded Triunely. The One who identifies Himself as ego eimi is also Alpha and Omega, arche and telos. The singular name is elaborated as a triple name, and the triple name is the name of the Triune God. As Father, God is ego eimi; as the Word, God is the first and last letter of the world’s alphabet; as Spirit, God is the creative source of the beginning and all beginnings, the headsprings from which everything flows, the end toward which everything flows, the power that ensures that all flows from source to destination. In short:
I am = Father.
Alpha and Omega = Son.
Beginning and End = Spirit.
And we could no doubt tease out personal particularities of each person from these names.
A triple name, and each name is doubled. The last two are doubled as first and last, the Son the first and last word, the Spirit the first and last of time. Son and Spirit stretch out like a tabernacle housing language and time. The Father’s “I am” seems more static, fixed in place, the tent peg that grounds the curtains. Three names, each doubled, makes six, the number of the creation week, all coming from the Enthroned One who sits in permanent Sabbath. This God is God of the creatures of all six days, all of which flow from the Sabbath end that God has always already achieved.
Taking note of the numerology leads to this: There are twelve words in the Greek sentence: ego eimi to Alpha kai to O he arche kai to telos. This God is the God of the six-fold creation; also the God of the twelve-fold Israel. Like the name “God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” this name incorporates Israel into God’s identity. There is no God except the God who is God of Israel, the God who has lent His name to His people and taken their twelvefoldness as His own. (Yes, you’re hearing echoes of Jenson.)
The second clause of the verse also has twelve words: ego to dipsonti doso ek tes peges tou hudatos tes zoes dorean. This statement too points of Israel, the people to whom God gives the water of life, also in the wilderness; the flock that the divine Shepherd leads beside streams of water.
And this too is an aspect of God’s identity. The ego that begins the second clause reverberates back to the ego eimi at the beginning of the first clause. The “I” who gives is the “I am.” The God who is is the God who gives. There is no God except the God who freely gives living water to the thirsty. His generosity to the thirsty creation is taken up into His name. (Jenson re-echoes.)
We can press the point. Both clauses of Revelation 21:6 begin with ego; both have twelve words. The two verses function like a bicolon verse of a Psalm, and they run in parallel. Thus:
I am = I give = Father.
Alpha and Omega = Spring = Son/Word.
Beginning and end = water of life = Spirit.
The Father who is is the Father who gives; for the Father, to be is to give. The Son who is Word is also Spring; the Son receives from the giving Father to have life in Himself. As spring, the Son is supplemented by the living water of the Spirit.
Revelation 21:6: A mini theology proper.
Peter J. Leithart is President of Theopolis.