Shared Titles

Start with a question If the Father is "the first and the last," and "beside me there is no God," and Jesus also says "I am the first and the last," what follows?

The problem stated plainly

In Isaiah, the LORD says it of Himself. In Revelation, Jesus says it. The Trinitarian argument is simple: a title that belongs to the LORD alone is spoken by Jesus, so Jesus is the one LORD. This is the argument most often made, and the Bible has an answer to it.

Isaiah 9:6 and the Mighty God "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6) Mighty God is El gibbor in Hebrew. The child is "born" and the son "given." The wording matches Lessons 20–22. The child is called by a title of God because He possesses the divine nature of His Father. He is the Son, and He inherits the Father's name and authority.

The Alpha and Omega Three times in Revelation, the title "Alpha and Omega" is used:

1. Revelation 1:8. "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." Notice "which is, and which was, and which is to come." Revelation 1:4 uses the same phrase for the One from whom grace comes, and then separately lists "Jesus Christ" (1:5). That points to the Father as the speaker in 1:8.
2. Revelation 21:5–7. The One "that sat upon the throne" says: "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end... He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son." This is the Father. He says "I will be his God."
3. Revelation 22:13. Jesus says: "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last."

The title is spoken by the Father (1:8; 21:6) and by Jesus (22:13).

Two ways of reading it Reading A: the Trinitarian reading. The same title is used by the Father and by Jesus. Therefore Jesus is the one LORD, sharing the exact same being as the Father. The strength of this reading is that it takes the shared titles at face value. Reading B: the reading in this course. The Father gave the Son His name and its titles. We have seen this principle established repeatedly:

1. "My name is in him" (Exodus 23:21).
2. "I am come in my Father's name" (John 5:43).
3. The Son "hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name" (Hebrews 1:4).
4. And Philippians 2: "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow... And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9–11)

Philippians 2 and Isaiah 45 Paul's words echo Isaiah 45:22–23, where the LORD says: "I am God, and there is none else... That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear." A Trinitarian says: Paul takes a statement about the LORD and applies it to Jesus, so Jesus is the LORD. Reading B says: Paul takes the statement, applies it to Jesus, and then says who gave Him this honor and for whose glory it is: "God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name... to the glory of God the Father." Both readings notice the same facts. The question is what to make of the word "given."

The ultimate test: Does the text keep them distinct? We do not need to guess how to harmonize these titles. The book of Revelation tells us exactly how it views the Father and the Son. The very same book that gives Jesus the title "Alpha and Omega" (22:13) has Him say "my God" four times in a single verse (Revelation 3:12). And the One on the throne, who also claims the title Alpha and Omega (21:6), says: "I will be his God, and he shall be my son" (21:7).

The text keeps the two distinct. The Son bears the Father's name, the Father's titles, and the Father's authority, because He is the Word, the Image, and the exact representation of the Father's person. But He is not the Father.

Put the two readings beside the whole text: “given,” “my God,” “the only true God,” “of whom… by whom.” Only one reading accounts for all of them: the Son bears the Father’s name by gift.