FABRICATIONS · INTERPOLATION
I am Alpha and Omega Addition
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book...
This phrase is absent in earlier manuscripts like Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus, which is why the NIV and ESV omit it. The addition enhances the portrayal of Christ’s divine stature. Its absence in earlier manuscripts shows the text was not fixed. This represents another instance where scribes shaped the narrative, reinforcing the view that the Bible’s integrity was not preserved as claimed.
THE CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
This phrase is consistent with Revelation’s Christology. They believe scribes clarified what was implied: Jesus’ divine attributes. This does not invent new theology but confirms known truths, rendering the addition a benign clarification.
THE ISLAMIC POSITION
Any doctrinal tampering, even if fitting the text’s theme, is evidence of scribal influence. If scribes felt free to assert Christ’s divinity more explicitly, how can one trust other core doctrines? This undermines the credibility of claims to an unaltered biblical revelation.
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I am Alpha and Omega Addition