John heard Jesus describe himself with these words in Revelation 1:18. The reference is to the actual events of Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Jesus truly died, like anyone else who was crucified, and that tragic reality definitely pointed up Jesus’ humanity. But Jesus “came to life” again on Easter, never to die again (as the wording of the Greek makes clear). He now owns Death as his servant and is master of life also. Both these names have a bearing on what Jesus will say next to this church.
8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.