The interpretation I've presented and defended is that "First and Last" refers to Israel's God, Yahweh, or to God's plan (logos) for Jesus.
That is not two deities, it's one Deity with a Big Idea -- Jesus.
redleghunter: "You keep saying divine but you were presented Colossians 2:9."
But the issue there is not "Deity", it's "fullness".
And every time, without fail, I have referred you to the same "fullness" in Ephesians 3:19, which speaks of Christians' "fullness".
Plus, "fullness" appears in other verses (Ephesians 4:13, Collosians 3:10) where it refers to spiritual fullness, not one-becoming-the-other.
The fact remains that of all seven+ New Testament authors, the Trinity doctrine rests almost entirely on John's writings, and without John, there's no serious case to be made for it.
The question then remains: was John himself a real Trinitarian?
I think the case can be made and defended that he was not.
I am here to ask your forbearance and respect for those who believe the same way.
And no matter how many times you are presented the fullness of the Godhead in Colossians 2:9 is not the same as Ephesians 3:19.
Forbearance & respect...
*** You’re asking for forbearance & respect for pushing a heresy onto FR. Jesus didn’t have forbearance nor respect for false teachers, calling them “sons of satan”; so neither should we.