Thomas, famous for doubting the resurrection looks on the Risen Jesus and exclaims
\"my Lord and my God!\"
Now, this might be persuasive evidence that Jesus is called God (Greek theos) but let us just examine the context. Just a few verses earlier in John 20:17, the risen Jesus had met Mary Magdalene and told her to inform the disciples that \"he was ascending to my Father and your Father; and to my God and your God.\"
What that means is the Father in John\'s gospel just is God! He is Jesus\' God but he is also Mary\'s God and the disciples\' God.
If you asked Jesus \"who was God?\" He would say the Father! He definitely would not say \"well it is actually three of us, father, son and spirit.\"
So that should make us question what Thomas meant. But also in the verses immediately after, John states the purpose of his gospel: So that it was written so that you may believe that Jesus is not God! But the Son of God and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:31).
So sandwiched between these affirmations of Jesus being distinct from God who is the Father and Jesus being not God but the Son of God we have Thomas exclaiming \"my Lord and my God\"
(John 20:28).
So how should we understand this? Not long before his death Jesus explained to his disciples \'Whoever has seen me has seen the Father\'
(John 14:8-11). If you look on Jesus, he displays his Father, he displays his God through his (Jesus\') words and actions and behavior.
Therefore, Thomas finally gets it! It is a wonderful moment in the narrative of John\'s gospel when Jesus is finally and fully understood through John Chapter 20: Mary Magdalene, the ten disciples and finally Thomas with his declaration and realization that Jesus, his Lord, is the way to God and Jesus his Lord, is the ultimate representative and agent of God;
\'my Lord who has shown me, my God\'.
Thomas, therefore, acknowledges both!
It is a perfect moment before the gospel writer John signs off and turns to the reader. Therefore, the question for us, the readers, is this:
Dear Reader, having read John\'s gospel and being introduced to Jesus who shows us God\'s
love and God\'s character, do you believe that Jesus is the son of God and that by by believing in him we can have life in his name?
