John 20:28

Analysis & Commentary

And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God (Ὁ Κύριός μου καὶ ὁ Θεός μου/Ho Kyrios mou kai ho Theos mou)—This is the climactic confession of John's Gospel, the fullest articulation of Christ's deity by any disciple. Thomas addresses Jesus with two supreme titles, both with the definite article and possessive pronoun, making this intensely personal worship.

Ὁ Κύριός μου (Ho Kyrios mou, "My Lord")—Κύριος (Kyrios) is the Greek equivalent of the divine name YHWH in the Septuagint. When Thomas says Κύριος, he uses the very word Greek-speaking Jews employed for God Himself. This is not "lord" as master or teacher, but LORD as Yahweh. Thomas recognizes Jesus as the covenant God of Israel.

Ὁ Θεός μου (Ho Theos mou, "My God")—Θεός (Theos) is the standard Greek word for God. With the definite article, it means THE God, not a god. Thomas doesn't merely acknowledge Jesus's divine qualities but worships Him as fully God. This directly parallels the Gospel's opening: "the Word was God" (Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος, John 1:1). What the prologue declared theologically, Thomas now confesses personally.

Critically, Jesus accepts this worship. He doesn't rebuke Thomas as angels did when wrongly worshiped (Revelation 19:10, 22:8-9). Jesus doesn't correct the confession as too extreme. Instead, He affirms it (v. 29), accepting divine worship as His rightful due. This acceptance is itself a claim to deity—only God may receive worship (Matthew 4:10). Thomas's confession is not theological error but Spirit-illuminated truth. From skeptic to worshiper, from demanding proof to declaring deity, Thomas demonstrates saving faith's trajectory: evidence encountered, truth acknowledged, Christ worshiped.

Historical Context

This confession represents a monumental shift for a monotheistic Jew. The Shema—"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD" (Deuteronomy 6:4)—was the bedrock of Jewish faith, recited daily. Jews died rather than compromise monotheism. Yet Thomas, steeped in this tradition, calls Jesus "my God" without violating monotheism. How?

The New Testament reveals progressive Trinitarian understanding: one God existing eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—distinct persons sharing one divine essence. Thomas's confession doesn't abandon monotheism but recognizes its fullness: the one God has revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ. The deity Thomas worships is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—now manifest in flesh, crucified, and risen.

This moment fulfills John's Gospel purpose statement (20:31): "that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God." Thomas believes—and his belief acknowledges not merely messiahship but deity itself. Early church councils (Nicaea 325, Chalcedon 451) would formally articulate what Thomas here confesses: Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, two natures in one person.

For persecuted Christians in John's original audience, Thomas's confession provided assurance. The one they worshiped as God truly was God—not a created being, not a demigod, but Yahweh incarnate. This grounded Christian worship, prayer, and martyrdom. Pliny the Younger (c. 112 AD) reported Christians sang hymns "to Christ as to a god." Thomas models why: Christ IS God.

Questions for Reflection

• How does Thomas's confession of Jesus as 'my God' affirm the full deity of Christ while maintaining biblical monotheism?
• What does Jesus's acceptance of Thomas's worship reveal about His own self-understanding and claims?
• How does Thomas's journey from doubt to worship encourage believers struggling with questions about Christ's identity?