MY LORD AND MY GOD

It is regrettable that Thomas is best remembered by many in the oft-repeated expression ‘doubting Thomas’. Indeed, we have to admit that there was regression in his life. This is witnessed by the fact that ‘Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came’, John 20. 24. Additionally, there was resistance in his heart, for he said, ‘Except I shall see ... I will not believe’, 20. 25. Thankfully, there was recovery. We read, ‘And after eight days again His disciples were within, and Thomas with them’, 20. 26. But, above all, we need to see that there was revelation - He said, ‘My Lord and My God’. Peter had made a similarly great statement, following a revelation from the Father, when he said, ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God’, Matt. 16.16. Thomas’ exulting expression shows us a spirit of devotion, a submission to direction, and a sense of the deity of the Lord Jesus. How great was the revelation!

Thomas was not the only one to grasp the Deity of the Christ. Indeed when Paul wrote to Titus he said, ‘Looking for the blessed hope, even the appearing of the glory of the Great God, even our Saviour, Jesus Christ’, 2.13, lit. He spoke of the Lord Jesus as the Great God. Similarly, Peter wrote, ‘Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, even of Jesus our Lord’, 2 Peter 1. 2, lit. Peter knew the Lord Jesus was God. John asserted the deity of Christ often. For example, he wrote, ‘These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him’, 12. 41. Clearly, John was referring back to Isaiah 6, where the prophet ‘saw the Lord high and lifted up’, 6.1. The quotation in the New Testament of the Old Testament passage is an unequivocal assertion of the deity of Christ.

The writer to the Hebrews shows us that the psalmist was referring to the Lord Jesus when he wrote, ‘Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre’, Ps. 45. 6, cf. Heb. 1. 8-9. Throughout the Scriptures we have clear confirmation of the deity of Christ.

How full of meaning were the words of Thomas!