My Lord and My God

Two names. When Jesus spoke to him, Thomas answered, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). He called Jesus Lord, and he called Him God.

My. Thomas did not only say that Jesus is Lord. He said “my” twice. Jesus was his own Lord and his own God.

One God. Thomas was a Jewish man. Moses had taught God's people, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Thomas knew there is only one God.

Not a second god. So when Thomas called Jesus God, he was not naming another god. He was saying that Jesus, standing right in front of him, is the one true God, God the Son.

In the beginning. John's Gospel begins, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). The Word is Jesus. Then “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).

All of God. Paul wrote, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). Godhead means all that God is.

Bodily. Bodily means in a body. All that God is lives in Jesus, and Jesus has a real body. Thomas saw that body, with the marks of the nails.

Not a piece of God. Jesus is not partly God, as if He had only a little piece of God in Him. All the fullness of God lives in Him.

Complete in Him. The next verse says, “and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power” (Colossians 2:10). If you have Jesus, you have everything you need to know God.

A warning. Just before, Paul wrote, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men” (Colossians 2:8). Paul wanted believers to keep trusting the truth about Christ.

Lives to stay. Dwells means lives at home to stay. The fullness of God did not visit Jesus for a while and then leave. It lives in Him, and it always will.

God came close. God the Son became a man. He died on the cross for our sins, and He rose again. The hands Thomas saw were the hands of God the Son.

What this means for you. When you pray to Jesus, you are praying to God. When you trust Jesus, you are trusting the one true God. You can say with Thomas, “My Lord and my God!”

The Father speaks. Thomas called Jesus God. The Bible shows that God the Father says the same thing about His Son.

Above the angels. Hebrews 1 sets the Son far above all the angels.

O God. “But to the Son He says: ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom’” (Hebrews 1:8). The Father calls the Son God.

A forever throne. A throne is the seat of a king. Jesus' kingdom will never end. A scepter is a king's rod, and His rod is righteousness. He always rules in the right way.

Anointed with gladness. “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions” (Hebrews 1:9).

A psalm. These words come from Psalm 45, written long before Jesus was born. God had planned all along to send His Son.

Lord too. The Father also says to the Son, “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands” (Hebrews 1:10). Thomas called Jesus Lord and God, and the Father calls Him both.

Never changing. The earth and sky will grow old like clothes, but the Father says to the Son, “But You are the same, And Your years will not fail” (Hebrews 1:12).

Jesus said it too. In the temple, Jesus said, “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30).

Stones in their hands. Some of the listeners picked up stones. They said, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God” (John 10:33). Blasphemy means speaking against God.

The truth. If Jesus were only a man, those words would be wrong. But Jesus was telling the truth. He is God the Son, and He became a man.

He accepted worship. When Thomas said, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus did not correct him. He said, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed” (John 20:29). Once, after Jesus walked on the water, the disciples in the boat worshiped Him too (Matthew 14:33).

Who He is. Jesus is not one of many gods, and He is not a lesser god. He is the one true God, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

What this means for you. Jesus is the King whose throne lasts forever. He died for your sins and rose again. Bow your heart before Him, worship Him, and follow Him as your Lord and your God.