In the Gospel of John, the account of Thomas's encounter with the risen Jesus stands as a powerful testament to the deity of Jesus. This passage is frequently cited by Christian theologians as one of the clearest affirmations of Jesus's divine nature within the New Testament. In John 20:28, Thomas responds to seeing the resurrected Christ with the exclamation, "My Lord and my God!" This declaration is seen by many as a direct acknowledgment of Jesus's divine status.
Thomas's Confession: "My Lord and My God"
The narrative in John 20:24-29 describes how Thomas, one of the twelve disciples, was not present when Jesus first appeared to the other disciples after His resurrection. Thomas expresses skepticism, stating that he will not believe unless he can see and touch Jesus's wounds. When Jesus later appears and invites Thomas to do just that, Thomas responds with the profound declaration, "My Lord and my God!"
Many Johannine commentators regard Thomas's words as both a personal address and a theological statement. The Greek phrase is ho kyrios mou kai ho theos mou ("the Lord of me and the God of me," idiomatically "my Lord and my God"). Since John introduces the words with "Thomas answered and said to him" (John 20:28), the natural reading is that Thomas addresses Jesus, not that he utters a detached exclamation toward heaven. The nominative forms with the article can function vocatively in Greek, so the grammar does not weaken the direct-address reading. This is one of the strongest New Testament texts for the traditional Christian claim that divine status is ascribed to Jesus.
For many, this passage is among the most compelling evidence for Jesus's deity because it is a post-resurrection acknowledgment by a disciple who had refused to believe without physical confirmation. Alternative explanations sometimes proposed--for example, that Thomas was merely expressing surprise or that "Lord" refers to Jesus while "God" refers to the Father--are possible only by moving against the immediate narrative wording. A fair critique should therefore concede that the traditional reading is not a weak proof-text; it is a major piece of Johannine Christological evidence.
Jesus Refers to "My God"
However, the same chapter presents another layer of complexity regarding the understanding of Jesus's identity. In John 20:17, Jesus, speaking to Mary Magdalene, instructs her to tell the disciples, "I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." Here Jesus refers to the Father as "my God." This does not, by itself, erase Thomas's confession in verse 28, but it does require interpreters to account for a real distinction between Jesus and the one to whom Jesus ascends and whom he calls God.
This statement has been the focus of much theological reflection and discussion. Trinitarian interpreters commonly read it through incarnation and mission: the risen Jesus remains truly human and, as Son, relates to the Father as his God without ceasing to share in divine identity. Raymond E. Brown, for example, treats the verse within John's larger pattern of both exalted Christology and Father-Son distinction. Non-Trinitarian interpreters press the same wording differently, arguing that "my God" sounds like dependence on the Father rather than equality with him. The important point for an internal critique is that the verse is a real datum in the chapter, not a slogan that automatically settles the debate either way.
Thus, while Thomas's confession strongly supports a high view of Jesus, Jesus's own words in verse 17 also establish personal distinction from the Father and a relationship of obedience, sending, ascent, and worship-language directed to "my God." Whether that amounts to ontological subordination is precisely what is disputed; the text should not be made to say more than it says. The interpretive challenge is to integrate both verse 17 and verse 28 within the Johannine narrative.
Purpose of the Gospel: Belief in Jesus as the Christ
John 20:31 also matters because it states the purpose of the Gospel: "These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." This purpose statement should not be used to cancel John 20:28, but it is significant that the evangelist summarizes the intended confession in messianic and filial terms: Jesus is "the Christ" and "the Son of God." The title "Son of God" can carry very high Christological significance in John, yet it is not simply identical in wording or function to saying "Jesus is the Father" or collapsing Jesus into the God to whom he prays.
In the context of John's Gospel, the title "Son of God" is rich in meaning. It implies a unique and intimate relationship with the Father, often understood as implying divinity, yet distinct from the Father. The Gospel of John is replete with instances where Jesus's divine nature is implied or stated, yet it also consistently presents Him as the Son, who is sent by and obedient to the Father.
Scholarship has long debated how to relate these statements. Richard Bauckham, for example, argues that John includes Jesus within the unique divine identity while still distinguishing Jesus from the Father. Other scholars emphasize agency, Wisdom/Logos traditions, or messianic sonship as ways John can present Jesus with extraordinary status while preserving the Father's primacy. The debate is not over whether John has a high Christology--he plainly does--but over how that high Christology should be defined.
Integrating the Chapter's Themes
John 20 presents a rich tapestry of theological themes concerning the identity of Jesus. Thomas's confession stands as a strong affirmation of Jesus's divine nature, while Jesus's reference to "my God" and the Gospel's stated purpose invite readers to consider a multi-faceted understanding of who Jesus is.
Many Christian theologians and scholars have sought to harmonize these elements by arguing that John's Gospel deliberately presents a complex portrayal of Jesus: the Word who was with God and was God (John 1:1), the Son sent by the Father, the one who prays to the Father, and the risen Lord addressed by Thomas as "my Lord and my God." On that reading, the tension between Jesus's divine identity and his relationship with God the Father is not necessarily a contradiction; it is the set of textual data that later Trinitarian theology tries to describe coherently. A non-Trinitarian critique is strongest when it engages that synthesis directly rather than treating either John 20:17 or John 20:28 in isolation.
In conclusion, John 20 provides a profound exploration of Jesus's identity. Thomas's exclamation, "My Lord and my God," is a pivotal moment and a strong text for the deity of Jesus in John's Gospel. At the same time, the same chapter also has Jesus speak of "my Father and your Father" and "my God and your God," and it states its purpose in terms of belief that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. A careful reading should hold all of these features together: John 20:28 is powerful evidence for the traditional Christian reading, while John 20:17 and 20:31 keep the discussion anchored in the Gospel's own Father-Son framework.