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Did Jesus' Blessing of Thomas's Testimony Mean That Jesus Agreed With Thomas Calling Him God?

By
Bassam Zawadi

Christians often quote Thomas's statement in John 20:28 where he said "My Lord and My God" to Jesus when he saw him. Muslims argue back that Thomas said it out of surprise. However, Christians argue back that Jesus blessed the testimony of Thomas and therefore acknowledging that Thomas was right in calling him God. 

However, we need to read the context and see why Jesus blessed the testimony of Thomas...

John 20:24-29

²⁴Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. ²⁵So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."

²⁶A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" ²⁷Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

²⁸Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

²⁹Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

The context in no way shows that Jesus blessed the testimony of Thomas for him calling Jesus God. Now after Jesus' alleged resurrection there were some who doubted that it was him (Matthew 28:17). Apparently Thomas was one of them. He did not believe that Jesus could have resurrected from the dead. He did not even believe the disciples when they told him that they saw Jesus resurrected. So Jesus in order to make Thomas believe that it was him who actually resurrected from the dead had Thomas put his finger in his wound. 

Then after that Thomas made the exclamatory remark in verse 28, "My Lord and My God" because he finally recognized and acknowledged that it was truly Jesus that resurrected from the dead. So then Jesus blesses Thomas in verse 29 for finally realizing that it was him who resurrected from the dead. 

That is all, plain and simple. 

Why on earth would Thomas call Jesus his God anyways? What is the special thing that Jesus did to prove he was God? His resurrection? But we all believe that we are going to resurrect one day on the Day of Judgment by the will of God. Plus others resurrected...

Matthew 27:52-53

⁵²The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. ⁵³They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

Prophets of the Old Testament resurrected people from the dead by the will of God. (2 Kings 4:18-37, 1 Kings 17:17-22 etc.)

Jesus did absolutely nothing special for Thomas to even call him God, so Thomas's remark is best explained as an expression of surprise.

Sam Shamoun replied back to this article and I replied back here. 

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Most of the Bible's books and gospels were written by mysterious people!

Jesus mentioned Muhammad by the name in the Bible.

Did Isaiah 53 really prophesies about the crucifixion of Jesus? It supports Islam's claims about Jesus peace be upon him never died on the cross.  I also addressed John 19:36-37 from the Bible and proved that Jesus never got crucified, since GOD Almighty promised that he will protect Jesus' body and not let even a single bone be broken.     My question to all Christians is: How in the world is it possible for the feet to get nailed on the cross without any penetration to the bones by the nails, hence breaking part of the feet's bones?! I also added refutations to Exodus 12:46, Numbers 9:12, Zechariah 12:10 and Psalm 34:20, which supposedly prove the Christians' belief about Jesus crucifixion.  I proved that this dogma has no truth what so ever and exposed the wrong Trinitarian English translation of Zechariah 12:10.

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