Answer: John 20: 28 reads, “And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.”

On the Sunday evening of our Lord’s resurrection, when the Apostles had gathered together except for Thomas, our Lord appeared to them. But even when the Apostles met Thomas the next day and told him how Jesus was in their midst and showed them His hands and His side, Thomas still disbelieved. He told them that if he could have the same evidence he could believe, but not otherwise.

Thomas was right in taking care so as not to be deceived in the matter, but it was wrong that he should be so lacking in faith when he had evidence from so many of the brethren whose honesty he could not doubt. But the Lord was patient and longsuffering toward Thomas, and eventually granted him the very evidence which he had said would satisfy him.

On the following Sunday, the Apostles were again gathered together, but this time Thomas was present. As before, Jesus came into their midst and immediately addressed Thomas, inviting him to come forward and have the very evidence which he declared would be necessary. Thomas promptly confessed his faith in the words, “My Lord and my God.” A literal rendering is, “the Lord of me and the God of me.”

The Hebrew word elohim means “god” or “mighty one,” and it applies to God, our Lord, the holy angels, and in one case even to men – the seventy elders of Israel, whom Moses appointed in the wilderness. Thomas recognized Jesus as not only his Lord and Master, but also as his God, or Mighty One. This does not mean, however, that Thomas supposed our Lord Jesus to be the Heavenly Father, the Almighty. It was only a few days previous in which Jesus said, “I am not yet ascended to my Father . . . I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20: 17).    

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