My Lord and my God!, Trinity Debunked in John 20:28|Page 1
Let's go to the Gospel of John chapter 20. We're going to be exploring another deity of Christ text and one such text is the infamous Joh 20:28. Let's turn there guess it's so popular that many of us don't even have to read it we already know what it says, but let's read it anyway. Thomas answered and said to him speaking to Jesus “my Lord and my God”, now those who embrace Jesus as God used this text as proof text, it's probably the strongest text by far I think in the scripture that people will use to substantiate the claim that Jesus is God. Thomas clearly said “my Lord and my God”, he's in dialog with Jesus and whatever the context happens to be here inspired Thomas so much that he uttered the terms my Lord and my God. Many people will use this as proof that Jesus is deity, He is the Almighty God He is the supreme eternal God. This is what we're going to explore and if this is case and what Thomas meant by it. Let's begin by looking at the context, go to verse 24. Thomas one of the twelve called Didymus was not with the disciples when Jesus came. The other disciples were saying to Thomas, we have seen the Lord but he said to him well unless I see his hands the imprint of the nails and put my finger into the place of the nails and put my hand into his side I will not believe. Now after eight days Jesus disciples were again inside and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut and stood in their midst and He said to them peace be with you. Then he said to Thomas reach here with your finger and see my hands reach here with your hand and put it into my side and do not be unbelieving but believing.
The whole context happens to be here about the resurrection of Jesus and you see Thomas was a disciple of Jesus, he had followed him throughout his ministry journey around Israel and unfortunately Thomas along with the other disciples had the terrible experience of seeing Jesus been crucified. Just think the man that was with you, teaching you, ministering to disciple, and telling them who He is claiming to be, I am Messiah, I am The Anointed, I'm the Christ. This must have been good I guess in the Hebrew mind something they would say “wow it's all coming to pass” what we read in the Old Testament is coming to pass through this man, making high claims of himself. Finally this man is taken away and put to the cross and killed. Was He an phony was He a fake? were we lied to, is this the end. Yet we know the story Jesus was raised from the dead witness by the disciples. Thomas wasn't there yet the disciples were there and they said said to him, we've seen Him and he's alive. Thomas had an issue with faith at this point, he said, no I don't believe it unless I see I will not believe, you saw him really I doubt it. It is in essence what Thomas was trying to say. Many trinitarians are like Thomas, they will not believed the word of God that He said may times that He is just on, one person. Unless He himself appears to them and reveal Himself then only they will believe.
The context is about the resurrection of Jesus and the issue in the text is about trying to deal with is Thomas's unbelief. The reality of a risen Jesus is true, the disciples were eyewitnesses at this point. Peter and John those who had seen it, they're telling Thomas we've seen him with our own eyes, we are witnesses. We're giving you a reporter you couldn't believe it. Thomas says I need to see it with my own eyes. But Thomas issue at this point is “seeing is believing” seeing what? Jesus alive. Jesus appears again in their midst, and the first thing He does is when He appears again in the room he immediately goes to confront Thomas and deal with his unbelief with his death. He says let's deal with this right now once and for all come and touch me, put your fingers into the wounds let me show you once and for all that I am alive, let me deal with your unbelief. and he did because Thomas saw it and this ignited his faith, it smashed his doubt and unbelief. And then in verse 28 Thomas makes the remark. Whatever Thomas saw there at that point, he then gives the response that has been for centuries upon centuries upon centuries the center of controversy. What did Thomas mean when he added those words “my Lord and my God”.
This is what we're going to look at, what did the resurrection of Jesus provoking Thomas to believe?What was it? well in order to answer that question we have to look at other New Testament texts that speak of the resurrection of Jesus, and see what others who were eyewitnesses to the resurrection of Jesus understood. Acts chapter 10, let us explore briefly the resurrection of Jesus this monumental event, because many saw it many were eyewitnesses. How did they understand this event, how did they perceive Jesus this man from Nazareth, what does the resurrection prove? Act 10:39 and this is Peter preaching, look what he said. We are witnesses of all the things he did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, they also put him to death by hanging him on a cross. God raised him up on the third day and granted that he become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is to us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. This is true and that is a fact, that is Peter saying, He ordered us to preach to the people and solemnly to testify that this is the one who has been appointed by God a judge of living and the dead. Take note of the words of Peter. How did Peter understand the resurrection of Jesus? Look at some of the words in verse Act 10:40-42, God raised Jesus up verse 42, it says here He has been appointed by God as judge.
The first thing I want to draw your attention to is. It says God resurrected Jesus, don't say the Father resurrected Jesus, it is God. This is in order to show us that God cannot mean the trinity if Jesus is outside of that equation when it says God. We know it means the Father but here the language is explicit. It doesn't say the Father and so we can distinguish between two persons within a triune Godhead it doesn't mean that here. For trinitarians when you say God, that means 3 persons in one substance. It says God raised Jesus from the dead. One person is raising up another person. Unfortunately in evangelical world terms like “Theos or Elohim” mean the Trinity. We have a paradox here, we understand here God raised Jesus God, appointed Jesus to be a judged. God which means that Jesus is outside of that equation called God. The trinitarians would want us to believed that God raised up God Jesus and appointed God Jesus to be the judge. Let's understand one thing, what did the resurrection prove within Peter's heart? That God has made Jesus judge this man is the judge. If you go to Act 17:30-31 Paul confirms this. Paul is in agreement with Peter on this and he explains a little bit more about this function in Act 17:30. Paul is preaching in Athens and he says in verse 30 Acts chapter 17, therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance God is now declaring that all people everywhere should repent because he has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has appointed having furnished proof to all men by raising him from the dead.
Paul agrees with Peter, the event of the resurrection proves it, as it proved in Peter and in Paul's heart that this man whom God raised this man , God will judge the world through this man. The resurrection of Jesus proves that God has decreed and bestowed upon this man to be the judge of the whole world and the scripture says this man. Please go with me to Rom1:1-4 you'll notice again Paul in the epistle say to the Romans. Paul a bond servant of Christ Jesus call as an apostle set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through the prophets in the holy scriptures, concerning His Son who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God, whipped up by the resurrection from the dead. Notice that Paul opening statement of his epistle, he is trying to teach his audience about who Jesus is, it says, look the promise of the coming one concerning Jesus, concerning God's son and we know that Jesus is the literal son of God by virginal beginning within Mary and Mary is a descendant of David. Yet Paul says this man was proved to be the Son of God, by what? by virtue of the resurrection of the dead. To Paul because of the resurrection, he accept this man is indeed the son of God. What does that term mean Son of God? well it tell you what it doesn't mean, God the Son. Son of God in Hebrew mind means something extremely profound.
2Sam 7:12-7 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his Kingdom. 13, He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his Kingdom for ever. 14, I will be his father, and he shall be my son. (This is a prophecy about Jesus, He did not exist yet, but when the time comes, He will be anointed by His Father) If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: God would enter into with his designated Kings a father-son relationship and that messianic title is clarified in the New Testament. Joh 1:49 Nathanael's explanation of Jesus in Joh 1:49 “Rabbi you are the son of God you're the King of Israel” he connects son of God to the King of Israel. When Nathanael said that to Jesus He knew what he was saying, the title “son of God means King of Israel” What God started through David, the Royal covenant that He made through David and it carried through to Solomon and all of the other successive Kings in each generation, but sadly all of them died. Did God promised David that his throne and his Kingdom shall endure forever. Every descendant of his would rule for a period of time some were righteous some were evil but nevertheless, unfortunately they all died.
The whole context happens to be here about the resurrection of Jesus and you see Thomas was a disciple of Jesus, he had followed him throughout his ministry journey around Israel and unfortunately Thomas along with the other disciples had the terrible experience of seeing Jesus been crucified. Just think the man that was with you, teaching you, ministering to disciple, and telling them who He is claiming to be, I am Messiah, I am The Anointed, I'm the Christ. This must have been good I guess in the Hebrew mind something they would say “wow it's all coming to pass” what we read in the Old Testament is coming to pass through this man, making high claims of himself. Finally this man is taken away and put to the cross and killed. Was He an phony was He a fake? were we lied to, is this the end. Yet we know the story Jesus was raised from the dead witness by the disciples. Thomas wasn't there yet the disciples were there and they said said to him, we've seen Him and he's alive. Thomas had an issue with faith at this point, he said, no I don't believe it unless I see I will not believe, you saw him really I doubt it. It is in essence what Thomas was trying to say. Many trinitarians are like Thomas, they will not believed the word of God that He said may times that He is just on, one person. Unless He himself appears to them and reveal Himself then only they will believe.
The context is about the resurrection of Jesus and the issue in the text is about trying to deal with is Thomas's unbelief. The reality of a risen Jesus is true, the disciples were eyewitnesses at this point. Peter and John those who had seen it, they're telling Thomas we've seen him with our own eyes, we are witnesses. We're giving you a reporter you couldn't believe it. Thomas says I need to see it with my own eyes. But Thomas issue at this point is “seeing is believing” seeing what? Jesus alive. Jesus appears again in their midst, and the first thing He does is when He appears again in the room he immediately goes to confront Thomas and deal with his unbelief with his death. He says let's deal with this right now once and for all come and touch me, put your fingers into the wounds let me show you once and for all that I am alive, let me deal with your unbelief. and he did because Thomas saw it and this ignited his faith, it smashed his doubt and unbelief. And then in verse 28 Thomas makes the remark. Whatever Thomas saw there at that point, he then gives the response that has been for centuries upon centuries upon centuries the center of controversy. What did Thomas mean when he added those words “my Lord and my God”.
This is what we're going to look at, what did the resurrection of Jesus provoking Thomas to believe?What was it? well in order to answer that question we have to look at other New Testament texts that speak of the resurrection of Jesus, and see what others who were eyewitnesses to the resurrection of Jesus understood. Acts chapter 10, let us explore briefly the resurrection of Jesus this monumental event, because many saw it many were eyewitnesses. How did they understand this event, how did they perceive Jesus this man from Nazareth, what does the resurrection prove? Act 10:39 and this is Peter preaching, look what he said. We are witnesses of all the things he did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, they also put him to death by hanging him on a cross. God raised him up on the third day and granted that he become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is to us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. This is true and that is a fact, that is Peter saying, He ordered us to preach to the people and solemnly to testify that this is the one who has been appointed by God a judge of living and the dead. Take note of the words of Peter. How did Peter understand the resurrection of Jesus? Look at some of the words in verse Act 10:40-42, God raised Jesus up verse 42, it says here He has been appointed by God as judge.
The first thing I want to draw your attention to is. It says God resurrected Jesus, don't say the Father resurrected Jesus, it is God. This is in order to show us that God cannot mean the trinity if Jesus is outside of that equation when it says God. We know it means the Father but here the language is explicit. It doesn't say the Father and so we can distinguish between two persons within a triune Godhead it doesn't mean that here. For trinitarians when you say God, that means 3 persons in one substance. It says God raised Jesus from the dead. One person is raising up another person. Unfortunately in evangelical world terms like “Theos or Elohim” mean the Trinity. We have a paradox here, we understand here God raised Jesus God, appointed Jesus to be a judged. God which means that Jesus is outside of that equation called God. The trinitarians would want us to believed that God raised up God Jesus and appointed God Jesus to be the judge. Let's understand one thing, what did the resurrection prove within Peter's heart? That God has made Jesus judge this man is the judge. If you go to Act 17:30-31 Paul confirms this. Paul is in agreement with Peter on this and he explains a little bit more about this function in Act 17:30. Paul is preaching in Athens and he says in verse 30 Acts chapter 17, therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance God is now declaring that all people everywhere should repent because he has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has appointed having furnished proof to all men by raising him from the dead.
Paul agrees with Peter, the event of the resurrection proves it, as it proved in Peter and in Paul's heart that this man whom God raised this man , God will judge the world through this man. The resurrection of Jesus proves that God has decreed and bestowed upon this man to be the judge of the whole world and the scripture says this man. Please go with me to Rom1:1-4 you'll notice again Paul in the epistle say to the Romans. Paul a bond servant of Christ Jesus call as an apostle set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through the prophets in the holy scriptures, concerning His Son who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God, whipped up by the resurrection from the dead. Notice that Paul opening statement of his epistle, he is trying to teach his audience about who Jesus is, it says, look the promise of the coming one concerning Jesus, concerning God's son and we know that Jesus is the literal son of God by virginal beginning within Mary and Mary is a descendant of David. Yet Paul says this man was proved to be the Son of God, by what? by virtue of the resurrection of the dead. To Paul because of the resurrection, he accept this man is indeed the son of God. What does that term mean Son of God? well it tell you what it doesn't mean, God the Son. Son of God in Hebrew mind means something extremely profound.
2Sam 7:12-7 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his Kingdom. 13, He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his Kingdom for ever. 14, I will be his father, and he shall be my son. (This is a prophecy about Jesus, He did not exist yet, but when the time comes, He will be anointed by His Father) If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: God would enter into with his designated Kings a father-son relationship and that messianic title is clarified in the New Testament. Joh 1:49 Nathanael's explanation of Jesus in Joh 1:49 “Rabbi you are the son of God you're the King of Israel” he connects son of God to the King of Israel. When Nathanael said that to Jesus He knew what he was saying, the title “son of God means King of Israel” What God started through David, the Royal covenant that He made through David and it carried through to Solomon and all of the other successive Kings in each generation, but sadly all of them died. Did God promised David that his throne and his Kingdom shall endure forever. Every descendant of his would rule for a period of time some were righteous some were evil but nevertheless, unfortunately they all died.
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