John 20:28, My Lord, and my God

Many Trinitarians point to Thomas’ statement “My Lord, and my God” in John 20:28.  Let’s look at the context.

ελεγον ουν αυτω οι αλλοι μαθηται εωρακαμεν τον κυριον ο δε ειπεν αυτοις εαν μη ιδω εν ταις χερσιν αυτου τον τυπον των ηλων και βαλω τον δακτυλον μου εις τον τυπον των ηλων και βαλω μου την χειρα εις την πλευραν αυτου ου μη πιστευσω

²⁵ The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

και μεθ ημερας οκτω παλιν ησαν εσω οι μαθηται αυτου και θωμας μετ αυτων ερχεται ο ιησους των θυρων κεκλεισμενων και εστη εις το μεσον και ειπεν ειρηνη υμιν

²⁶ And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

ειτα λεγει τω θωμα φερε τον δακτυλον σου ωδε και ιδε τας χειρας μου και φερε την χειρα σου και βαλε εις την πλευραν μου και μη γινου απιστος αλλα πιστος

²⁷ Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

απεκριθη θωμας και ειπεν αυτω ο κυριος μου και ο θεος μου

²⁸ And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

λεγει αυτω [ο] ιησους οτι εωρακας με πεπιστευκας μακαριοι οι μη ιδοντες και πιστευσαντες

²⁹ Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

πολλα μεν ουν και αλλα σημεια εποιησεν ο ιησους ενωπιον των μαθητων α ουκ εστιν γεγραμμενα εν τω βιβλιω τουτω

³⁰ And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

ταυτα δε γεγραπται ινα πιστευητε οτι ιησους εστιν ο χριστος ο υιος του θεου και ινα πιστευοντες ζωην εχητε εν τω ονοματι αυτου

³¹ But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

The context is belief that Jesus is alive, not that he is God.  And the passage concludes with a declaration that it was written so that people would know that Jesus is the Christ, not that he is God.  One would think that, if Thomas was declaring Jesus to be God in the flesh, then that would be the most important thing.  Instead, the writer of John says a few verses later that this was written to convince people that Jesus is the Messiah.

So, does Thomas’ declaration actually mean that Jesus is God?

There are many other reasons to doubt that. 

First, in the Old Testament God’s human and angelic representatives are often referred to as God (Genesis 16: 7-13, Exodus 7:1, Judges 13:21-22, Psalm 82: 6).  Jesus, being a recently resurrected Messiah, certainly fits that category.

Second, Thomas did not say, “My Lord and my God”.  The original Greek records him as saying ὁ Κύριός μου καὶ ὁ Θεός μου (the Lord of me and the God of me).  This seems to indicate that Thomas was speaking of two persons and was acknowledging something Jesus taught.  

John 12:44-45,

ιησους δε εκραξεν και ειπεν ο πιστευων εις εμε ου πιστευει εις εμε αλλα εις τον πεμψαντα με

και ο θεωρων εμε θεωρει τον πεμψαντα με

“And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.”

Third, this passage seems to echo an expression found in the Old Testament. 

1 Samuel 20:12,

ויאמר יהונתן אל־דוד יהוה אלהי ישׂראל כי־אחקר את־אבי כעת מחר השׁלשׁית והנה־טוב אל־דוד ולא־אז אשׁלח אליך וגליתי את־אזנך׃

“And Jonathan said unto David, O Lord God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee”.

 Some translations add “bear witness” after “God of Israel”, but that is not in the original Hebrew.  This passage seems to indicate that Jonathan is calling David, God, just as Thomas appears to be calling Jesus, God.  However, we clearly understand that Jonathan is addressing both David and God in the same sentence.  Could this be what Thomas was doing?