Here’s another verse that people often think can only mean that Jesus was God and the apostles confessed him to be God. However, yet again, there are many problems with that interpretation. Here is the verse:

“²⁷Then he said to Thomas, ‘Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.’ ²⁸Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ ²⁹Jesus said to him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed’.” (John 20:27–29)

Proof Texted Scripture	False Dilemma “Concluded” from Proof Text	Scripture Negating the False Dilemma / Conclusion
John 20:28 “My Lord and my God!”	This can only mean that Thomas confessed Jesus to be “true God” incarnate	John 8:16 “I am not alone, but I am with the Father” See also, John 8:29; John 16:32; John 5:37; John 20:17; Luke 24:39; John 20:27; John 20:31

This time we’re going to take another approach to addressing whether this verse supports either the Trinitarian or the Onenessian version of Jesus. And we’ll do that with a sample of how a disagreement with a Onenessian on their view of Jesus would go. Although embellished upon slightly, this is based on an actual conversation…

Characters: “Son of God Believer” and “Oneness Believer”

Oneness Believer says,

“Thomas’ confession at John 20:28 can ‘only’ mean that Thomas confessed Jesus to be the one true God incarnate as a man in a dual natured individual.”

Son of God Believer says,

“You’re not reading that in context. Where did the disciples name, proclaim, confess, AND explain that Jesus is the one true God incarnated into a dual natured individual named Jesus?”

Oneness Believer replies,

“So, you’re saying Thomas didn’t say to Jesus, “my Lord and my God”?

Son of God Believer replies,

“I didn’t say that. I said you aren’t reading Thomas’ words in context. Here is the context in which Thomas made that statement:

“Even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me.” (John 8:16)

“He who sent me is with me. The Father hasn’t left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” (John 8:29)

“You will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.” (John 16:32)

“The Father himself, who sent me, has testified about me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form.” (John 5:37)

“Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I tell you, I speak not from myself; but the Father who lives in me does his works.” (John 14:10)

“This is what Jesus had been teaching the apostles, and they believed him. Now let’s look at the immediate context of John 20…

“Jesus had said, in verse 17, “I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to MY BRETHREN, and tell them, I ascend unto MY FATHER AND YOUR FATHER AND MY GOD AND YOUR GOD.”

“Is your “God” your brother? Or did Jesus lie?

“Did your God Jesus go to his God and our God and his Father and our Father, or are we to believe Jesus lied, and believe your claim, instead, that he IS the God he said he hadn’t ascended to?

“Then in verse 21, Jesus told them, “even as the Father hath sent me, I also send you.” So, do we believe Jesus, or do we believe you that claims Jesus is the God who sent him which would completely undermine what he said about him sending us because that would mean we could send ourselves and pretend it was someone else who sent us? Do you want God to be the one who sent himself so you can be your own God like you claim of Jesus that he was his own God?

“As shown above, Jesus, throughout the book of John, had been telling them “I am not alone”.

“Now, if Thomas really believed Jesus was “not alone,” it would be perfectly fitting upon seeing Jesus for Thomas to recognize that where Jesus was, there God also was. The key, then, again, is in not jumping to conclusions like the devil does, but in hearing the rest of the Scriptures on the topic.

“Jesus had also told them, “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I MYSELF: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” (Luke 24:39)

“Back to the context of Thomas’ statement…

“²⁷Then he said to Thomas, ‘Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.’ (John 20:27)

“In THIS CONTEXT…

“²⁸Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ ²⁹Jesus said to him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed’.” (John 20:27–29)

“After which, John the author explained for us the conclusion we are supposed to draw from his writings…

“…these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31)

“So, again, where in the Bible does it name, proclaim, confess AND explain that Jesus is the one true God incarnated into a dual natured individual named Jesus like you claim it means?”

Oneness Believer replies,

“So, you’re saying you don’t believe Thomas when he said to Jesus, “my Lord and my God”?

Son of God Believer responds,

“No, that is NOT what I said at all. I said you need to learn to hear what Thomas “meant” not just what you can “conclude” by jumping to conclusions and creating false dilemmas that aren’t explained that way in the Bible, but which conclusions DO negate what the Bible teaches.

“Here, let me demonstrate what reading Thomas’ words in context looks like:

“Jesus said, “I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me.” (John 8:16)

“Jesus said, “He who sent me is with me. The Father hasn’t left me alone…” (John 8:29)

“Jesus said, “I am not alone, because the Father is with me.” (John 16:32)

“Jesus said, “The Father himself, who sent me, has testified about me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form.” (John 5:37)

Jesus said, “…I am in the Father, and the Father in me… The words that I tell you, I speak not from myself; but the Father who lives in me does his works.” (John 14:10)

“Jesus said, “I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to MY BRETHREN, and tell them, I ascend unto MY FATHER AND YOUR FATHER AND MY GOD AND YOUR GOD.” (John 20:17)

“Jesus said, “even as the Father hath sent me, I also send you.” (John 20:21)

“Jesus said, “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I MYSELF: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” (Luke 24:39)

“²⁷Then he said to Thomas, ‘Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.’ (John 20:27)

“In THIS CONTEXT…

“²⁸Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ ²⁹Jesus said to him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed’.” (John 20:27–29)

“After which, John the author explained for us the conclusion we are supposed to draw from his writings…

“…these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31)”

To which Oneness Believer replies:

“Scratch this: “I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me.” (John 8:16)

“Scratch this: “He who sent me is with me. The Father hasn’t left me alone…” (John 8:29)

“Scratch this: “I am not alone, because the Father is with me.” (John 16:32)

“Scratch this: “The Father himself, who sent me, has testified about me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form.” (John 5:37)

“Scratch this: “…I am in the Father, and the Father in me… The words that I tell you, I speak not from myself; but the Father who lives in me does his works.” (John 14:10)

“Scratch this: “I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to MY BRETHREN, and tell them, I ascend unto MY FATHER AND YOUR FATHER AND MY GOD AND YOUR GOD.” (John 20:17)

“Scratch this: “even as the Father hath sent me, I also send you.” (John 20:21)

“Scratch this: “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I MYSELF: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” (Luke 24:39)

“Scratch this: “²⁷Then he said to Thomas, ‘Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.’ (John 20:27)

“Only read this… “²⁸Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ ²⁹Jesus said to him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed’.” (John 20:27–29)

“And scratch this: “…these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31)

“So, Mr. Son of God Believer, you’re just jumping all over the place and you’re not addressing what Thomas said in John 20:28. So you’re saying you don’t believe what Thomas said!”

Son of God Believer: {face plant} 

“No, I’m telling you I don’t believe your jumped to conclusion of what Thomas meant. For that I read what the disciples explained they meant and what the context was in which Thomas made that statement.”

To which Oneness Believer concludes,

“You obviously don’t know what you’re talking about.”

So, Son of God Believer says,

“Goodbye.”

The End.

If you can’t see, that in order to impose their “Oneness jumped to, false dilemma conclusion” on Thomas’s words, and how that Oneness false dilemma interpretation negates literally ALL of the clear explanations to the contrary of their doctrine, and that the scriptures do clearly and positively describe Jesus as God’s son (not God incarnate), then, it seems to me, that can only be because you don’t want to see it.

This conversation could be repeated for absolutely ANY proof text scripture that the Onenessians and Trinitarians use to try to “prove” their view of Jesus Christ.

Who Denies the Father and the Son

We’ve seen Jesus saying that God hadn’t left him alone. We’ve also seen that the apostles never, ever clearly explained that Jesus was God Himself incarnate. These Scriptures are all very clear and to the point. So next we’ll look at Scriptures literally explaining to us that we are always to view God and his Christ together and not separately (that is, not one in person, but one in purpose, and that purpose being the salvation of mankind):

“²²Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. ²³ Whoever denies the Son, the same doesn’t have the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also. ²⁴Therefore, as for you, let that remain in you which you heard from the beginning. If that which you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son, and in the Father. (1 John 2:21–24)

“⁹Whoever transgresses and doesn’t remain in the teaching of Christ, doesn’t have God. He who remains in the teaching, the same has both the Father and the Son. ¹⁰If anyone comes to you, and doesn’t bring this teaching, don’t receive him into your house, and don’t welcome him…” (2 John 9–10)

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me’.” (John 14:6)

These verses explain that the Father and son are a “package deal.” No one comes to the Father “except through” the Son. In saying, “my Lord and my God” Thomas had “both” the Father and the Son.

What these verses also make clear is that the Father is not the person of the Son, and the Son is not the person of the Father. These also don’t “redefine” the terms father and son. These aren’t saying that son equals the flesh of the person of Jesus, and the Father equals his deity. There is no such thing in any culture, in any language, in any lexicon, nor any verse in the Bible where a son is ever his own father, or a father is his own son.

The Bible, when it is allowed to explain itself, is very clear that Jesus is not the personal identity of God the Father incarnate. It is therefore a misrepresentation of the biblical record to interpret Thomas’ confession in a way that makes it appear that is what he believed, and that is the “only” thing that can be concluded from Thomas’ confession. That is what a jumped to conclusion and creating a false dilemma looks like contrary to other clear scriptures regarding the subject matter. And that is precisely how the devil interprets the Bible.

The key is to interpret in the manner of Jesus, the true witness, rather than Satan, the known liar. In all our efforts, we’ve used clear “it is written again” Scriptures. Onenessians take John 20:28 and reinterpret it in a way that makes all the other explanatory Scriptures of no effect, just like the devil does. Jesus tells those who interpret in this manner, that “Man shall not live… but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

Those who claim that Thomas was confessing Jesus to be God the Father incarnate, rather than “the Son of God in truth,” who the Father was with, by dwelling in the son, are either dismissive of, in denial of, or untruthful about the overall, consistent biblical testimony to the contrary of that conclusion. In fact, that is exactly what John was saying when he wrote, “²²Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22).

In the case of Thomas’ confession, granted, it may initially “appear” that Thomas “confessed,” Jesus himself personally to be “my Lord and my God.” But they still cannot say that “confession” was ever Named, Proclaimed, Confessed, AND Explained, because something different was consistently explained, and their expanded, jumped to “conclusion” from the text, that Jesus is a dual natured individual personality, was never named, proclaimed, confessed, OR explained in scripture.

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