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by Dave Sherrill

The Watchtower writes in its "Should you believe in the Trinity?" brochure:

*** ti 28-9 What About Trinity "Proof Texts"? ***

The Bulletin of the John Rylands Library in England notes that according to Catholic theologian Karl Rahner, while the·os' is used in scriptures such as John 1:1 in reference to Christ, "in none of these instances is 'theos' used in such a manner as to identify Jesus with him who elsewhere in the New Testament figures as 'ho Theos,' that is, the Supreme God." And the Bulletin adds: "If the New Testament writers believed it vital that the faithful should confess Jesus as 'God', is the almost complete absence of just this form of confession in the New Testament explicable?"

But what about the apostle Thomas' saying, "My Lord and my God!" to Jesus at John 20:28? To Thomas, Jesus was like "a god," especially in the miraculous circumstances that prompted his exclamation. Some scholars suggest that Thomas may simply have made an emotional exclamation of astonishment, spoken to Jesus but directed to God. In either case, Thomas did not think that Jesus was Almighty God, for he and all the other apostles knew that Jesus never claimed to be God but taught that Jehovah alone is "the only true God."-John 17:3.

So they claim here that "ho theos" is solely attributed to the true God and insist that Jesus was never referred to using the phrase "ho theos" (the God).

Immediately after claiming this they jump right into John 20:28. Why? Because in nearly every translation you can find it reads basically like this:

John 20:28 Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" (NASB)

Why, even the New World Translation says: (In answer Thomas said to him: "My Lord and my God!")

This is also true in the Kingdom Interlinear and the Emphatic Diaglott, both Greek references produced by the Watchtower which state unambiguously that Thomas was speaking "to him" meaning "to Jesus", and calling him (Jesus) HO THEOS!

Thomas calls Jesus "The God" and the Watchtower has the gall to suggest that this was merely "an exclamation", implying that it was meaningless or possibly said to Jesus but directed towards God the Father. They say that Thomas believed that Jesus was "a god" WHEN THIS IS NOT WHAT HE SAID. I will not abandon the truth of God inspired Holy Bible, which makes it explicitly clear what Thomas said AND who he said it to. Allow me to repeat the verse from earlier in the post to make sure that everyone is clear on this. I will quote it this time from the New World Translation:

In answer Thomas said to him: "My Lord and my God!"

Thomas SAID TO HIM! Do you hear that? SAID TO HIM! God knows how to communicate the truth and He makes it explicitly clear that the exact words of Thomas were not simply an exclamation expressed in surprise or said to the Father. Thomas SAID TO HIM: "My Lord and my God!"

The Watchtower is trying to deceive you into disbelieving God's word here. Do not treat it so lightly as to think that what is said is not really what is meant! Stick to the Word as written and acknowledge the truth of it.

Thomas said to him: "My Lord and my God!" Can you say the same? If not, stop and reflect. Pause, consider, and hear the word of God. Thomas said to him: "My Lord and my God!"

If you cannot say "My Lord and my God!" to the Lord Jesus right now, you are in dreadful danger. I hope and pray that God would open your eyes to the confession of Thomas and the truth of it. May the truth of the Deity of Christ come flooding through your understanding and ignite a desire to come to Him as your Savior, Lord, and God. He is your only hope. He is "the God".

                                              
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