Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Richard J. Cassidy on Thomas' Confession in John 20:28




Faced with this experience of Jesus now transformed and sovereign beyond the limits of space and time, what is Thomas’ response? In the original Greek, Thomas’ outcry consists of six words, kyrios mou kai ho theos mou (20:28). In English this confession is rendered powerfully as: “my Lord and my God!”

Upon a moment’s reflection it is soon apparent that Thomas’ words wonderfully affirm Jesus’ majestic standing and at the same time express a now deeply help personal allegiance. In these aspects it is reminiscent of Mary Magdalene’s use of “my Lord.” Yet clearly Thomas’ final words now express an even greater range and solemnity.

As it now stands within John’s Gospel there are several important dimensions of meaning attendant to Thomas’ confession . . . First, Thomas’ confession unmistakably conveys and unsurpassed christological meaning and thus serves as a fitting summit point a Gospel that is so manifestly concerned with Jesus’ exalted status. Thomas’ acclamation is indeed reminiscent of John’s prologue statements that Jesus was with God and was God. And thus John approaches the conclusion of His Gospel and an acclamation that attests to Jesus’ divine standing in a way that is fully comparable to what he himself stated at the beginning.

Second, Thomas’ words also have meaning in terms of the theme of belief. Reluctant to believe without a direct experience of the risen Jesus, Thomas’ confession now indicates his complete and unqualified belief in Jesus. Yet as Jesus’ words in response to him make clear. Thomas’ faith is one that has been arrived at one on the basis of seeing. And blessed even more are those who believe without seeing (20:29).

Third . . .the fact that Thomas’ confession expresses in the strongest possible way his personal allegiance to Jesus . . . It is the double presence of the personal adjective, my, with the words of exalted identity, “Lord” and “God” which accomplish this effect. Jesus has surpassed objective status as the Lord and God of the universe. However, he is more than that in relation to Thomas. For Thomas, in addition, Jesus, is indisputably my Lord and my God. (Richard J. Cassidy, John’s Gospel in New Perspective [Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books, 1992], 38-39, italics in original, emphasis in bold added)