John 20:28 And Thomas answered and said to him, My LORD and my God. I. THIS IS NOT AN EXCLAMATION — 1. Because such exclamations were abhorrent to the Jews. 2. It would be without warrant in Scripture. 3. It is by its form necessarily an address — "Thomas said to Him." II. THE MEANING OF THE WORDS. 1. Lord, κύριος, means owner, and as ownership includes control, it expressed — (1) The idea of ownership founded on possession, as Lord of the Vineyard, Lord of Slaves, Lord of the whole earth. (2) The Lordship without reference to its ground; hence kings are also called lords. So also heads of families, husbands, &c. (3) Hence a mere title of courtesy as dominus, mister, &c. (4) As applied to God it retains its relative meaning — the relation of God to His creatures as their Owner and absolute Ruler. It is substituted in the LXX. for Jehovah, Shaddai, Elohim, and not only for Aden or Adonai. Hence in the New Testament it is used for Christ. He is our Lord in the sense in which Jehovah was the Lord of the Hebrews. Christ owns us both as Creator and Redeemer. 2. God. What this means passes all understanding and imagination. It is easy to say, "God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal," &c. But who can comprehend the Infinite? We know that one infinite in His Being and perfections must be — (1) The object of adoration, supreme love, absolute submission. (2) The ground of confidence. (3) One in whose favour is eternal life. All that God is, Christ is. All that is due to God is due to Christ. 3. My means not only that Christ is the Person whom we acknowledge and confess to be our Lord and God, to the exclusion of all other persons out of the Godhead; but that He stands in the relation of Lord and God to us, and that we stand in a corresponding relation to Him; that we recognize His ownership and authority; depend on His protection, adore, love, trust, and serve Him as our Lord and God. This it is to be a Christian. (C. Hodge, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. |
    |