John 20:24-29, Part 2

When Thomas had the irrefutable proof of the resurrected Christ right in front of Him, He immediately worshiped: “My Lord and my God!” This was not a casual, “OMG!” This was downright worship of Jesus as God. Notice that Jesus did NOT rebuke Him, but, in fact, accepted the worship. Had Jesus NOT been God the Son, this statement by Thomas would have been blasphemous. Jesus would have had to reprimand him. But instead, He received the worship due Him. Courson reminds us of three other instances in the Bible when people were admonished for worshiping anyone other than God. When Peter was worshiped by Cornelius, he immediately corrected him:

As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.” (Acts 10:25-26)

And when Paul and Barnabus were worshiped by a crowd in Lystra, they were greatly disturbed by it and vehemently rebuked the people:

When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them. 

But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: “Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you." (Acts 14:11-15)

Even an angel will not accept worship. Twice, when John fell in worship before the angel who had been with him while John received the Revelation, the angel protested.

At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:10)

And the second time:

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!” (Revelation 22:8-9)

But Jesus received the worship from Thomas here in John 20, because He IS God the Son. He also received worship from Peter in Luke 5:9, and from the crowds on His entry to Jerusalem before His crucifixion in Luke 19:28-40. Had Jesus merely been a man, a son of God, He would have been committing blasphemy to receive any form of worship from other men. But because Jesus is not just THE Son of God, but also God the Son, Thomas was right to worship! And we should, too!

When people tell you that Jesus never claimed to be God, point them to Thomas! Not “doubting Thomas,” but “believing Thomas!”