Jehovah Witnesses And John 20:28

A passion to make people glad in God, led me to reach out Jehovah’s Witnesses(JWs) in the area my wife and I live. God sends JW to our home that we may proclaim his glory through correcting them with gentleness and great love their belief in who Christ Jesus is . As Paul argued, “God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth”(2 Timothy 2: 25 ESV).

At my home, on my ground, in my comfort zone, God brings people who ought to call on Christ Jesus as their Lord(Yahweh) over all to be saved(Joel 2:32, Roman 10:9-13). Evangelism at your own home.

In this article I would share how I reason John 20:28 with a door-to-door JWs that Christ Jesus is the Adonai Jehovah.

Doubting Thomas’ Lord and God
1.  I read John 20:27-29 with JWs:

“Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”(John 20:27-29 ESV).

2. I ask them what does it means? Why is Thomas saying to Jesus “ the Lord of me and the God of me”?

Responses I Got So Far:
Objection I: Thomas was in shock and said my Lord to Jesus and look to the heavens and said my God to Jehovah, the Father.

Reply: But the text say “Thomas said to him[Jesus]”. Moreover I believe Thomas is echoing Psalm 34:23 of his Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, the Septuagint.

Psalm 34:23 calls Yahweh “ ho theos mou kai ho kurios mou”– the God of me and the Lord of me.
Thomas in John 20:28 calls Jesus Christ “ ho kurios mou kai ho theos mou” – the Lord of me and the God of me.

Read Psalm 35:22-24 in New World Translation version and in your own translation(N.B: Its 34:22-24 in The Septuagint)

You have seen, O LORD; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me! Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord! Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me!(ESV)

You have seen, O Jehovah. Do not keep silent. O Jehovah, do not keep yourself far from me. Do arouse yourself and awake to my judgment, O my God, even Jehovah, to my case at law. Judge me according to your righteousness, O Jehovah my God, And may they not rejoice over me.(NTW)

Objection II: It was an exclamation of shock.

Reply: There are no evidences of such exclamations used among Jews. Swearing by Jehovah’s name could not used by Thomas because Jews were not allowed to use God’s name in vain. Moreover such an exclamation would be rebuked by Jesus or commented by the evangelist John, if indeed Jesus was not truly the God and Lord of Thomas.(cf. Paul and Barnabas Acts 14:12-15)

Objection III: Jesus is a might god, not Almighty God. A god and the God.

Reply: Not to Thomas. Thomas believed that Jesus was the Psalmist’s Jehovah God. He believe that Jesus was indeed The God of him and The Lord of him.

3. Before JW walk out, I often ask if I could pray with them. If granted I pray that Christ Jesus would become the Lord of JWs[Names] and the God of JWs[names] as it was for doubting Thomas and is to me.
4. I ask them to think over it and invite them for coffee or lunch and if possible I arrange another meeting.