The Fundamentals - 1910: Vol.6

The God-Man 75 loved, should, instead of addressing Him, break out into an irrelevant cry. (6) By the further absurdity of supposing that if such were the case, the Apostle John, who, of all the sacred writers, most constantly keeps in mind the object for which he is writing, should have recorded anything so beside that object. (7) By the intimate connection of w«r(W«)Kas, thou hast believed. (See next verse.) “Dismissing it, therefore, we observe that this is the highest confession of faith which has yet been made; and that it shows that (though not yet fully) the meaning of the pre- vious confessions of His being ‘the Son of God’ was under- stood. Thus John, in the very close of his Gospel iterates the testimony with which he began it—t o the Godhead of the Word who became flesh, and, by this closing confession, shows how the testimony of Jesus to Himself had gradually deepened and exalted the apostles’ conviction, from the time when they knew Him only aso uios rdv’lu> (1 :46), ‘the son of Joseph,’ till now, when He is acknowledged as their Lord and their God.” (Alford’s Greek New Testament, on the passage.) These judicious remarks leave nothing to be added as to the real application of the words, “my Lord and my God.” But how did the Saviour receive this act of adoration? He commended it, and held it up for the imitation of the coming ages. “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (29). He thus most emphatically declared His Lordship and Godhead. But how fearful was His crime in so doing, if He was only a Socinian Christ! This conversation produced a deep impression upon the apostolical mind, and upon the early Church. Stephen in- voked Jesus in prayer with his dying breath. (Acts 7 :59.) Paul thrice besought the Lord (Jesus) in supplication, that this thorn in the flesh might be taken from him, and re- ceived an answer from the Lord. (2 Cor. 12:8, compared

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