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An Exegetical Analysis of John 20:28: The Grammatical Function of the Nominative in Thomas’ Confession
This exegetical study of “Jn 20:28 – Grammatical difference between the nominative for vocative or of exclamation?” is based on a b-greek discussion from Friday, January 25, 2002. The initial query concerned whether the grammatical construction of ὁ κύριός μου in John 20:28 could refer to God the Father, setting aside theological considerations. Participants explored whether grammar permits such an understanding within the immediate and broader Johannine context.
The main exegetical issue at stake in John 20:28 is the precise grammatical function of Thomas’ declaration: “ὁ κύριός μου καὶ ὁ θεός μου”. Specifically, scholars debate whether these articular nominatives function as a vocative (direct address), an exclamation, or an elliptical predicate nominative (implying “You are…”). Furthermore, the identity of the recipient of this confession—whether Jesus or God the Father—is central to the interpretation, particularly given the preceding dative pronoun αὐτῷ (“to him”), which clearly refers to Jesus. The discussion delves into the intricacies of Koine Greek syntax concerning the nominative case in direct address and its implications for understanding the Christological significance of Thomas’ confession.
ἀπεκρίθη Θωμᾶς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ὁ Κύριός μου καὶ ὁ Θεός μου. (Nestle 1904)
Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):
- For John 20:28, there are no significant textual variants between the Nestle 1904 edition and the SBLGNT (2010) that impact the grammatical analysis of Thomas’ statement. Both texts read identically for this verse.
Textual Criticism (NA28), Lexical Notes (KITTEL, BDAG):
The critical apparatus of the NA28 for John 20:28 reveals no significant variants concerning the phrase “Ὁ Κύριός μου καὶ ὁ Θεός μου”, thus affirming the stability of the text relevant to this grammatical discussion. Lexically, both κύριος and θεός are highly significant. KITTEL’s Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (TDNT) details the rich background of κύριος, ranging from a polite address (“sir,” “master”) to a designation for God, often in the Septuagint as a translation for YHWH. In the New Testament, its application to Jesus varies contextually, but here, it is paired with θεός. BDAG (Bauer, Danker, Arndt, Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature) offers extensive entries for κύριος and θεός. For κύριος (BDAG, s.v.), meanings like “owner, master,” “lord, sir,” and “the Lord (God)” are presented. For θεός (BDAG, s.v.), it signifies “God, a god” and can be used of Christ in passages like John 1:1, 20:28, and Titus 2:13. The combination with the possessive pronoun μου (“my”) indicates a deeply personal and confessional tone. Grammatically, the presence of the dative pronoun αὐτῷ (“to him”) immediately preceding Thomas’s statement strongly indicates that his words are addressed directly to Jesus, rather than being an exclamation directed generally to God or a bystander. The use of the articular nominative for a vocative is well-attested in Koine Greek, as noted by grammarians like Robertson and Wallace, who identify numerous instances in the New Testament where the nominative case functions as a vocative, particularly when accompanied by the article, reflecting Semitic influence (Blass, Debrunner, Funk, §147). Wallace’s Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics documents nearly 600 instances of the nominative for vocative in the NT, significantly outnumbering true vocatives.
Translation Variants
The grammatical structure of Thomas’ confession allows for several nuanced interpretations, each with distinct rhetorical and theological implications. The key is understanding the function of the articular nominative in direct address within Koine Greek.
One prevalent interpretation is that the articular nominatives “Ὁ Κύριός μου καὶ ὁ Θεός μου” function as a direct address to Jesus, effectively serving as a vocative. This is supported by the preceding phrase “εἶπεν αὐτῷ” (“he said to him”), where αὐτῷ unambiguously refers to Jesus. While classical Greek might typically employ a distinct vocative case, Koine Greek frequently uses the nominative for this purpose, especially with the article. Grammarians like Wallace point out that this construction, often associated with a lack of a finite verb, clear emotional context, and the necessity of an exclamation mark in translation, is common. The emotional intensity of Thomas’ encounter with the risen Christ clearly aligns with such a passionate declaration. The comparison with passages like Matthew 27:46 (θεέ μου θεέ μου, vocative) and Mark 15:34 (ὁ θεός μου ὁ θεός μου, nominative for vocative) further illustrates the interchangeability and direct address function of the nominative in such contexts.
Another significant grammatical possibility, proposed by some scholars, is that Thomas’ statement is an elliptical predicate nominative, implying an omitted verb of being. This would effectively translate to “[You are] My Lord and My God.” This interpretation finds parallel in other New Testament confessions, such as Matthew 16:16, where Peter declares “σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστός, ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος” (“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”). The omission of the equative verb εἶ (or a similar form of εἰμί) is grammatically permissible and contextually strong. This reading maintains the direct address to Jesus and explicitly affirms his divine identity, fitting the high Christology often attributed to John’s Gospel, particularly as the climax to John 1:1 where the Word is identified as θεός.
A less grammatically supported interpretation, sometimes advanced, suggests that Thomas’ words are a mere exclamation to God (e.g., “My God!”), expressing astonishment rather than a direct address to Jesus. However, the presence of αὐτῷ (“to him”) referring to Jesus profoundly weakens this view. If it were a general exclamation, the Evangelist would likely not have presented it as words spoken “to him.” Furthermore, culturally, such an exclamation, without being directed to its subject, could border on profanity, which seems unlikely in this solemn confessional moment within a Jewish context. The rhetorical force of the passage, particularly Jesus’ subsequent commendation, militates against reducing Thomas’ profound words to a generic expression of surprise.
Finally, the question of whether “ὁ Κύριός μου καὶ ὁ Θεός μου” refers to God the Father, distinct from Jesus, is largely dismissed by grammatical and contextual analysis. While κύριος and θεός can certainly refer to the Father elsewhere, the explicit dative αὐτῷ linking Thomas’ statement directly to Jesus, who has just invited Thomas to touch his wounds, makes an address to anyone other than Jesus untenable from a purely grammatical standpoint. The use of the article with θεός combined with the possessive μου has been debated regarding its semantic weight (i.e., whether it implies Jesus is “the God” in an absolute sense or “my God” in a relative sense, similar to Moses being “God” to Pharaoh in Exodus 7:1). However, the overall Johannine context and the climax of the narrative strongly lean towards a robust affirmation of Jesus’ divinity.
Conclusions and Translation Suggestions
Based on the grammatical analysis, contextual indicators, and scholarly consensus reflected in the discussion, Thomas’ declaration in John 20:28 is most plausibly understood as a direct and profound confession of Jesus’ divine identity. The dative αὐτῷ firmly grounds the address to Jesus, while the use of the articular nominative for vocative or as an elliptical predicate nominative are strong grammatical possibilities in Koine Greek. These interpretations align with the Christological trajectory of John’s Gospel, culminating in this explicit affirmation.
- “Thomas answered and said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!'”
- “Thomas answered and said to him, ‘You are my Lord and my God.'”
- “Thomas answered and said to him, ‘My Lord, my God!'”
This translation emphasizes the direct address to Jesus, treating the nominatives as strong vocatives expressing both reverence and recognition of divine identity. The exclamation mark captures the profound emotion and conviction.
This rendering inserts the implied equative verb, making explicit the predicate nominative function. It directly attributes both “Lord” and “God” to Jesus, emphasizing a declarative confession of his being.
This option also interprets the nominatives as direct address but separates “Lord” and “God” with a comma to highlight them as distinct, albeit co-referential, titles applied to Jesus, each carrying significant weight.
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