"My God and Your God" — John 20:17
Jesus said "I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and
your God" (John 20:17). If Jesus has a God, he cannot be God. God
doesn't have a God above him.
Don't deny what Jesus said — affirm it and show what it actually proves. Jesus says "my Father" and "your Father" separately, not "our Father." That distinction shows his sonship is qualitatively different from ours. Then flip forward eleven verses to Thomas's confession: the same Gospel, the same chapter, the same post-resurrection context — and Jesus is called God. Both truths sit side by side because the incarnate Son relates to the Father as his God in his mediatorial role without surrendering his divine nature.
Jesus distinguishes "my Father" from "your Father" — he never says "our Father" here. His sonship is by nature; ours is by adoption. And eleven verses later Thomas calls him "my God" — same chapter, same author, no correction from Jesus.
Thomas was just exclaiming in surprise — like saying 'Oh my God!'
Thomas addresses Jesus directly: "he said to Him" (autō). The Greek ho kyrios mou kai ho theos mou ("the Lord of me and the God of me") is a personal confession with definite articles, not an exclamation. A devout Jew would never take God's name in vain — that would violate the third commandment. And Jesus doesn't rebuke Thomas; he accepts the confession and blesses those who believe it (v. 29).
Jesus called the Father 'my God' even after his resurrection, so he's clearly subordinate.
shows both truths together: the Father calls the Son "God" (v. 8) and then says "your God has anointed you" (v. 9). The Son is God AND has a God — because as the incarnate mediator he relates to the Father in his human nature. Subordination of role doesn't erase equality of nature.
If Jesus is God, why does he pray to God? God doesn't pray to himself.
The Son prays to the Father because they are distinct persons. That's exactly what the Trinity teaches — not that Jesus is the Father, but that the Son and the Father are distinct persons who share the same divine nature. Prayer between persons of the Trinity is expected, not a problem.
Don't say the Trinity means Jesus IS the Father. That's modalism, not the Trinity. Also avoid dismissing "my God" language — affirm it and show how the incarnation explains it.
Read all of John 20 in one sitting so you feel how close verse 17 and verse 28 are: same chapter, same author, same post-resurrection setting. Notice that Jesus says "my Father and your Father", not "our Father". Then read , where the Son is called God and also has a God, until you can explain it simply. Read in the NWT on jw.org so you can point to Thomas's words in the Witness's own Bible. Practise the doorstep question aloud. Rehearse the "Thomas was just exclaiming" reply: he speaks to Jesus, and Jesus blesses the confession in verse 29. Be ready to explain distinct persons without implying that Jesus is the Father.