Thomas wasn't calling Jesus God. Rather, he was making a statement towards God through Jesus.
Let's remember the account with Jesus, the army officer, and the sick servant.
Matthew 8:5"When he entered Ca·per′na·um, an army officer came to him, pleading with him"
Luke 7:2,3"Now an army officer’s slave, ....... 3 When he heard about Jesus, he sent some elders of the Jews to him to ask him to come and make his slave well.
Now we know this isn't a contradiction. The Army officer sent the elders to accomplish his will. They were representing the presence of the Army officer.
In the Old-testemant, angels themselves were referred to as God. Manoah for one(Father of Samson) called one of God's angel's God. Even though he knew it was an angel. Angels are messengers/servant of God. He fulfills his will using them."
Judges 13:21,22
The LORD's angel did not appear again to Ma·no′ah and his wife. Then Ma·no′ah realized that he was The LORD's angel. 22 Ma·no′ah then said to his wife: “We are sure to die, because it is God whom we have seen.
When Jacob wrestled with God's angel, He was given the name Israel with means, "Contender of God,God prevails/contends. But Jacob didn't wrestle with God himself.
Genesis 31:1"Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim."
Genesis 32:28"Then he said: “Your name will no longer be Jacob but Israel, for you have contended with God and with men and you have at last prevailed.”"
Verse 30"So Jacob named the place Pe·ni′el, for he said, “I have seen God face-to-face, yet my life was preserved.”"
Also
Exodus 3:2-4"And the angel of YHWH appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. ......”4When YHWH saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”"
Also
Genesis 18:1,2"Afterward, Jehovah appeared to him....2 He looked up and saw three men standing some distance from him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, and he bowed down to the ground."
18:22"Then the men left from there and went toward Sod′om, but Jehovah remained with Abraham."
19:1"The two angels arrived at Sod′om by evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sod′om. "
Angels referred to as Jehovah
19:13"so that Jehovah sent us to destroy the city."
19:18" Then Lot said to them: “Not there, please, Jehovah! "
19:21" So he said to him: “Very well, I will also show you consideration by not overthrowing the town you speak of."
19:22 "Hurry! Escape there, because I cannot do anything until you arrive there!”
19:24"Then Jehovah made it rain sulfur and fire on Sod′om and Go·mor′rah—it came from Jehovah, from the heavens."
Three men(angels) came. 2 left to Sodom and Gomorrah. 1 remained with Abraham which was also referred to as Jehovah. The Other 2 were also referred to as Jehovah.
Also
Exodus 7:1,2"Jehovah then said to Moses: “See, I have made you like God to Phar′aoh, and Aaron your own brother will become your prophet.
Exodus 4:16 "He will speak for you to the people, and he will be your spokesman, and you will serve as God to him."
So Moses was to serve as Aaron's God, although he was just a representative standing in place for God.
Even Peter was a direct representative of God!!
Acts 5:3,4"Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit ........4..... And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.”"
Hagar also referred to an angel as God
Genesis 16:7 "Now the angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. "
Genesis 16:13 "Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees”; for she said, “Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?”"
Last but not least, Jesus even said whoever has seen him has seen the father. Which if tooken literally would actually be teaching modalism. So it has to be figurative on some sort. Also God is invisible. John 4:24 Read more on this here.
Genesis 31:1"Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim."
Genesis 32:28"Then he said: “Your name will no longer be Jacob but Israel, for you have contended with God and with men and you have at last prevailed.”"
Verse 30"So Jacob named the place Pe·ni′el, for he said, “I have seen God face-to-face, yet my life was preserved.”"
Also
Exodus 3:2-4"And the angel of YHWH appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. ......”4When YHWH saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”"
Also
Genesis 18:1,2"Afterward, Jehovah appeared to him....2 He looked up and saw three men standing some distance from him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, and he bowed down to the ground."
18:22"Then the men left from there and went toward Sod′om, but Jehovah remained with Abraham."
19:1"The two angels arrived at Sod′om by evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sod′om. "
Angels referred to as Jehovah
19:13"so that Jehovah sent us to destroy the city."
19:18" Then Lot said to them: “Not there, please, Jehovah! "
19:21" So he said to him: “Very well, I will also show you consideration by not overthrowing the town you speak of."
19:22 "Hurry! Escape there, because I cannot do anything until you arrive there!”
19:24"Then Jehovah made it rain sulfur and fire on Sod′om and Go·mor′rah—it came from Jehovah, from the heavens."
Three men(angels) came. 2 left to Sodom and Gomorrah. 1 remained with Abraham which was also referred to as Jehovah. The Other 2 were also referred to as Jehovah.
Also
Exodus 7:1,2"Jehovah then said to Moses: “See, I have made you like God to Phar′aoh, and Aaron your own brother will become your prophet.
Exodus 4:16 "He will speak for you to the people, and he will be your spokesman, and you will serve as God to him."
So Moses was to serve as Aaron's God, although he was just a representative standing in place for God.
Even Peter was a direct representative of God!!
Acts 5:3,4"Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit ........4..... And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.”"
Hagar also referred to an angel as God
Genesis 16:7 "Now the angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. "
Genesis 16:13 "Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees”; for she said, “Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?”"
Last but not least, Jesus even said whoever has seen him has seen the father. Which if tooken literally would actually be teaching modalism. So it has to be figurative on some sort. Also God is invisible. John 4:24 Read more on this here.
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