The answer is context.  In a recent debate, Sheik Uthman challenged his opponent with a question:  “Since Jesus post-resurrection mentions God, does that not make Jesus different from God?  And therefore not God himself?”

“The Scripture he was referring to is found in Revelation:”The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name” (Rev 3:12).

Four times, Jesus says “my God.”  Sheik Uthman says that this is a separation from Jesus as God.  But let’s look at why this is not the case.

1) “My God” throughout Scripture is often used with “Father” with the Father implied.

It was a normal expression and used 82x throughout the Bible.  For example,

“Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” (John 20:17).

Jesus saying “my God” has an implication of Father.  We even see this in Revelation 3:

“The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne” (Rev 3:21).

“The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels” (Rev 3:5)

This is the Triune nature at work.  The Father, the Son, and the Spirit.  When the name “Father,” is used, it is often used “God and Father” or “our God and Father” and sometimes just “my God.”

When the Son is used, his name is often the “Son of Man” or the “Son of God.”

When the Spirit is used, His name is “Holy Spirit” or “Spirit of God.”

Different main names, but same references.  It is not at all strange that Jesus uses the title “My God’ with the implication of meaning His Father as this was common throughout the Bible.

2) The context Repeatedly Demonstrates Jesus as God

Jesus, the First and the Last

In the Old Testament, Yahweh is exclusively called the First and the Last.  And in the opening section of this diatribes to the churches, Jesus is clearly portrayed and it says of Him that He is the first and the Last.

Isaiah

• Isaiah 41:4 – “I, the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.”
• Isaiah 44:6 – “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.”
• Isaiah 48:12 – “I am he; I am the first, and I am the last.”

Jesus says:

“Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore.” (Rev. 1:17–18)

“The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.” (Rev. 2:8)

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (Rev. 22:13)

Jesus has authority over Death and Hades

Life and death belong to God (Deut 32:39; 1 Sam 2:6).  Yet Jesus is the one who holds the power of life and death here.

“I have the keys of Death and Hades” (1:18)

A mere man cannot hold the keys to death and hell.

2) Jesus receives Worship

Jesus sits on the throne with his Father.  They both receive worship.

“And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.”

A man is not to be worshiped.  Only God is to be worshiped.  A man cannot sit on God’s throne.  Only God sits on the throne.

Conclusion

Yes, Jesus did use “my God” and it is not qualified as “my Father.”  But it didn’t need to be. Considered the almost 100x this is used throughout Scripture in a way that it is paired with “Father,” it is implied.

Furthermore, the context of revelation on repeat shows that Jesus is God.  He takes on the titles of God, He acts as God, He is worshiped as God.