by Emil

John 20:24-29 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

After Jesus rose from the grave, He came through the wall into the house where the disciples were gathered. Even though He had risen from the dead to life, Jesus still bore the wounds of being crucified. He told Thomas, “Put your fingers into the nail holes in My hands. Put your finger into the hole in My side!” His wounds were real! His crucifixion was real! His resurrection was real! With real visible proof! Proof that Thomas could not doubt! And Thomas believed!

1 Corinthians 15:6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of His followers at the same time…….

Jesus had to come back with convincing proof, not just for His disciples including Thomas, but also for the 500 people to whom He later appeared. Others may have been of the same mindset as Thomas, “Unless I stick my finger into the holes in His hands and His side, I will not believe it!” Jesus could not come back like nothing had happened to Him! Otherwise, there would be rumors, and the religious leaders would have been able to persuade people that it was all a hoax–just as easily as they had persuaded the crowd to demand that Barabbas be released and to crucify Jesus (see Matthew 27:15–26). Jesus had to be resurrected with the evidence of evil that was done against Him for our sin. Jesus was resurrected with the convincing proof of not only the crucifixion, but also of His resurrection.

Can you imagine being part of the crowd of 500 seeing the nail holes in Jesus’ hands and the hole in His side? Seeing Him standing there with the nail holes in His feet (Psalm 22:16)? Jesus overcame the grave; Jesus overcame death; and Jesus overcame all doubt of those who witnessed the proof, who would then believe, “Truly He is the Christ!”

People argue that the Bible can’t be true because it was written by many different people. Some say it was not God-inspired but the imaginations of the many authors. I can see where they can try to go with that, but too many people saw the proof of the nail holes in Jesus’ hands and feet and the hole in His side! There is no poking holes in this story! He is risen! Hallelujah!