Some of the physical reminders I have from my battle with cancer are the scars from the incisions made to remove a kidney. Those scars are visible proof of that surgery.
Without concrete proof, Thomas was not ready to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. He not only wanted to see Jesus’ scars, but he wanted to touch them also. Apparently, he didn’t need to touch them! As soon as he saw the scars, he professed, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28)! This was the first confession we know of by any of the disciples of the deity of Jesus.
Jesus responds with His last beatitude. “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (v. 29). Certainly this blessing applies to the Old Testament saints who died looking forward to the Messiah. It also applies to you and me. We have not seen Jesus’ scars, though we’ve read about them in God’s Word and have trusted in Him without seeing Him with our own eyes. And blessed are we with inexpressible joy for it!