What the Bible says
“Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.”
John 20:27 (KJV)
“Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”
Luke 24:39 (KJV)
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:5 (KJV)
It is I myself
When the risen Jesus appeared, the disciples thought they were seeing a spirit. He showed them his hands and his feet. The scars proved this was no ghost and no imposter, but the same Jesus they had watched die.
An invitation to Thomas
Thomas said he would not believe unless he touched the wounds. A week later Jesus offered exactly that. He did not scold Thomas's honesty; he met it. Thomas answered with one of the greatest confessions in Scripture: My Lord and my God.
Scars that speak
In Revelation, John sees Jesus in heaven as a Lamb as it had been slain (Revelation 5:6). Even in glory, the marks of the cross remain. Our own scars can tell a story too — not of defeat, but of where God met us and healed us.
Common questions
Does Jesus still have his scars in heaven?
Revelation 5:6 describes him as a Lamb as it had been slain, which many understand as the marks of the cross remaining in glory.
Why did Thomas need to touch Jesus's wounds?
He doubted the resurrection. Jesus invited him to touch the scars, and Thomas believed (John 20:24–29).