John 20:24-29
Jesus Appears to Thomas
24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 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 it."
26 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!" 27 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."
28 Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Jesus has now appeared three times (in the book of John) after His death...(He will appear a fourth time to the Twelve, while and after they are fishing, in John, chapter 21)...His first appearance is to Mary Magdalene, then to some of the Twelve, and now to Thomas and the Twelve again...Thomas doubted the disciple's story...Thus, Thomas would be known as the Doubting Thomas...Jesus was upset that Thomas did not believe...He tells Thomas, stop doubting and believe...Thomas (we assume that Thomas, did in fact touch Jesus), then realizes Jesus' divinity... Thomas utters the unforgettable words, "My Lord and my God"...He now believes, and Jesus said "Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed"...Jesus knows all things... He knew after He leaves the Twelve, that those on earth would not be seeing Him again, until the end of age...So, blessed are those who believe, without seeing...