Scarred Hands and Hearts

Have you ever wondered why Jesus rose from the dead with scarred hands?

More than seventeen years ago, a man named Steve Johnson helped start our Bike Ministry. What made Steve an unlikely candidate was that he had no legs. Yet he faithfully served for years and took great pride in continuing to work despite his disability. As the end of his life approached, he wasn’t afraid of death. Instead, he was excited. A week or two before he passed, he told me, “I’ll be dancing with Jesus in Heaven!” Sometimes I picture him now — whole, restored, dancing with joy with a new pair of legs.

Scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:42–53 that our earthly bodies are perishable, dishonorable, and weak because of sin. But our resurrected bodies will be imperishable, glorious, and powerful. They will no longer be subject to decay, sickness, or death. That truth fills us with hope. So why did Jesus rise with scarred hands?

Every Tuesday from 8a.m.–10 a.m., I lead a Bible Study at the South Dakota State Penitentiary. We focus on what I call the “strongholds of the heart” — lies that are disguised as truth that we accept as truth that leads us into internal bondage. Even though, as Christians, our salvation is secure in Christ, the enemy still whispers deception. Behind every sin is a lie we have believed. Identifying the lies and replacing them with Biblical Truths is crucial. Scripture tells us in 2 Corinthians 10:3–5 that we have divine power to demolish strongholds — not just manage them, but demolish them.

Over the years, I’ve learned something important: lasting change happens when the heart is touched. And the truth is this — we all carry scars. Some are physical. Most are not. Trauma. Betrayal. Grief. Shame. Disappointment. Scarred hearts.

After Jesus rose from the dead, Mary Magdalene visited His tomb to see that the stone was removed from the entrance of His tomb. Thinking His body was stolen, she ran to Peter and the other disciples. Out of fear, they ran to the tomb and saw His linens laying there. They left the tomb discouraged. Yet, Mary remained and wept. Two angels appeared and asked why she was crying. Then, Jesus appeared behind her. She did not recognize Him initially, thinking He was the gardener. However, when she realized that He was Jesus, she ran to the disciples to let them know He was alive. Instead of running to Him, they remained locked up in their house out of fear of Jewish leaders. Soon after, Jesus appeared to them. Yet, one disciple was missing: Thomas. And he doubted. He said in John 20:25, “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.”

We call him “Doubting Thomas.” But was he any different from the rest? The disciples were hiding. They were afraid. They struggled to believe. Thomas simply voiced what they were all feeling. Why did they doubt the resurrection? Because their hearts were scarred. The trauma of losing their Lord led them into fear and uncertainty.

Jesus could have risen without wounds. He is God incarnate. He could have appeared whole, untouched, flawless... But He didn’t. He stood before Thomas with visible scars and invited him closer: “Put your finger here. See my hands.” And Thomas responded, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).

The scars weren’t a defect. They were proof. Proof of love. Proof of sacrifice. Proof that death had been defeated.

It’s easy to criticize Thomas. It’s harder to recognize ourselves in him. In grief, we too struggle to see hope. In pain, we too struggle to believe miracles are possible. Fear often feels safer than trust. We, too, have scarred hearts.

And yet, Jesus approaches us not with condemnation — but with scarred hands. For all eternity, those scars will remain. Not as signs of weakness, but as eternal reminders that love suffered, endured, and overcame. His scarred hands brought healing to our scarred hearts. And because He lives, our scars are not the end of our story. They are the beginning of restoration.