The bodily resurrection of Christ Jesus from the dead is well documented. Apostle Paul records some eyewitnesses. The gospel writers record more. (Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20-21; Acts 1:1-10) Other historical documents, both Christian and non-Christian, also record Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Clement of Rome’s letters in 85-86AD, the Jew historian Josephus in his Antiquities of the Jews in 93-94AD, Ignatius of Antioch’s letters from 107-110AD, the Roman historian Tacitus in his Roman Annals in 116AD, the Roman governor Pliny the Younger’s letter in 112AD, etc.
The apostles and many others held through threat, abuse, torture, and even to their martyrdom that Jesus rose bodily from the dead. They witnessed the empty tomb and met the resurrected Jesus, talked with him, listened to him, ate with him, and touched the holes in his hands and side. Then they said he ascended into heaven to be with his father, as he had told them.
Apostle Thomas was not with the other apostles when Jesus first appeared with them. When they told him he would not believe them. With the doors locked, Jesus came and stood among them again and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he addressed Thomas, “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.” (John 20:24-29)
Jesus did not say, “God?!? Oh no, Thomas. I am not God.” No, Jesus did not say that. Jesus reply to Thomas, who said, “My Lord and my God!” was “Because you have seen me (bodily raised from the dead), you have believed (I am Lord and God).” Then, he added a very important fact about all who followed Thomas’ declaration that Jesus is divine. All who believe in Jesus, who bodily rose from the dead, are Lord and God is blessed. It goes without saying that if a person does not believe Jesus is Lord and God, they are not blessed.
