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.
Then he said to Thomas, "Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don't be unbelieving, but believing."
Right after the greeting of "Peace" (John 20:26), Jesus immediately directed his attention to 'the main church problem at hand: Thomas's doubt'.[2] Jesus granted Thomas's demands to verify his crucifixion, marks:[3] the marks of the nails in Jesus' hands and the pierced hole on his side (John 19:34).[4] It surely shocked Thomas that Jesus knows exactly his problem as every letter of his requirements for physical verification (John 20:25) is met and spoken back to him with uncanny precision.[2]
The repetition of his wording, and the shown sympathy to his misgivings, must have left deep impression to Thomas, leading to the response in John 20:28.[5]