Jesus appeared alive to His disciples after His crucifixion (John 20:19-20). He showed them His wounds and proved that He had been raised from the dead.
However, Thomas was absent from the group when Jesus appeared (John 20:24). When the others reported to him that they had seen the Lord, he was skeptical. He said, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand in His side, I will not believe” (John 20:25).
One might wonder if Thomas was to be commended for not believing everything he heard. Yet later, when Jesus appeared to the disciples with Thomas present, the Lord showed Thomas His wounds and proved to him – just as He did to the others – that He had been raised from the dead (John 20:26-27). At that point, Thomas believed and said, “My Lord and My God!” (John 20:28).
Jesus, however, did not commend Thomas for his faith here. Instead, He said, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed” (John 20:29). Jesus actually commended those who had believed the testimony of the witnesses. That was sufficient evidence for them (and for us) to believe that Jesus rose from the dead.
So believe the witnesses. Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead to give us hope of eternal life. We can “have life in His name” (John 20:31), but we must believe what was said about Him and follow Him as our Lord and our God.