While I firmly believe that Jesus was crucified and rose again, most literature I’ve read about the actual crucifixion process has the nails driven through the wrists. This was to ensure that the arms were held securely and thus prolong the person’s agony.
However, in the Gospels, Thomas places his fingers through the holes in Jesus’s hands. Thus indicating that Jesus was crucified through the palms of his hands. Plus every image I’ve seen depicting the crucifixion has the nails through the palms.
I’ve been curious about this for some time, and while it has no real relevance to what Jesus did, I’ve often wondered about it. So I was wondering what your view on this is.
Most scholars, as well as medical papers I’ve read on the crucifixion, agree that the nails were driven between the ulna and radius bones just above where they join at the wrist. Nails through His palms would have quickly torn through the skin and caused Him to fall off the cross.
John 20:27 doesn’t specifically say that Thomas touched holes in the Lord’s hands, only that he saw His hands. He did touch the scar in the Lord’s side where the Roman soldier’s spear pierced Him.