Good morning. From a physical standpoint there was nothing special about them. They weren’t overly large, or strong, or attractive. This is consistent with all that we read of the physical person who was Jesus of Nazareth. His hands were “normal” looking hands. But, please consider a few truths about His hands:
There was the leper who came to him. As a leper, he was despised. It was illegal for him to touch any person not a leper, or for any non-leper to touch him. But we read of his encounter with the Lord in Matthew 8:2-3 a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. The hands of reached out and touched the untouchable and set him free.
When Jesus was angry about those who had turned His Father’s House into a place of abuse His hands were set to a different purpose. We read: And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” Mt. 21:12-13
The same hands that fashioned a whip out of curtain cords, that overturned tables, that forcefully chased away thieves, could also be incredibly gentle. And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. Mark 10:13-16
But there is no greater image of the hands of Jesus than when they were fastened to the cross of Calvary. As His hands were being nailed to the cross, these are His thoughts and words: While they were nailing Jesus to the cross, he prayed over and over, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.” Luke 23:34
Ultimately, for all who love the Lord and live in humble obedience to His commands, His hands will welcome us, His hands will hold us, His hands will gently touch our face as He proclaims that we are His and are made righteous by His blood.
Vern