Someone please explain Abrahams bosom?

Answer 1

It is the same place as "Paradise" in the Bible. The place where believers in God went prior to the Crucifixion and resurrection. Before that no one could enter heaven because their sins had not been atoned for, so God had a place called Paradise prepared where they went. It is the place where Jesus said the thief on the cross would be with him that day. After the resurrection believers go directly to heaven.

Answer 2

Place to which the angels carried the poor man Lazarus when he died. The Roman custom of reclining at meals was common among the Jews. Such positioning placed one in the bosom of the neighboring person. To be next to the host, that is to recline in the bosom of the host, was considered the highest honor. Lazarus was comforted after death by being given the place of closest fellowship with the father of the whole Hebrew nation (Luke 16:22-23). —Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary


Abraham's bosom (Luke 16:22, 23) refers to the custom of reclining on couches at table, which was prevalent among the Jews, an arrangement which brought the head of one person almost into the bosom of the one who sat or reclined above him. To "be in Abraham's bosom" thus meant to enjoy happiness and rest (Mat 8:11; Luke 16:23) at the banquet in Paradise.
—Easton's Illustrated Dictionary

Answer 3

Abraham's Bosom was the place the Old Testament Saints went to wait for Jesus to die for their sins. This place was also called, Paradise. Its the place Jesus told the repentant thief about, "Today you shall be with me in Paradise".

It was a place of comfort, but since the sin debt had not yet been paid by Jesus, they still could not be in the presence of God.

You can read about it in Luke 16:19-31.

After Jesus died and rose again, this place is now empty, but the rich man is still in hell until the Great White Throne Judgment we read about in the book of the Revelation.

Pastor Art

Answer 4

All the Old Testament Saints. The covenant between Israel & the LORD God. They had Levitical High Priests who also had lamb sacrifices for the sins of the people.

When Jesus raised from the dead, those in Abrahams bosom ascended to the 3rd heaven. Their soul/spirits did. They were were waiting for the Messiah.

Answer 5

Somewhere in the OT it talks about people being gathered to the bosom of Abraham. It's symbolic of people resting in peace and comfort after death. For example, when you hold someone close to your chest, it's an act of comfort and closeness. P.S. you're going to get a wide variety of answers on this one! :o

Answer 6

A bosom is a place of comfort and safety. Abraham is the father of the nation of Israel. When a child falls down, the mother takes the crying child into her bosom. Lazarus knew no comfort while he lived. Once he died, he enjoyed the comfort that he never knew while he lived. The illustration symbolizes the comfort of the good shepherd, Jesus. "Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me."

Answer 7

A brief overview is:

1. The place of death was divided between Hades & Sheol. The entire place was referred to as Gehenna, which was similar to the valley of trash & fire. The pit of blood and torment.

When a person died without faith in the coming Messiah, then the person went to Hades, the place of torment.

When a person died with faith in the coming Messiah, the person went to Sheol or Abraham's Bosom as refered to by Jesus Christ. By the way the account of Lazarus & the Rich Man is not a parable, it has too many detials. Jesus is relating a true story.

Because the Christ (greek form of Messiah) had not created a way back to God people were stuck waiting to see if it would really happen or not in Sheol.

This is why Jesus is the blessed event, the good news, the hope of the world! Jesus Christ died on the Cross as a perfect, sinless offering for the Sins of all of mankind. In Adam all sinned. In the 2nd Adam (Jesus Christ) all have been given the chance for redemption (being freed from the state of Sin).

So when Jesus' body was in the tomb on the Sabbath Day, that day He was preaching to the captives in Sheol, and declaring to them the good news of Salvation. They had died in faith, hoping for redemption from their sins. Through their faith in the Messiah, Jesus Christ, they were now changed from a state of unholy sinfulness into a state of holy perfection. They were now acceptable to God the Father because their sins were washed in the Blood of Jesus.

After Jesus ascended to His Heavenly Father and performed His duty as the High Priest, the captives in Sheol were set free. They were united with God.

Then Hell enlarged itself. Now it is all Hades. Abraham's Bosom and Sheol do not exist today. Paul said, to be absent from the Body is to be present with the Lord.

Study the differences between the concept of Death by Paul & the concept of Death by David. It is an interesting study. The difference is the knowledge of the Messiah. Without Jesus things are dark and uncertain. But when Jesus is accepted as the Savior by Faith the Light comes on.

Answer 8

In an illustration, Jesus spoke of a beggar named Lazarus who was carried at his death to “the bosom position of Abraham,” and John refers to Jesus as being in “the bosom position with the Father.” (Lu 16:22, 23; Joh 1:18) The expression “bosom position” alludes to one’s reclining in front of another person on the same couch at a meal.

Guests reclined on their left side with a pillow supporting their left elbow, leaving the right arm free. Usually three persons occupied each couch, but there could be as many as five. The head of each one would be on or near the breast, or bosom, as it were, of the person behind him. The person with no one at his back was considered in the highest position and the one next to him in the second place of honor. In view of the nearness of the guests to one another, it was the custom that friend be placed next to friend, which made it rather easy to engage in confidential conversation if desired.

To be in such a bosom position of another at a banquet was indeed to occupy a special place of favor with that one. So the apostle John, whom Jesus dearly loved, “was reclining in front of Jesus’ bosom,” and in such a position he “leaned back upon the breast of Jesus” and privately asked him a question at the celebration of the last Passover.—Joh 13:23, 25; 21:20.

For these reasons John, in describing the very special position of favor enjoyed by Jesus, said that he was in “the bosom position” of his Father Jehovah. Likewise, in Jesus’ illustration, Lazarus was carried to “the bosom position” of Abraham, denoting that this beggar finally came into a position of special favor with one who was his superior.

Answer 9

Before Jesus Christ redeemed mankind, all who died descended into a region situated in the lower parts of the earth referred to as Sheol in the Hebrew language of the Old Testament books and called Hades in the Greek language of the New Testament. It is apparent from the story Jesus relates in Luke chapter 16 that this was divided into a place of torment and into a place of comfort called "Abraham's bosom". Jesus also referred to this place as "paradise" as is evident from what he told the repentant thief on the cross, saying "this day you shall be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). This was a place in the spirit realm where all who died in faith awaited the appearance of a Redeemer, called Messiah by the Jews but called Christ because of the Greek word for the Messiah, namely Christos. When Jesus died the Bible says He descended into Sheol/Hades in spirit and He did 2 things: He announced His victory over Satan to the fallen spirits (those who died in their sin and unbelief)and took away the keys of Hades from Satan (see I Peter 3:18-20 and Revelation 1:17,18) AND, He announced liberty to those who died in faith and brought them with Him when He ascended into heaven. (see I Peter 4:6; Ephesians 4:8-10, and also Isaiah 50:24-25).
Now that Jesus has made open the way to heaven those who die in faith go immediately to be with Him in heaven (see II Corinthians 5:1-9), but sinners descend into a place of torment awaiting the final judgment referred to as the "White Throne Judgment" (see Revelation 20:11-15)

Answer 10

if your asking about the story of Lazarus and the rich man, than the bosom just symbolizes fulfillment, a resting place of peace.