In this passage the criminal is asking Jesus to remember him in the Kingdom. The Kingdom that the criminal is talking about, according to scripture is never described as being located in heaven. The Kingdom will be established here on earth after Jesus returns. In interpreting the scripture, if we are to assume the Jesus and the criminal are talking about the same thing then we need to look at other scriptures. In prophecy we know that Jesus would be in the belly of the whale, the grave, for three days and three nights. Jesus was not going to be in paradise, heaven, that day, prophecy says he would be in the grave.
2007-07-05 15:26:53 · 18 answers · asked by tripler5064 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
You are absolutely right! Jesus was speaking of the fact that the thief would be resurrected to life on earth...
(Acts 24:15) “. . .and I have hope toward God, which hope these [men] themselves also entertain, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.”
(John 5:28-29) “. . .Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out,. . .”
So the thief that died along side Jesus that day will have a chance in the future to learn about Jehovah and make a decision whether he will serve him or not. What a wonderful blessing that will be for him!!
(John 17:3) “. . .This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.. . .”
~wannaknow~
2007-07-07 12:53:20 · answer #1 · answered by wannaknow 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This verse is a little tricky in the sense that – the criminal’s request was not answered directly by Christ.
The criminal’s request was for Jesus to remember him when he reached his KINGDOM. But instead, he was promised a “sure ride” with Jesus to PARADISE.
Obviously, the criminal’s perception of Jesus’ KINGDOM was in heaven up there. Yet, he asked just the right question. So, Jesus gave him the right answer. KINGDOM and PARADISE are the same place. And yes, it is not in heaven up there. It is here!
Remember what Jesus has told the Pharisses about this KINGDOM? In Luke 17:20-21 “20: And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
21: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
“The KINGDOM of God is within you”. It is therefore not here nor there!
This is also the same KINGDOM that Jesus asked the converts to find – “But seek ye first His KINGDOM and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you”.
This is also the same KINGDOM that Adam ruled when God FORMED man. And it is the same KINGDOM where the criminal and all the righteous are. It is also the same KINGDOM that we should strive to find for us to be saved.
And in the last day, when we all see the coming down of the NEW CITY. God will gather all the righteous from this KINGDOM. In short, this KINGDOM serves as the STRAINER. This is also the same place as the PARADISE “eastward” of Eden.
No wonder they could not find the “physical” place….
GOD BLESS…
2007-07-05 16:01:39 · answer #2 · answered by GH 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Biblically, paradise is the place of uninterrupted bliss. The Garden of Eden was considered a paradise. Jesus mentioned paradise while on the cross (Luke 23:43) and Paul also mentioned Paradise (2 Cor. 12:1-4). Some consider paradise to be the abode of people in the intermediate state while others believe it is the permanent location of the saved.
2007-07-05 15:34:25 · answer #3 · answered by Jo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The kingdom he was talking about was heaven. Jesus told the thief, "Verily i say unto you today, you shall be in paradise." He did not mean on that day. Jesus died and was ressurrected 3 days later. He went to heaven after a few days. The criminal said remember me in paradise. When we die, we are dead and thats it for now. The Bible says the dead no nothing. We do not go to heaven or hell immediately when we die. We lie in our graves into the Jesus returns. Then the dead in Christ shall rise and the righteous shall ascend to heaven. The thief would be considered the dead in
Christ. After ascension to heaven, they would stay in heaven for 1,000 yrs while the Devil roams the earth during this time. Then the heavenly kingdom will descend to earth and at that point fire and brimstone will consume the wicked and the Devil and the heavenly kingdom will be on earth.
2007-07-05 15:45:47 · answer #4 · answered by Eric G 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ahh...'the end of time'...
Thinking about that is a rather frightening prospect. Thinking about how night will never come again; you'll never see that dim slowly spread out across the sky, creeping over the sun and throwing out stars for us to appraise....It's so...morose.
Personally? I know this sounds so weird, but...I prefer earth to Heaven. In Heaven, it'll be perfection; everyone's expecting happy, jolly-good eternity, right? But...here on earth, every day is a new adventure, if that's not too cliche of me to say, and each dawn brings unexpected pleasures, or heart-wrenching tragedies.
I don't think I'll be able to truly be happy without all of that. XD
Hmm...I didn't really answer the question, did I?
~Taisi
2007-07-05 15:44:09 · answer #5 · answered by Taisi 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sure, but Jesus tells the parable about Lazarus being in paradise (Abraham bosom) separated by a chasm from the rich man in hell. So paradise differed from heaven in that before the crufixion of Christ those in paradise were also located in the depths of the grave. When Jesus ascended he lead those captives in paradise, to heaven. Remember Ephesians 4:7-9 which reads:
"7But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?"
Now concerning heaven it is currently in a higher realm, but the book of revelations says that the city of New Jerusalem would descend and be on earth, and that God sitting on the throne would be the light of that city.
2007-07-05 15:37:14 · answer #6 · answered by ignoramus_the_great 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For much of Christiandom, they believe that the next life after death is either heaven or hell--a quick assignment to eternal rest or torment as the case may be.
Such is farthest from the truth. We know that the resurrection and then the final judgment by Christ must come at the time God the Father proclaims it. In the interim, righteous spirits will abide in a place called Paradise and the unrighteous will reside in a spirit prison of sorts.
It is after our resurrection and final judgment that we will receive our eternal destination.
2007-07-05 15:36:03 · answer #7 · answered by Guitarpicker 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I really do think that he was talking about heaven. Maybe when the criminal died Jesus just sent him to a time in which Jesus could be with him? I don't know, but I'm sure Jesus is powerful enough to work that out.
2007-07-05 15:37:31 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
technically the kingdom is something all Christians posses take a look at what Jesus taught it was all about bringing the kingdom of God to the lost... Jesus body was in the grave for 3 days but that didn't mean his spirit stayed there with him it just meant that it would be 3 days before his body was resurrected.
2007-07-05 15:37:06 · answer #9 · answered by Andre 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When Jesus gave up the Ghost, He went to a place called Paradise, where the souls of the dead Old Testament Saints were. Jesus went there and preached to the saints, as it is prophesied, no one goes to the Father, except through Him. Jesus led the saints out and paradise was closed.
2007-07-05 15:58:27 · answer #10 · answered by Auburn 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋