MY OPINION:
At that point in time paradise was located inside the earth in Hades which was divided into two primary parts as seen in Luke 16. The righteous went to the side called paradise (Abraham's bosom) the unrighteous went to Gehenna (hell). Some argue that the word "today" is not the timing of where the thief would be, but when Jesus was saying it to him. While we can it pick over words, the meaning is obvious in the context of the statement. He would be with Jesus, where did Jesus go that day? Paradise.
Most people say that The theif is in heaven but that cannot be true because "Today" Jesus didn't go to paradise but he went to hell to get the keys so the Thief is in Hell as well, waiting until the day of resurrection.
Epesians 4: 8-10 "Therefore he says "when he ascended on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts to men: Now this he ascended what does it mean but that he first descended into the lower parts of the earth.
Do you agree or disagree?
2007-07-19 20:21:58 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Death is the complete cessation of life.
"You will ... return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For dust you are and to dust you will return." --Genesis 3:19
"His spirit goes out, he goes back to his ground; In that day his thoughts do perish." --Psalm 146:4
The word "hell" comes from the Olde English saying: "helling potatoes"--which simply referred to their storage underground or in cellars, not cooking them to any extent.
Jesus was in the 'bowels of the earth' for parts of 3 days.
Then, he was resurrected, but remained on earth for 40 more days, where he appeared to many of his followers.
Then, he was resurrected to heaven.
So, Jesus was actually nonexistent for parts of 3 days.
There was no place for the thief to be with him during that time, except in that state of non-existence, as both were dead.
When initially resurrected, Christ remained in the vicinity of the earth for over a month... hardly a Paradise.
So, what Christ told that man clearly referred to the day that Christ spoke to him, rather than how soon the man would be resurrected after his death.
So, the thief is yet asleep in death, 'awaiting' the resurrection that was promised to him by Christ.
2007-07-19 20:51:34 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Paradise is another word for hell and purgatory. The theirf went to paradise as did Jesus. Jesus spoke to all those who died before He was born and those who died during His life . When Jesus resurrected He remained on earth for another 40 days, When He ascended to heaven, He took those He had preached to in paradise with Him to heaven
2007-07-20 10:18:14 · answer #2 · answered by tebone0315 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Of course the Thief is in Heaven. He is a Church St. Heaven is not a place, it is a condition. Those whose hearts are inclined towards God once they fall asleep in the Lord shall experience eternal bliss, for they shall be with God. Those who do not desire God will be in Hell, for God's presence permeates all of creation, and for the soul that hates God, this presence is torturous. God does not take away our free will after death. Those who will to run away from God, though upon death God will be clearly seen everywhere by all, are still free to try and run after death.
Salvation is not something that takes place in the future, it is happening right now. The Church is on Earth and in Heaven. The Church worships God, and Heaven is worship of God. It is true that we await the establishment of the New Jerusalem and the Second Coming, but this is only the universal establishment of Heavenly worship which, now, exists within the Churches. It is also true that our bodies shall be resurrected and glorified - so our salvation is now incomplete, but that does not mean that we do not experience Heaven, at least in part, now and after falling asleep.
2007-07-20 09:30:59 · answer #3 · answered by Josias B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is a very good point about Jesus not going straight to heaven. But rest assured, the thief is NOT in hell. Jesus told Him that he would be in paradise - He never lies! (He CAN'T lie; it's, in fact, impossible! It's not in His nature.) I don't understand everything about the Bible because I'm still learning, but I do know that Jesus is alive, He conquered death, and all - including that theif on the cross - who believe that He is who He said He is and accept His gift of salvation will go straight to heaven when they die. No question about it!
God bless you!
2007-07-20 03:29:21 · answer #4 · answered by Rach 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
JESUS is the first begotten of the dead. So Jesus, as our high priest, the only sinless man ascended to Heaven first.
Then all those in Abraham's Bosom ascended to Heaven after Him. For us, "Apart from the body, face to face with the Lord."
2007-07-20 03:28:10 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Whoa. Who says "the keys" were in hell? I'm think that "the lower parts of the earth" mentioned in Ephesians were the crummy parts of life that Jesus had already allowed himself to experience by taking on the human life that he did. I personally believe that in His own death Jesus slept just like the kings of Israel (1 Kings 2:10, and 35 other examples), like he said Lazarus was sleeping (John 11:11), like he said the dead are sleeping that He will awake when he comes again (Daniel 12:2, Isaiah 26:9).
Christianity is actually a really simple religion, and a kind one. My own little boy is dead, and yes, I, his mother, know exactly what he did today. Nothing without me!
2007-07-20 03:37:31 · answer #6 · answered by shirleykins 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I believe he is in heaven. My understanding is Paradise was a temporary abode in Hades for those who would go to heaven when Jesus died on the cross. I believe it has now been closed down and all those who were there are now in heaven. My thanks for the Ephesians scripture, but I don't have any other scriptures to support this opinion.
2007-07-20 03:45:08 · answer #7 · answered by Bad bus driving wolf 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I disagree.
In Luke 22:42-43 Jesus told the thief that he(the thief)would be with Him in Paradise that day. He didn't say "after a detour to see brother Lucifer(satan) down in hell". He said "You WILL be with me in Paradise TODAY."
There is no Paradise with hell.
2007-07-20 20:56:14 · answer #8 · answered by julie 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The scripture you're referring to in reference to "Abraham's bosom" was the story about the rich man, and the poor man. The rich man being in the torment of fire, and the poor man being comforted in the bosom of Abraham.
The thief that died alongside Christ was promised "paradise" and the wording Christ used was, "today you will be with Me, in paradise." Christ dwells in Heaven, and that is where He would have gone and that's where He would have taken this man, as promised.
2007-07-20 06:14:28 · answer #9 · answered by C J 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Heaven because everyone who went to the comfort side of Hell all went to Heaven because the blood of Christ washed their sins at long last.
2007-07-20 03:28:15 · answer #10 · answered by MrCool1978 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋