I was told some Bibles have the coma in a different part of this statement, which can mean two different things. What do you believe? "Jesus said, today you will be with me in paradise." Did Jesus mean that he will go right to Heaven with him?
2007-11-14 10:40:09 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
St Mathew 52: And the graves were opened and many bodies of the saints which slept arose. 53 And came out from the graves after his resurrection and went to the holy city and appeared to many. This was before they laid Jesus in the tomb. Thats why I wondered about this verse.
2007-11-14 23:21:52 · update #1
Paradise is not heaven, it is the spirit world in which we go after we die. When we die we go to one or the other, a spirit paradise, or a spirit hell, depending on if you have lived righteously or not. Now this man who was with Jesus on the cross expressed two things, one a belief in Jesus as the Christ, and two; a true remorse which indicates repentance and a willingness to pay for his sin in the manner he was paying for it. Those two things were enough to go into the paradise. for full exultation he still needs several things we do not yet know if he had. None the less the spirit world is not an end but a continuation of life, a different chapter in which we may still learn and grow. It isn't until the final judgment that we receive our perfect body's and stand in front of Christ that we are doomed to an everlasting hell, or exaltation into heaven. I for one am sure that this man who was at Jesus side will make a full exultation into heaven if he has not already.
2007-11-14 10:57:31 · answer #1 · answered by saintrose 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I believe He was saying, I say to you this day, you shall be with Me in paradise...
to mean that in this final hour as he asked right then...without further work or further repentance necessary, that the thief would enter Heaven. I dont think it was saying "TODAY you will be with Me in Paradise because obviously, Jesus was in the tomb for three days. When He resurrected He said, "dont touch Me for I have not YET ascended..."
2007-11-14 10:52:19 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
He went down to Abraham's bosum which was called paradise and Jesus met him and the other believers in God there and took them all to heaven with Him. The Bible states that many of the Old Testament Saints were seen walking in Jerusalem after the Crucifixion and Resurrection before they went to heaven with Jesus.
2007-11-14 10:47:27 · answer #3 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
That's impossible, not before judgements day, paradise here is not necessarely referring to Heaven but to that special waitting place in which good souls await the day of resurrection.
It is like when Lazarus was raised from death he was raised but not resurrected cause Jesus was the first in resurrection.
2007-11-14 10:56:01 · answer #4 · answered by Patrick "Paddy" Murphy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To understand this, think: Did Jesus go to heaven that very day? If he did not, then that thief could not be "with Jesus" in heaven that very day.
Jesus spent parts of 3 days in HELL, the Bible's grave. Acts 2:25-27, 31
For David saith concerning him: I foresaw the Lord before my face: because he is at my right hand, that I may not be moved.
For this my heart hath been glad, and any tongue hath rejoiced: moreover my flesh also shall rest in hope.
Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer thy Holy One to see corruption.
Foreseeing this, he spoke of the resurrection of Christ. For neither was he left in hell, neither did his flesh see corruption.
After spending 3 days in hell/Hades/grave, Jesus spent 40 days on EARTH teaching his followers.....Acts 1:3 (AS)
To whom he also showed himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing unto them by the space of forty days, and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God:
Now WHERE EXACTLY are you trying to teach this man went? Jesus certainly did tell him that very day Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in paradise....
But he did not go that very day EVEN IF heaven was his hope.....Jesus did not go to heaven until 43 days after his death.
So what were you wanting?
Debbie
2007-11-14 10:50:53 · answer #5 · answered by debbiepittman 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes. Look at this example where changing the position of the second comma changes the meaning;
"A woman, without her, man is useless"
"A woman, without her man, is useless"
Jesus did not go to heaven or paradise that same day- he was dead in the tomb for THREE days. So was he telling a lie to the thief next to him by saying they'd be together that very day?
Now look at it when you shift the comma, which sentence is more in line with the entire resurrection story?
1. And he said to him: “Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in Paradise.
2. And he said to him: “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.
The 2nd sentence means Jesus was in Paradise that very day, which is not true.
The footnote in the NWT Reference Bible says;
“Today.” Although WH puts a comma in the Gr. text before the word for “today,” commas were not used in Gr. uncial mss. In keeping with the context, we omit the comma before “today.” Syc (fifth cent. C.E.) renders this text: “Amen, I say to thee to-day that with me thou shalt be in the Garden of Eden.”—F. C. Burkitt, The Curetonian Version of the Four Gospels, Vol. I, Cambridge, 1904.
2007-11-14 10:47:53 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm sure that compared to the process of being crucified, any alternative could be labeled "paradise".
I believe He was referring to the Spirit world where everyone goes when they die, not the presence of God, which only those who are judged worthy can go after the Day of Judgement.
2007-11-14 10:47:28 · answer #7 · answered by Open Heart Searchery 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think we worry about it because we have to think in terms of time. God exists outside the limitations of time. I believe Jesus worded his statement in terms we can wrap our minds around.
Think about it....time only exists because of the sun and how everything revolves around it. Do away with the sun and there is nothing to mark time...
2007-11-14 11:35:53 · answer #8 · answered by dfaithful1 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jesus is GOD and after HIS resurrection was returned to all HIS powerful glory meaning HE can be everywhere at the same time.
2007-11-14 10:45:18 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
TODAY.................to be absent from the body is to be present with the LORD...........
God is omnipotent...........everywhere , all the Time........
And the TIME is a mystery........he spoke with Moses in the garden and His Apostles saw Moses and Esais........yet both had died..yet spoke to Jesus there.....
and Yet Jesus had not died yet nor ascended ?
He also spoke to Abraham on the plains of Memre and eat with him , yet Jesus wasnt born yet...but He was still there ?
Great is the Mystery of God........and His ways past finding out
2007-11-14 10:46:08 · answer #10 · answered by hghostinme 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋