Did The Thief On The Cross Go To Heaven? Pt 1: Paradise In Heaven

Luke 23 tells the short story of a criminal, commonly referred to as "the thief on the cross", who was crucified next to Jesus. Jesus tells the man "today you will be with me in paradise." Many Christians take this to mean that the thief would be with Jesus in heaven that very day after they both died. But is that a legitimate way to interpret this passage?
In this video we take a look at the story of the thief on the cross and 3 important parts of the story that we need to get right to have a good interpretation: "paradise", "today" and "kingdom".
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[@JRD876]

Great Content

[@brianj5495]

Thank you, brother. Blessings upon your teaching ministry. Keep up the Father's work. Maranatha!

[@earlysda]

This entire debate can be easily solved by realising that Greek didn't have commas, and the obvious thing that Jesus said was "I tell you today you will be with me in Paradise". Jesus said it that day. That thief is still in the dust, awaiting the last great trumpet when Jesus returns.

[@thestoryandtheshape]

Yes that's a very helpful thing to know, I'll be looking at that in a later video coming soon

[@tomgregory687]

@@thestoryandtheshape Nuff said, you can cancel the rest of the videos. ❤️

[@melsab2864]

2Pe 3:8 Now, dear friends, do not let this one thing escape your notice, that a single day is like a thousand years with the Lord and a thousand years are like a single day.

[@melsab2864]

Do we believe the words of the things or the respond of Jesus?

[@chrissmith1668]

Well presented Paul. Very intriguing, looking forward to next parts.

[@2ndTrapkat5123]

I mean jesus when he told mary not to handle him resurrection morning he said he was ascending to heaven the thief went to paradise with him while his body was in the grave jesus said Mark 12:27 KJV He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err. Matthew 22 32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

[@thestoryandtheshape]

Ok I see where you’re coming from. Jesus told Mary not to hold on to him because he had not yet ascended to the Father, that doesn’t necessarily mean he was ascending that same day but I’ll grant that it’s a possibility, although other texts clearly say he ascended later. The context of Matthew 22 is resurrection, not disembodied souls going to heaven.

[@2ndTrapkat5123]

Ah ok cool thx i am under the impression that abraham issac and jacob were living still even though the bodies have died the soul went on like rachels when her soul departed Genesis 35:18-20 King James Version 18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.

[@2ndTrapkat5123]

He went to heaven the morning of his resurrection then came back down and spent 40 days with his followers

[@thestoryandtheshape]

Where do you get that idea from?

[@oliverz6581]

honestly have no idea if he went to heaven when he died or if i even believe Heaven exists, but if I go with how I'd like the story to go, i'd like to think he went to heaven after his brief exchange with Jesus; i mean what crime or sin did the guy do to be deserving of death, let alone undeserving of heaven? was he just a thief or did he commit other crimes? I know the Bible preaches not to steal but if my two choices are to steal or die of starvation, i'm probably forced to steal because I need to survive, especially when there's no "Christianity" at the time to save me after I die. Times were really tough back then, you can analyze the Bible a lot but the reality is people were sometimes forced to do things just to survive and I'd like to believe the thief character was intentionally "just a thief" in the Bible so that the reader may believe that he was ultimately forgiven in his last moments when he believed in Jesus, unlike the 3rd criminal on the cross next to him.

[@BradynMarch]

Incredibly thought provoking Paul! Cannot wait for pt.2 and 3.

[@thestoryandtheshape]

Thanks legend!

[@earlysda]

There were no commas in the original Greek. Jesus said it today.

[@mrarcade2504]

Been meaning to get to your recent videos for a bit. Big fan of your channel and the new Godwit ministries channel. I just wanna encourage you to keep doing what you're doing

[@thestoryandtheshape]

Thank you so much I really appreciate the encouragement!

[@DavidMcDonald-z4u]

well Jesus was just reminding him that his fate was already sealed That on the day of judgment The thief that asked for mercy Will be able to enter into the kingdom of heaven Because Jesus Christ said that whoever asked for mercy shall receive mercy 🙏 To me Paradise could be Heaven To me heaven could be paradise Thank you Jesus Christ for the opportunity to live forever in heaven 🙏

[@tomgregory687]

Show me one scripture, just one, anywhere in the entire Bible that says that anyone, (other than Jesus), ever died and went to a place called Heaven(or Paradise for that matter). I’ll wait!

[@Charles-tv6oi]

Jesus said kingdom of God is within you =state of spiritual bliss. Paradise

[@darylcoleman9352]

Wrong.

[@FirstLast-zk5ow]

He repented and believed. And if that wasn't good enough for you .... Jesus (Yahushua) told him that he would be with him in paradise.

[@thestoryandtheshape]

I think you’ve missed the point. I agree that he will be with Jesus in paradise, but not that paradise means heaven.

[@FirstLast-zk5ow]

@@thestoryandtheshape Sorry, where do you think Jesus meant he was going to meet him, if not heaven? They both died that day. And so the only logical, sound place that one can deduce that they would meet, would be in Heaven. Anywhere else would make absolutely no sense.

[@thestoryandtheshape]

Did you watch the whole video? The Bible says that Jesus went to Hades when he died, not heaven. I made 4 videos on this topic, if you want to know where Paradise is watch all of parts 1 and 3.

[@FirstLast-zk5ow]

@@thestoryandtheshapeYou're trying to argue that Jesus referred to hades as Paradise?? That is so strange.

[@thestoryandtheshape]

No, I haven’t made that argument at all. But the Bible is clear that Jesus went to Hades when he died, not heaven (until after his resurrection), so we can’t look at the story of Jesus and the thief and conclude that they both went to heaven after they died. Paradise is the Garden of Eden, which in Jewish tradition will be restored to the righteous in the “age to come”. That’s where/when Jesus and the thief will be together, not in heaven after they died.

[@kennethprather9633]

When Jesus ascended to Heaven after his death, burial, and resurrection, He took all who were in Abraham’s Bosom Paradise to Jews. with Him (Ephesians 4:8).

[@Mikomi469]

Paradise is a place of blessing where the righteous go after death. The word paradise is usually used as a synonym for “heaven” (Revelation 2:7). When Jesus was dying on the cross and one of the thieves being crucified with Him asked Him for mercy, Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Jesus knew that His death was imminent and that He would soon be in heaven with His Father. Therefore, Jesus used “paradise” as a synonym for “heaven.” The apostle Paul wrote of someone (probably himself) who “was caught up to paradise” (2 Corinthians 12:3). In this context, paradise obviously refers to heaven. There has always been a separation of believers and unbelievers after death (Luke 16:19-31). The righteous have always gone to paradise; the wicked have always gone to hell. For right now, both paradise and hell are “temporary holding places” until the day when Jesus Christ comes back to judge the world based on whether or not individuals have believed in Him. The first resurrection is of believers who will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ to receive rewards based on meritorious service to Him. The second resurrection will be that of unbelievers who will stand before the Great White Throne Judgment of God. At that point, all will be sent to their eternal destination-the wicked to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15), and the righteous to a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21-22). There are cases in which paradise can refer to the Garden of Eden, such in the Douay-Rheims translation of Genesis 3:8, which speaks of Adam and Eve hiding “amidst the trees of paradise.” The context of the word will determine whether it refers to heaven or Eden

[@thestoryandtheshape]

You didn’t watch the video did you?

[@charlesallemang9177]

God Don't lie he is in Paradise

[@thestoryandtheshape]

Which is what/where?

[@frankmoreno7216]

So the thief went to Heaven b4 Jesus himself? 👈🏼😂🤣

[@Charles-tv6oi]

Many confusions daniel son. Even in the body can mean in person ( face to face) and out of the body ( by vision only, or letter, or talk by phone call etc)

[@janatabdo9476]

who heard them up there? 🤔

[@thestoryandtheshape]

Lots of people were there as witnesses

[@CliffordMounts-vo1pp]

JESUS took him up in paradise it wasn't Hell so JESUS took him and that is all that matters.JESUS name AMEN.

[@kennethprather9633]

Paradise was Abrahams blossom not heaven. Jesus took all believers of the old covenant with him when he went to heaven in 40 days.

[@Charles-tv6oi]

Some say coma in wrong place n not used in original. I say paradise is garden originaly n jesus is second Adam. Spiritual meaning. Also paradise is a state of mind n heaven is a place. Bliss is paradise. Jesus spoke in parables n shouded meaning. Idioms always used in bible

[@jeanettemcclernan654]

Jesus was God..n God is everywhere..so yeah..he can be that day.

[@tomgregory687]

Where does the Bible say that God is everywhere?

[@frankmoreno7216]

PEACE!! Paradise = Peace Garden of Eden was Heaven ( Peace)!!

[@thestoryandtheshape]

Na

[@frankmoreno7216]

@@thestoryandtheshape It’s very obvious that either we’re going to be with him in peace or his wrath. No bs purgatory or nothing in between Heaven or Hell exists.

[@thestoryandtheshape]

@@frankmoreno7216 The Bible doesn't make heaven our destination, but a new earth. Paradise is not heaven.

[@frankmoreno7216]

@@thestoryandtheshape It’s 🤣 u say a new earth but not a new Jerusalem ( Heaven ). Revelation 21:1-2 👈🏼👈🏼 That’s the same dumb thing the JW’s say.

[@thestoryandtheshape]

Dude, read it again. The new Jerusalem comes out of heaven to the new earth, we don’t go up to heaven

[@lonifonua6356]

WHERE IS JESUS KINGDOM? WHERE EVER THAT IS THATS WHERE THEY WENT

[@aaronwalcott513]

Short answer: Jesus took him to Abraham's Bosom (aka Paradise) which some scholars call "the happy side" of Hades. You're welcome.

[@thestoryandtheshape]

That’s one interpretation, which I look at in part 2 (coming soon) Question: How does being in Hades relate to Jesus coming into his kingdom?

[@el_hermanito_loquito]

​@@thestoryandtheshapeThe Rich man and Lazarus was a parable in my opinion. Just because the heading of the story doesn't say parable doesn't mean that it wasn't a parable. The story of the rich man and lazarus was not to be taken literal it was a parable. Really enjoying your interpretation so far.

[@thestoryandtheshape]

@el_hermanito_loquito Yes I agree it's a parable and not meant be taken as literal theology of the afterlife. Although it does reflect a popular view amongst the Pharisees at the time, that Hades had separate compartments for the righteous and the wicked.

[@tomgregory687]

Some scholars are ignoramuses in the actual word of God.

[@alton1950]

No

[@geoffreypalmer2661]

i believe the theif went to heaven its the same as paradise

[@geoffreypalmer2661]

the guy on this you tube video is wrong he is preaching false doctrine