Hi Jb,
Christ did NOT go to "Paradise" (which is in Heaven) when He died, His spirit returned to God (Luke 23v46), His body was in the tomb (Luke 23v50) and His soul descended into Hades (Sheol)
The above is not correct. The word "paradise" is not unique to heaven, as Eden was also called paradise. When Jesus said to the man next to him "today you will be with me in paradise" he was speaking of the same place where Abraham and Lazarus were in that area across from Sheol/Hades, which Abraham referred to as a place of comfort. Scripture states that unless there is a shedding of blood there is no forgiveness for sin and the payment for sin is death. Though Jesus paid the penalty for sin by dying in our place, He himself was without sin and therefore death could not hold him. Also, Jesus soul and spirit did not split up with one going to the Father in heaven and the other going down into Sheol. Both Christ's soul/spirit went down into Sheol/Hades in area where Abraham and Lazarus were, that place of paradise. Another proof that Jesus did not ascend into heaven either via soul or spirit can be deduced from the following:
"Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned and said to Him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher).
17“Do not cling to Me,” Jesus said, “For I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and tell My brothers, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’”
According to the scripture above, after his resurrection, Jesus had not yet ascended to the Father, which would definitely rule out heaven as the place of paradise that Jesus was speaking of.
(NOTE 2: Luke 23v43 states "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise."
The above is a well known false teaching stating that the comma is in the wrong place, that it should be placed after the word "today" instead of after the word "You." Here is the same scripture with the comma moved as they are suggesting:
1). "And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."
2). "And He said to him, "Truly I say to you today, you will be with Me in Paradise."
The first example infers that the Jesus is telling the man that he will be with him in paradise that very day, while the second example infers that Jesus is telling him that day that he will be in paradise. It is important to note that every single major translator has the comma after the word "You" and none have it after the word "Today." What do you think that the odds that all of the Hebrew and Greek scholars, all from different schools and walks of life, with strict adherence to translation requirements, that everyone of them put the comma in the wrong place?
In example #1, Jesus is promising the man that he will be with him in paradise that very day, where example #2 makes Jesus sound like he's doing Shakespeare in the park. Why would Jesus need to inform the man what day he was telling him this information? It is ridiculous to think of! The paradise that Jesus was promising the man who was crucified next him, was the same place that Abraham and Lazarus were, which was that area across from Sheol/Hades which was separated by a great chasm as described in Luke 16:19-31.
Here is a list of all the major translators regarding Jesus promise to the thief:
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[TR]
[TD]
Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."
And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."
And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
And Jesus said to him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."
And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."
And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
And He said to him, "I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise."
Jesus told him, "I tell you with certainty, today you will be with me in Paradise."
And Jesus said to him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
But Yeshua said to him, “Amen, I say to you that today you shall be with me in Paradise.”
Jesus said to him, "I can guarantee this truth: Today you will be with me in paradise."
And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto you, Today shall you be with me in paradise.
And Jesus said to him, Truly I say to you, To day shall you be with me in paradise.
And he said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.
And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise.
And Jesus said to him, Verily I say to thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
And he said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise.
And Jesus said to him, Verily I say to thee, This day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
"I tell you in solemn truth," replied Jesus, "that this very day you shall be with me in Paradise."
Jesus said to him, "Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
and Jesus said to him, 'Verily I say to thee, To-day with me thou shalt be in the paradise.'
[/TD]
[/TR]
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