Luke 23:43 "43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise."
The original language that the new testament was written in, did not use punctuation's. The commas in this verse and others, were added when translated to English. The person who made this translation, apparently believed that the dead go straight to heaven or hell. Because of this, he placed the comma before the words to day instead of after them. If one were to place the comma after the words to day it would completely change the meaning of the verse. It would simply mean that Christ was telling the thief on that day, that he would be in paradise with him. This would be a more accurate and biblically sound rendering of the verse.
We know that Christ is not a liar. Therefore He could not have been telling the thief that on that day he would be with Christ in paradise, for Christ did not ascend to His Father until after His resurrection. He himself said so.
John 20:16-17 "16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God."
The Lord Jesus Christ was in the grave, that is the heart of the earth for three days, just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days and nights. Jonah's description of his experience in the belly of a whale is certainly no description of paradise, nor does it seem to depict a place of eternal torment. Yet this experience was said by Christ to be a sign for those who were seeking proof of Christ's divinity, that is that He would be delivered from the power of the grave, or death.
Matt 12:39-40 "39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."
Apart from this, it is very unlikely that the thief on the cross died on this same day that Christ did. One who was crucified usually did not die for days. This is one of the things that made the punishment so terrible. Christ, as we know, died of a broken heart.
John 19:31-34 31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.
33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:
34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
Notice what Christ says in the following verses.
John 14:1-3 1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
In verse three Christ says that He will come again and receive us unto Himself. This is a clear reference to his second coming, at which time we will all be gathered togehter to be with Him forever more. Christ did not say, when you die you will be with me, he said when I come again, I will receive you unto myself.Bye for now.
Your brother in Christ, Keith.