Question: Where did Jesus say he would be with the repentant thief crucified with Him that same day?
Answer: Paradise. (Luke 23:42-43)
Comments: The gospel of Luke records that Jesus was crucified amidst two criminals. One chastised Jesus while the other defended him. Jesus assured his advocate that he would join him in paradise. It is the first of only three times the word (παράδεισος, paradeisos) is used in the New Testament. (Luke 23:43, II Corinthians 12:4, Revelation 2:7).
And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43, NASB)
It is worth nothing that early church fathers Irenaeus (d. 202) and Origen (d. 254) distinguished paradise from heaven.
Note: This image of the repentant thief with Jesus (from "Les 7 dernières paroles du Christ") was painted by Macha Chmakoff.
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