When the Savior of this world – Jesus Christ – was giving his life for the redemption of mankind on the cruel cross, crucified between two thieves, one of them asked him: “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” Jesus answered him: “Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43.
Where is paradise located? Where the tree of life is (Rev. 2:7) and where the water of life flows (Rev. 22:1, 2). The water of life springs forth from the throne of God and of the Lamb (verse 1). The Psalmist tells us that the throne of God is in heaven – Psalm 11:4. The thief expected to be accepted in heaven.
When was he to go there? Many people believe that the thief was accepted in paradise on the same day on which he was crucified. But he who reads the Word of God with reverence will be convinced that when Jesus gave up the ghost, the thief had not died yet. John 19:32-34. Jesus died on the same day, from a broken heart. Those who were sentenced to crucifixion usually suffered for several days before passing away.
Even Pilate wondered at the announcement of Christ’s death.
“And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.” Mark 15:44.
Did the thief expect that on the same day (Friday) he would go to heaven? No, he knew that a crucified man hangs for days on the cross until they finally die, and so he did not expect to pass away on Friday. His plea to Christ was: “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” Luke 23:42. He did not plead to be accepted on the same day – Friday. But when would Christ come in his glory?
Read carefully the next verses from the Scriptures and it will become clear to you that Christ’s kingdom will not be set up until he comes a second time. 1 Thess. 4:16-18. John 5:28, 29; 1 Cor. 15:51-55.
And even then there will need to be a thousand years of investigating the cases of the wicked (Rev. 20:1-6), after which the city of God will descend on earth and the earth will be purified of all sin and sinners (Rev. 20:7-8), after the second resurrection, which will make room for the creation of the new heaven and the new earth – the eternal abode of the righteous (Rev. 21:1-6).
Was the thief to have better privileges than the apostles themselves who gave their lives for the preaching of his message? The gospel says that the apostles will be translated into the eternal heavenly dwellings when Christ comes the second time as a King.
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 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. 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.” John 14:1-3.
The apostle Paul speaks of all the righteous who testified of their faith in God – from the righteous Abel, through Noah, Abraham, and all the faithful men of God who devoted their lives to their Master. Of them he says that they have not received the fulfillment of the promise, waiting for the believers in Christ to join them together in the glorious resurrection, when all will see the Savior and take part in his glory, being translated together to live with him in the mansions above. This we find in Hebrews Chapter 11. The whole chapter can be beautifully summarized in these verses:
“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had the opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.” Heb. 11:13-16.
But now there is a question: Why did Christ mention the word “today” when he said that the thief was going to be with him in paradise? The mistake is not in the word itself but in the punctuation. It is a well-known fact that punctuation was introduced around the 15th century, so they are a work of man. Must the Word of God receive another meaning because a single punctuation sign has been placed in the wrong place? No. Here there must be a coma not before but after the word “today”.
The sentence must read: “Verily I say unto thee to day, thou shalt be with me in paradise.”
Thus on the same day, only the promise was given.
But the clearest witness that Jesus did not admit the thief into paradise was the occurrence that happened after the resurrection of Christ when Jesus told Mary: “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.” John 20:17.
This conversation between Jesus and Mary happened on the third day after his death. Here Jesus said that he had not yet ascended to heaven. Then how can it be possible that he has been with the thief in paradise on Friday? It becomes very clear that Jesus only gave him the promise that he would accept him. But this would be realized when he would come in his glory, just as the thief prayed: “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”