I'll Take You Back

"And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."  Luke 23:43

No, the title of this post has nothing to do with some cheesy country and western song! ha. What it does have to do with though is another thoughtful insight into something that I saw with a new understanding.  It came from one of the messages that was preached during the conference we were at in Lake City TN. What was particularly interesting to me was a comment made almost offhandedly during the message that caught my ear, and it cleared up something that has been somewhat of a mystery to everyone I know including me up until now. That is, if you accept my explanation of its meaning.

This insight has to do with the meaning of the words of Jesus to the thief on the cross as quoted above. "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." The concern from some has to do with the placement of the comma. The suggestion is that since the Greek language does not include punctuation in it's writings, then perhaps the translators made a mistake in where they placed the comma. One such discussion is detailed at this web site located HERE.  Either placement of the comma presents several Theological difficulties, but as I will show you, that is a distraction from the real meaning of what Jesus was saying.

The Theological question is raised as to whether Jesus was saying to the thief  "I am telling you this today (comma) you will be with me in Paradise" in order to suggest that there is some future time in which the thief would be with Him. Or if the comma reflects the intent that it was actually that day in which the thief would be with Him in Paradise.
On the one hand, if Jesus was saying that since they would both be dead before the day was through, and that since their Spirits would be leaving their bodies at the moment of their death, then the thief would be with Him in Paradise that very instant, then what about the fact that it could be argued there is contradictory evidence of Jesus going to heaven the moment He died? Even more so, what about the fact that it would not be until Jesus actually rose from the grave, that He was able to accomplish the full measure of our salvation! Consider what Paul said in Rom.4:25 "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification."

On the other hand it does not make sense for Jesus to say to the thief that He is telling him this fact today, as if there was some sort of question about when He is speaking! I think it is grammatical gymnastics to try to suggest such an answer in order to solve other Theological problems.

Neither answer ever really sat very well with me, and not only that, Jesus' use of the word Paradise never made sense either. Why would He say that as opposed to the word Heaven?  It never made sense to me, and every explanation I have heard or read had never solved it to my satisfaction until this past week! The two words are not synonymous thus the first clue to the theological answer.

The meaning of the Greek word Jesus used is from the Strongs 3857. paradeisos Of Oriental origin (compare pardec); a park, i.e. (specially), an Eden (place of future happiness, "paradise") -- paradise. This compares to the Garden of Eden in Genesis.

With that in mind, what Jesus did in His death on the cross is to reverse what Adam did by his sin in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve lived in Paradise. Their disobedience caused not only them, but the whole human race to be expelled from Paradise. Jesus' death on the cross restored what Adam lost.

The words of Jesus to the thief on the cross was not just to the thief, but to the whole human race. It is as if it were a declaration what His death would accomplish! His death would reverse the curse! His death was the wages paid for the sin of the world! The wage of sin is death. Jesus paid those wages for EVERY man!

Don't you see now that the verse that is so often misunderstood in Hebrews 9:27 "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" is answered by the very next verse... "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many;.."  And by the way, if there is any question about the use of the word many there, it is the same many that is refered to who Adam brought into sin. The same many made unrighteous by Adam is the same many made righteous by Christ.

What Jesus was saying to the thief was not that He was going to take him to some literal physical location! Goodness sakes! So many Christians have some literal mansion on a hill top idea of heaven as if there is some tangible physical location to live somewhere over the rainbow! You see, I knew that already, I just never put it together until that day when it clicked into my understanding. I almost jumped out of my seat!!

Jesus was not confused about what He meant either. He did not mean to say heaven, and said paradise by mistake as some might think. What He was really saying is that His death would restore what Adam lost. That His death would so pay for the sin of the world that our relationship with God would be as it was in Paradise before the fall.  But what really made it click for me was remembering the words to a song that my good friend Gary Sigler would play as a sort of theme song on his taped messages. Click the link to hear the song.... The words are written beneath.

I'll Take You Back 

I’ll take you back to where you were in Me
before the fall of man.
I’ll restore your soul. I’ll reconcile your heart.
I’ll give you back your true identity.
I’m removing the veil from your eyes
so that you can clearly see
you will be with Me in paradise
on this earth you’ll walk with Me.

If this has sparked an interest to read more, then the following is a link to a message on this subject by Gary Sigler that I recommend reading. It might just change your life!http://newlifeinternational.faithweb.com/STHolyOfHoliesSigler.html

We have yet to fully comprehend what Jesus accomplished on the cross, and the effects it had on the whole human race! Most preachers give Adam all the credit for getting us into this "mess" but fail to understand the full extent of cross! Perhaps from now on, when you read that verse, or hear it being preached, instead of thinking that Jesus was taking the thief to some literal heaven, you will now realize He was talking to the whole human race saying "I’ll take you back to where you were in Me before the fall of man."