What did Jesus mean when He said, “Today you will be with me in paradise”? | GotQuestions.org

The Role of Punctuation in Luke 23:43

In today's video I'll answer your question, what did Jesus mean when He said, today you will be with me in paradise? Then afterward, as always, I'll share some helpful resources, so stick around until the end.

It is common knowledge that punctuation, including commas, was introduced into the biblical manuscripts centuries after the books were completed. Therefore, commas are not authoritative. However, the placement of commas can affect our understanding of a text.

For example, in Luke chapter 23, one of the thieves crucified next to Jesus says, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus answered him, I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise, verses 42 and 43.

Commas help keep the original phrasing intact. Was Jesus saying, I tell you the truth, today you will be with me, meaning that today is when the thief would be in paradise? Or was He saying, I tell you the truth, today you will be with me, meaning that today is when Jesus was speaking?

Why the Comma Belongs Before “Today”

First, we note that every major Bible translation inserts the comma before the word today. Thus, the KJV, NKJV, NASV, NIV, ESV, and RSV all agree that Jesus was speaking of the time that the thief would enter paradise.

The thief would be in paradise with Jesus on that very same day. Also, Jesus prefaced His response with the phrase, I tell you the truth, verily I say unto thee, in the KJV. Many scholars have noticed that Jesus uses this phrase as a prefix phrase when He is about to say something that should be listened to with care.

Seventy-six times in the New Testament, Jesus uses the phrase. Interestingly, no one but Jesus ever says it. When the Lord says, I tell you the truth, He is affirming that what He is about to say is worthy of special attention.

It was Jesus' way of saying, listen up, what I'm about to say is very important and should be listened to carefully. We're too used to hearing the phrase to appreciate the astonishing authority it expresses and the often sullen nature of the announcement that follows.

In every one of the seventy-six times Christ uses this introductory phrase, He simply says it and then makes a startling statement. It would be strange indeed if, in this one instance, Jesus departed from His normal way of making His signature statement by adding the word today to it.

In every case where this sort of introductory phrase is used, Greek scholars add a punctuation break after the phrasing question and before the rest of the statement. So, the translators have it right.

Why Jesus Could Promise Paradise That Same Day

The comma in Luke 23, verse 43 belongs where they put it. This brings us to another question. If Jesus was buried and rose after three days and then many days later ascended to heaven, how could He have been in paradise with the thief?

After Jesus died, it was His body that was buried in the tomb. However, Jesus' spirit or soul was not in the tomb. Jesus' spirit was in the Father's presence. As Jesus was hanging on the cross, paying our penalty for sin, He made a promise to a dying, repentant thief.

By the grace of God and the power of Christ, that promise was kept. The thief's sins were washed away, and his death that day was his entrance to paradise. Want to learn more? Subscribe so you don't miss the next video!

Closing Resources and Sign-Off

Visit GotQuestions .org for more great content. And check out the details section below this video, there you'll find one book I recommend, along with links to several related questions. If you'd like to learn about Bible Munch, or if you're interested in Bite-sized devotionals, subscribe to Bible Munch on YouTube, it's linked right here.

Now remember, Got questions? The Bible has answers, and we'll help you find them!