Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Categories
- All Categories 13.8K
- General Category 10.9K
- General Announcements 184
- Faith Issues 3.4K
- Coptic Orthodox Church 2.5K
- Personal Issues 1.4K
- Prayer Requests 423
- Random Issues 1.8K
- Introductions 294
- Non-Orthodox Inquiries 232
- Youth Corner 606
- Hymns 2.5K
- Hymns Discussion 2.5K
- Technicial Difficulties 368
- Technical Topics 368
When did the thief enter Paradise?
Hello:
In the Gospel of Luke,I came across this verse:
"And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:42-43).
I am not sure if this verse is saying that the thief went to Paradise with Jesus on that same day, when the fact is that Jesus did not rise up from the grave until early Sunday. In Psalms,David says "His soul was not left in hell, neither His flesh did see corruption.This verse seems to suggest that Christ descended to Hell after his crucification until the resurrection.
And to Mary Magdelene, Jesus says:
" 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" (I understand that Heaven and Paradise are two different realms)
How do we understand the above verse, since we believe that His divinity parted not from His humanity for a single moment nor a twinkling of an eye?? Thanks
In the Gospel of Luke,I came across this verse:
"And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:42-43).
I am not sure if this verse is saying that the thief went to Paradise with Jesus on that same day, when the fact is that Jesus did not rise up from the grave until early Sunday. In Psalms,David says "His soul was not left in hell, neither His flesh did see corruption.This verse seems to suggest that Christ descended to Hell after his crucification until the resurrection.
And to Mary Magdelene, Jesus says:
" 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" (I understand that Heaven and Paradise are two different realms)
How do we understand the above verse, since we believe that His divinity parted not from His humanity for a single moment nor a twinkling of an eye?? Thanks
Comments
But, Our Lord, did descend into Hades and brought out the souls of the righteous. He opened the gates of Paradise, and He is clear to the thief and Mankind that 'this day' you wil be with Me in Paradise.
Thanks Grandpa :)
I actually gave similar explanation to a protestant friend of mine, but all to no avail. The argument is that the descent of Christ into hades to free the righteous is not clearly articulated in the Bible and the passage in 1 Peter 3:18-21 speaks only about Christ's preaching to all, the righteous and the unrighteous ,but never about carrying them off to paradise. My friend says the Orthodox explanation of Our Lord's descent into hades comes from the apocryphal "Gospel of Nicodemus", whose link is here:
The Gospel of Nicodemus-Christ's Descent into Hell
Since this person is looking into Orthodoxy,I explained that the Gospel of Nicodemus is neither in our Bible and nor does our church qoute from it , but I could not explain the similarity of the account in the non-canonical gospel of Nicodemus and the teaching of the church fathers.