Luke the beloved physician wrote when Jesus was hanging on the cross, He said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, and saying, If you be the king of the Jews, save yourself. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If you be the Christ, save yourself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Do not you fear God, seeing you are in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man has done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom”, and in chapter twenty-three and verse forty-three of his book Luke shared how Jesus tells the second malefactor, “Today shall you be with me in paradise” where we read:
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto you, Today shall you be with me in paradise.
The verse reads, “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto you, ...” Luke began with the words, “And Jesus said unto him” or “and the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate whose name means Jehovah is Salvation uttered, declared and proclaimed to the second malefactor”, “Verily” which means “truly and surely” “I say unto you” or “I, Jesus, utter, declare and proclaim to you, the second malefactor” the following words. Luke shared how Jesus began to “certifiably” proclaim the following words to the “second criminal” who was crucified beside Him.
The verse continues, “... Today shall you be with me in paradise.” Luke added the word, “Today” which means “on this particular sunrise to sunset” “shall you be with me” or “will you, the second malefactor, follow along, have and sojourn alongside me, Jesus” “in paradise” which means “in the location in which our first parents dwelt before the fall still exists, neither on the earth or in the heavens, but above and beyond the world”. Luke shared how Jesus told the “second criminal” that he would be with Him in the “location” where the believers in God went when they died.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how Jesus complied with the “second criminal's” request to be with Him when He entered His Kingdom. Jesus told him that he would be with Him in the place where God believers went after they died. Jesus called it “paradise”, and when Jesus died for the sins of all mankind, even those who sinned previous to Jesus appearing would have opportunity to receive His “salvation”. This “second malefactor” believed and was promised “paradise” by Jesus, and everyone who submits to Jesus and receives Him as their “Lord and Savior” will inherit everlasting life in Heaven with God.
Next time Luke shares how, “it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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