I have looked into it. And Jesus never refers to anyone real in parables. In this he refers to a man named Lazarus and Abraham. And discusses a conversation therein. All this lends to it being a historical account and not a parable.
Why do people keep saying this? John was in Heaven.
Revelation 4: 1After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. 2And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
John was not just having a vision. He was literally in Heaven. In Spirit form, he was actually there.
And besides, Paul never in any way indicates that the man he is referring to "had a vision" that is just unbiblical speculation. Paul says the man went to Heaven, period. Whether it was in body or spirit is irrelevant. He was there. And again, that ends the debate.
I believe you have misunderstood that verse. When looking at the verse contextually, there are 2 points you are missing. For one, Jesus is establishing his authority to Nicodemus. Remember the conversation that Jesus is having. He is telling Nicodemus how to get to Heaven. This is obviously extremely important. So Jesus wants Nicodemus to know the importance of it. So let's go back a few verses:
11Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. 12If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
Jesus is establishing that He has and is, in Heaven and has come up and down to Earth, and thus He can say these things. He is qualified to be our Messiah. No one else has done this.
Now you may think I am just speculating, but remember, much of what Jesus said was direct fulfilment of Old Testament Scripture. And this time is no different:
Deuteronomy 30:12 It [is] not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
Provers 30:4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what [is] his name, and what [is] his son's name, if thou canst tell?
His Name is Jesus. This verse is Jesus stating that He is this one being spoken of. He is God in human form. Which is why in the same verse He states that He "IS" in Heaven, in present tense. No one else ever can do what He can do. Go up and down from Heaven as He wants.
And that of course leads to point 2) -- The actual meaning of "ascended." The Greek translation means that the person is going up on their own power. Enoch was taken. Elijah went up in a whirlwind. Lazarus was carried by angels. Jesus goes up to Heaven on His own power. So contextually, I think this is the proper meaning of this verse. You cannot try and deny Enoch going to heaven based on this Scripture at all.
OK, you and I clearly have vastly different models for BIblical interpetation. There is nothing, IMO, in that passage in Rev 6 to indicate that John did not literally see the souls of martyrs under the altar. Furthermore, he details a conversation they have with The Lord. Why would he make this up? It doesn't even make sense. And I did not say that the souls wore the robes. I said they were given robes and told to "Wait." I don't believe they wore the robes until Chapter 7 when they received their glorified bodies.
Yes, yes, yes I do! Why? Because God said it. Again, how can you just change meaning of the Scripture. God says He could hear Abel's blood. THere is nothing grammatical or contextual that indicates God was just exaggerating or making a figure of speech.
I have explained it. I believe the BIble 100%. But you have to study things in context or else you will have seeming contradictions. I noticed you overlooked the multitude in Rev 7 who are in Heaven. I assume you think that was not literal too? The fact of the matter is that many have gone to Heaven already and many more will, as soon as they die. Myself included!