Luke 23:43

[metherion]

From the NIV:
Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

This is Jesus talking to the "good" criminal on the cross.

Now, this confuses me a little.

Wasn't Jesus in Hell for 3 days after died on the Cross? Or was this day one of the epoch days (a day to the Lord is like a thousand years or whatever the exact wording is)? Or did Jesus make a quick stopover in Heaven before He went to Hell?

I'm slightly addled here.

Metherion

 

[DailyBlessings]

Well, I don't believe that Jesus ever went to Hell, but I really don't think it matters. Time is part of our universe- a day to God is simply not the same thing as a day to us. If Jesus told the thief he would be with him that very day in paradise, then I believe him. I may not know what he meant exactly, but it doesn't bother me. Jesus' message to the dying thief is a good lesson in how to die, for us. Don't worry about the particulars of how and where and when the afterlife will play out, but simply trust in out Lord to take care of you.

 

[BrotherDave]

When Jesus died on the cross he said “it is finished” (John 19:30). He had completely paid for the sins of all His people, including the thief on the cross that he took to heaven with him.

Proof that the penalty was paid is that Christ left His body and in His spirit essence, He went to be with His heavenly father when He cried with a loud voice, and said, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46). There was no longer any payment for sins being made. His body was still on the cross but in His spirit essence He had gone to be with the Father. When His body was put in the grave, it did not see corruption because the penalty had been fully paid. The big proof and final evidence that the penalty for our sins was fully paid is the fact that He rose again on Sunday morning. It was also proof that His soul had not been left in hell, that is, under the wrath of God. Christ had completely endured the wrath of God for us.

Three days and three nights are involved with the atonement. We read that the Son of man shall be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. In our minds, we immediately think "grave." God could have used the word "grave" but He said "the heart of the earth." First of all, God is not saying that Jesus was in the grave three days and three nights. Secondly, "the heart of the earth" is a figure of speech that involves the suffering of Christ and the proof of His suffering that ended with the resurrection.

The suffering of Christ, that is, He endured hell for our sins, began on Thursday evening in the Garden of Gethsemane. No man had yet laid a hand on Him, and yet He threw Himself to the ground with loud cries and the sweat poured off His body like great drops of blood into the ground because He was already enduring the wrath of God. He was spiritually in hell; the nature of hell is to be under the wrath of God.

On Sunday morning, He arose from the grave which was the final proof that He had completely paid for the sins of those He came to save, that is, He had endured the equivalent of eternal damnation on behalf of those He came to save. He did not suffer the whole three days and three nights, from Thursday night until Sunday morning. His suffering ceased when He hung on the cross and said, "It is finished," and that was Friday afternoon, less than 24 hours after He had gone into the Garden of Gethsemane. Right after that, He said in Luke 23:46,

Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.​

His body was put in the grave. He was no longer suffering. These activities were all proofs and, therefore, were all part of His atonement experience. Thursday night, Friday night, and Saturday night equals three nights. All day Friday, all day Saturday, and a partial day Sunday, which is counted as a day, equals three days.

I’d like to add that we’ve got to keep in mind that when Christ paid for our sins, His physical death, agony and humiliation were not the payment. Many ordinary people have endured great physical pain. This is the problem with movies depicting Christ’s punishment. The payment was the spiritual death of His coming under the wrath of God, for example, we read in Matthew 27:46 that He cried out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” The tournament Christ must have experienced is unimaginable. I find it hard to fathom such love.

I Christ's service,
Dave

 

[OrchidAngel]

I hold to the belief that He did enter hell in order to defeat death and sin completely. I don't think He'd die, go to heaven and come back down and then have all His believers see Him rise back up to heaven. Since Jesus is God, He can still be every where at once--- I still believe that even though He was here as a human, He still could be in heaven as well.

And since Jesus is God, He could have also meant that the person would be with God---God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, while Jesus was in hell.

 

[Thunderz7]

Luke 16:19 ¶ There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

xxx-Abraham's bosom is the paradise that Jesus spoke of to the thief.

Eph.4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.

xxx-Jesus descended to paradise and led the captives there with him when he came out.

Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

xxx-satan had the power of death, the keys of hell and death.
Jesus took those keys.

Colossians 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

xxx-I do not hold to the theory that Jesus suffered in hell.
I believe he finished the trial and suffering on the cross.
I do think Abraham's bosom/paradise was in the earth near hell, (the begggar and rich man could see each other).
I believe Jesus went there in victory,
took the keys of hell and death making an open show of satan and his demonic forces, then lead the captives out, since satan no longer had the keys to hold them.

Jesus and the thief died the same day and were in paradise that day and two more;
three full nights and three full days.

T7

 

[metherion]

Thanks for all your responses, guys! I found them both insightful and helpful!

Metherion