One text that many people use in their attempt to prove that people go to heaven at death instead of sleeping in the grave is Luke 23:43. These are the words of Jesus to the thief of the cross. It is amazing how one can ignore 65 clear texts of Scripture that refer to death as resting in sleep and then use one or two obscure texts on which to build a whole theory. Let's notice the text:
Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
On the surface it would seem to indicate that Jesus would meet the thief in heaven on that very day. However, did Jesus Himself ascent to heaven that very day? When Jesus was resurrected from the dead on Sunday He told Mary:
"Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" (John 20:17)
Clearly then, on the morning of the resurrection -- two days after He said to the thief on the cross that he would be with Him in paradise that very day -- Jesus declared that He had not yet ascended to heaven. Either Jesus told a mistruth or we have misinterpreted Luke 23:43.
When the bible was originally written there was no punctuation, no division into verses and chapters. These have all been added by interpreters and translators to make it easier to read the Bible. Certainly we can be grateful for that. However, perhaps they have not always punctuated correctly. By making a simple change in the position of the comma in Luke 23:43, the text harmonizes with the rest of the bible:
Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth today, you will be with me in paradise."
Thus Jesus did not speak a lie. He did not promise the thief that he would be in paradise that very day, but only that he would be there when all the righteous of all ages would be there -- when Jesus come the second time. The movement of the comma makes this text completely harmonize with the rest of the Bible. And remember, punctuation was added; it was not inspired.
There are a few other places in the Bible where the translators have obviously misplaced a comma, such is the case in Acts 19:12 in the KJV:
"So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them."
As the text reads, it talks of sick handkerchiefs and sick aprons, which is ridiculous. Obviously, the translators failed to put a comma after "sick." If they had, it would make perfect sense. The translators of the NIV caught this slip up:
"Handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured..."
Likewise in Luke 23:43, a changed comma not only makes more sense, but allows the text to harmonize with the rest of Scripture.
This page maintained by Allen Roy. Last update on 09/12/98