5. When the crucified thief appealed to Jesus to remember him, what was the reply of Jesus? Luke 23:43.
Compiler’s note: These words are only recorded in Luke’s Gospel; none of the other Gospel writers mentions this event. When we look at the Greek words that Luke wrote, this is what they say: ‘Verily thee I tell today with Me thou wilt be in Paradise.’ The business of interpreting and punctuating these words is the business of the translator, who has a decision to make over the adverb ‘today’; which verb does this adverb relate to, ‘I tell’ or ‘thou wilt be’? Despite the fact that Luke placed the adverb ‘today’ immediately following the verb ‘I tell’, most translators choose instead to relate it to ‘thou shalt be’ later in the sentence. So they choose to make Jesus say: ‘Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt be with Me in Paradise today’ instead of ‘Verily I say unto thee today, thou shalt be with Me in Paradise.’ Which choice harmonises with Scripture?
NOTE: ‘The prayer was, “Lord remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom.” I think Jesus meant to answer his prayer just the same as though He had said, I say unto you this day, when I come into My kingdom, you shall be with Me as one of My subjects; and that he should enter that kingdom in the same way that all the followers of Christ were to enter; that is through Christ the door, in the same way that Christ went; viz., the way of death, the grave, the resurrection of the dead and then his ascension to heaven.’ Uriah Smith: Review & Herald, January 5, 1860.
6. When will those who believe in Jesus be with Him? 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.
NOTE: ‘When about to leave His disciples, Jesus did not tell them that they would soon come to Him: “I go to prepare a place for you,” He said. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself.” John 14:2, 3. Paul tells us further, that “the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” And he adds: “Comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18. At the coming of the Lord, the fetters of the tomb shall be broken and the “dead in Christ” shall be raised to eternal life.’ From Here to Forever, page 336.