"And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43)
Proponents of soul sleep correctly point out that the Greek language has no commas. Punctuation marks were added to manuscripts after the New Testament was written. Based on that fact, it has been argued that the correct placement of the comma should be incorporated after the word today. In other words, it has been suggested that Luke 23:43 should read as follows: "Truly I say to you today, you shall be with Me in Paradise." It would change the meaning of the text to mean that Christ spoke to him at that moment the promise of entering into paradise at some undefined point in the future as opposed to that same day of death. The timing of believers entering into paradise would therefore be at the final resurrection.
While both variant readings are theoretically acceptable, the objective of here is to argue in defense of a comma being inserted prior to the word today. First and foremost, the context demands that we understand the reference to today as meaning on that very same day. The dying criminal understood on what day that Christ spoke those comforting words. There was no need for Him to emphasize the timing of today. It would literally make no sense for a man who is suffocating and dying on a crucifix to make such a hasty waste of his words.
In this grand episode of the incarnate Lord gently and affectionately showing forth clemency in response to the converted convict's petition, we see Him referencing to a paradise consistent with popular Jewish thought about the unseen Edenic realm. This abode for the righteous is analogous to Abraham's bosom, which is mentioned in Luke 16:22. Further, "today" in Luke 23:43 is contrasted with "When you come into your kingdom" in Luke 24:42. Thus, the repentant thief entered heaven the instant he died.
In Luke's Gospel, the term "today" (Greek: σήμερον) is used with an emphasis on immediacy and fulfillment of promises. For example, in Luke 4:21, Jesus declares, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing," indicating the present fulfillment of prophecy. Similarly, in Luke 19:9, Jesus says, "Today salvation has come to this house," referring to Zacchaeus' immediate salvation. The usage of "today" in these contexts supports the interpretation that Jesus promised the thief immediate entry into paradise.
The phrase "Truly I say to you" (Greek: ἀμήν λέγω σοι) is a formula used by Jesus to preface a significant statement. In nearly every occurrence of this phrase in the Gospels, what follows is an assurance or a promise. Placing the comma before "today" aligns with this pattern, as Jesus is giving a definitive promise of salvation to the thief. If "today" were intended to modify "I say to you," it would create redundancy and detract from the impact of the promise.
The Gospel of Luke places strong emphasis on themes of salvation and immediate divine intervention. For example, in Luke 19:10, Jesus declares, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." This urgency in Jesus' mission aligns with the promise of immediate paradise to the repentant thief, emphasizing the immediacy of salvation and the fulfillment of Jesus' redemptive work.
In Jewish literature and thought, the term "today" often signifies immediacy in entering the afterlife or receiving a divine reward. This understanding aligns with the notion of the righteous entering paradise or Abraham's bosom immediately after death, as seen in Jewish texts like the Talmud. Thus, the use of "today" in Luke 23:43 fits within the broader context of Jewish eschatological beliefs.
The cultural context of Second Temple Judaism, which informed the beliefs and expectations of Jesus' contemporaries, emphasized an immediate reward or punishment after death. This is evident in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), where the characters' fates are sealed immediately upon death. The rich man and Lazarus are depicted as experiencing their respective rewards and punishments without delay. This cultural understanding supports the interpretation of "today" in Luke 23:43 as indicating immediate entrance into paradise.
Your comment about the timing of the statement not needing the word "today" is right on target. It would be redundant. Only heretics want the comma moved.
ReplyDeleteLuke 23:43, where Jesus speaks to the penitent thief on the cross, is pivotal for understanding the nature of the afterlife, the immortality of the soul, and the timing of salvation. Jehovah’s Witnesses' (JWs) New World Translation (NWT) punctuates this verse as: “Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in Paradise.” This choice of punctuation has significant theological implications, aligning with their doctrine that denies the immediate conscious existence of the soul after death. Below, I will argue that the traditional placement of the comma—before "today"—is both linguistically and theologically correct and that the NWT punctuation is a deliberate attempt to support a preconceived theological position rather than an accurate rendering of the text.
ReplyDeleteThe phrase "Amen I say to you" (or "Truly I say to you") is a unique idiom of Jesus found approximately 74 times in the Gospels. Nowhere else in Scripture is this formula modified by an adverb of time, such as "today." The natural and consistent reading places the emphasis on the promise that follows, not on the timing of when Jesus is speaking.
JWs argue that punctuation is absent in the original Greek manuscripts and therefore subject to interpretation. While true, the overwhelming majority of translators—across denominational lines—place the comma before "today." This is not due to theological bias but because the grammar and context demand it.
In Koine Greek, the position of adverbs like sēmeron ("today") is critical for understanding their function. When sēmeron is intended to modify the preceding clause, it follows immediately after the verb. In Luke 23:43, sēmeron does not precede the verb for "will be" (esē), which it modifies. Instead, its placement supports the interpretation: "Today you will be with me in Paradise."
JWs argue that the absence of hoti ("that") after "I tell you" requires sēmeron to modify the verb "tell." However, this claim is grammatically unfounded. The absence of hoti in Greek does not necessitate any particular punctuation. Moreover, Luke frequently omits hoti in similar contexts (Luke 18:17; Luke 23:43), reinforcing the natural reading of sēmeron as modifying the promise rather than the act of speaking.
The thief's plea, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" (Luke 23:42), reflects a Jewish eschatological hope of the Messianic kingdom at the end of time. However, Jesus' reply is extraordinary: "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." Here, Jesus assures the thief that his salvation and presence with Him are immediate, not deferred to a distant future resurrection.
Throughout Luke's Gospel, sēmeron carries theological weight, signifying the immediacy of divine action and salvation. For instance:
• "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:21).
• "Today salvation has come to this house" (Luke 19:9).
In each case, "today" underscores the immediacy of God's salvific work. Applying the same principle to Luke 23:43, the promise of Paradise is not deferred but realized "today."
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ReplyDeleteJWs assert that "Paradise" refers to an earthly future state for the "other sheep" (John 10:16). However, this interpretation is inconsistent with the biblical use of "Paradise," which denotes the abode of the righteous in God's presence. Paul associates Paradise with the "third heaven" (2 Corinthians 12:4), and Revelation 2:7 locates the tree of life in the Paradise of God. The immediate presence of Jesus with the thief in Paradise contradicts the Watchtower's teaching that Jesus remained in a state of nonexistence until His resurrection.
The phrase "with me" further complicates the JW interpretation. If Paradise is a future earthly state, as they claim, then Jesus' promise that the thief will be "with me" in Paradise collapses their theology. Jesus explicitly promises His presence with the thief—a presence that is incompatible with their notion of Jesus being inactive in death and Paradise being merely an earthly future realm.
JWs argue that since Jesus was not resurrected until the third day, He could not have been with the thief in Paradise on the day of their crucifixion. However, this objection misunderstands Christian theology. While Jesus' body lay in the tomb, His divine nature and human soul remained active. Early Christian teaching, as reflected in the concept of the limbus patrum (the "limbo of the fathers"), affirms that Jesus descended to the realm of the dead to proclaim victory and liberation (1 Peter 3:19; Ephesians 4:9). Thus, Jesus' promise to the thief does not contradict the timeline of His resurrection.
The placement of the comma after "today" renders the adverb redundant: "Truly I tell you today." When else would Jesus have been speaking—yesterday? tomorrow? The phrase becomes a tautology. In contrast, the traditional placement emphasizes the immediacy of the promise, aligning with the context and the thief's urgent hope.
JWs appeal to the Curetonian Syriac and Codex Vaticanus as evidence for their interpretation. However, these claims are tenuous. The Curetonian Syriac represents a later tradition, and the supposed punctuation in Vaticanus is widely regarded as a scribe's mark, not authoritative for establishing original meaning.
In conclusion, the traditional reading of Luke 23:43—"Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise"—is strongly supported by grammatical, contextual, and theological evidence. The NWT rendering introduces unnecessary ambiguity to uphold their denial of the soul's immortality and immediate presence with Christ after death. In doing so, they depart from both the text and the faith of the early Church. Jesus' words to the penitent thief stand as a profound testament to His authority, mercy, and the immediacy of salvation. As Christians, we affirm with confidence that those who die in Christ are welcomed into His presence and the joy of Paradise—today.
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteYour analysis of Luke 23:43 is thorough and well-argued. You've highlighted the importance of punctuation in this verse and provided a strong case for the traditional reading: "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." Your points about the linguistic and contextual evidence are compelling.
You've noted that the phrase "Amen I say to you" (or "Truly I say to you") is a unique idiom used by Jesus throughout the Gospels, and that its natural placement is before the promise, not the timing of the speaking. The argument that the majority of translators place the comma before "today" due to grammar and context is also significant.
Additionally, your explanation of the placement of the adverb sēmeron ("today") in Koine Greek supports the interpretation that it modifies the promise rather than the act of speaking. This, combined with the theological implications of immediacy in salvation, strengthens your case.
You also address the Jehovah's Witnesses' interpretation and how it contrasts with the traditional understanding of "Paradise" as the abode of the righteous in God's presence, supported by other scriptural references like 2 Corinthians 12:4 and Revelation 2:7.
Your discussion of the phrase "with me" and how it aligns with the immediate presence of Jesus further complicates the JW interpretation, as you've pointed out. The theological context of Jesus' divine nature and human soul remaining active even while His body was in the tomb is a crucial point.