THE ADVENT TRUTH August 25th Did the thief on the cross go to heaven with Jesus that very day? The Bible says no. 1️⃣ Jesus Himself didn’t go to heaven that day. After His resurrection He told Mary, “I am not yet ascended to my Father” (John 20:17). If Jesus didn’t go, the thief couldn’t have gone either. 2️⃣ Paradise is heaven, not a waiting room. Paul calls the “third heaven” paradise (2 Corinthians 12:2–4), and Revelation 2:7 places the tree of life in the paradise of God. Revelation 22 shows that tree in the New Jerusalem—heaven itself. 3️⃣ The comma changes everything. In Luke 23:43, translators put the comma before “today.” But Greek had no punctuation. It should read: “Verily I say unto thee today, thou shalt be with me in paradise.” Jesus gave the promise that day—but its fulfillment comes at the resurrection. 4️⃣ The thief is still waiting. Hebrews 11:39–40 says the faithful of old “received not the promise.” Like them, the thief awaits the resurrection when “the dead in Christ shall rise” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). The thief’s story isn’t about going straight to heaven—it’s about salvation by faith. He had no works left to offer, but Jesus sealed his hope that day. His reward comes at the resurrection, just like ours.