For written version of many other texts click here
A series of video studies of frequently
misunderstood passages of scripture
After a break for a few gospel messages we now continue the sseries of Problem Texts
“The Kingdom and The Church”
The Kingdom of Heaven
and the Church which is His body,
the difference explained
“The Witch of Endor”
1 sam. 28. 5-19
Did the witch really raise Samuel from the dead?.
What is a ‘familiar spirit’?
“The Last Enemy”
Death is aenemy, not a friend to take you to Glory,
Death will be destroyed when ‘hhis mortal shall bpur on immortality,
We take a short break for a few gospel messages
“Salvation”
The Way of Salvation,
The Work of Salvation,
The Walls of Salvationl
The wells of Salvation
“Consider Him“
The Author of Faith
The Captain of our Salvation
“The Death of the Cross”
Phil. 2. 5-11
The greatest event in history,
Atonement for sin,
Every tongue shall comfess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
“The Righteousness of God”
Rom. 1.17, 3.19-28, Rom. 5.1 Rom 8.1, 31-39
Righteousness revealed,
All have sinned,
The just shall live by faith,
John 5.24-40,
“Who Jesus is”
Search the Scriptures – they testify of me,
All that are in the graves
Resurrection, Judgement.
Problem Texts resumed
Luke 22.19-23, 1Cor. 10. 1-5, 11.23-30
“The Lord’s Supper”
Communion – The Breaking of Bread
The first day of the week
What’s it about? – Is it for today?
Leviticus 16.15, 20-22, Luke 7.41
“The Scapegoat”
The Day of Atonement
The sacrifice of the Lord Jesus on Calvary
The Debt of Sin
Mark 16. 15 – 21
“Signs Following”
These signs shall follow them that believe,
Heal the sick, Cast out devils, drink deadly poison,
survive snake bites etc.
Can you do any of these things?
Eph. 1. 1-4, 1Pet. 1. 1-2
“Election”
Chosen in Him before the foundation of the world.
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God.
Calvinism.
Phil. 1.20, 2Cor. 4.14 – 5.6
“Absent from the body and to be present with the Lord”
“To depart and to be with Christ which is far better.”
“Clothed uupon with our house which is from heaven”
Resurrection
Rev. 20. 1-10, Isa. 11. 4 – 10,
“The Thousand Year Reign of Christ
The first resurrection
Satan bound 1000 years
Peace on earth 1000 years
The great white throne judgement,
Job 14.12
“So man lieth down: and riseth nottilll the heavens be no more,”
Resurrection
Genesis 2.7
” . . and man became a living soul”
Hebrew word ‘nephesh’ , a living being
also used of animals,
Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return,
Rev.6. 12-17
“The Second Comong – part 4
2 Thes. 2.1, 1 Thes 1.3,
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,
Is the Lord’s return imminent?,
1 Cor 7, Rom. 16.20, 1 Thes. 4, ‘The time is short’
Zech. 14, John 14 Luke 21
“The Second Comong – part 3
2 Thes. 2.1, 1 Thes 1.3,
“You who are troubled rest with us . . ,
Will the church go through the tribulation?.”
Zech. 14, John 14 Luke 21
“The Second Comong – part 2
Psalm 110.1, Acts 3.19, Matt. 24. 24-38,
“Sit thou at my right hand until . . .”
“And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee
“To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise”.
The question which is asked is this, did the thief go to “paradise” that day to be with Christ? Almost without a moments hesitation many Christians would answer “yes” but is that indeed what happened? Let us look carefully at the facts. The thief’s request was “Lord remember me when thou comest into Thy kingdom”. The thief was no doubt an Israelite and as such knew well the promises of the Old Testament regarding the Messiah and the kingdom He would reign over. He had read the superscription written over the Saviour’s head “This is Jesus of Nazareth the king of the Jews”. He had watched the Lord and listened to His words and realized He was indeed the King. The thief did not ask to be taken to heaven to be with the Lord when he died that day but for Christ to remember him when he came into His kingdom. Our Lord’s answer to him was regarding that day when His kingdom will be set up on earth otherwise it had no relevance. He promised the thief that he would be part of it when it would come. Later, after His resurrection the Lord told Mary “I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to My God, and your God”. Surely these plain words of scripture are clear, Jesus had not at that point ascended into heaven. The problem lies with the comma and where the translators have placed it in the verse. Greek scholars inform us that in the original greek there are no punctuation marks so it was at the discretion of the translators where they placed it. The words of Christ to the thief are easily understood when we recognize this important fact, He simply told him “I tell you today you will be with me in paradise”. The word “paradise” has the definite article and should read “The paradise”, not referring to heaven at all but the paradise of the kingdom set up on earth. Someone is sure to say that’s what the Jehovah Witnesses teach about this verse. We are not interested in what JW’S say and indeed recognize them as a false cult but we cannot change the true meaning of the verse just to get one over on them. The readers will see as we deal with other texts that it would have been scripturally impossible for the thief to go to heaven that day anyhow, but more on that later.
Luke 23.43 “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee
“To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise”.
The question which is asked is this, did the thief go to “paradise” that day to be with Christ? Almost without a moments hesitation many Christians would answer “yes” but is that indeed what happened? Let us look carefully at the facts.
The thief’s request was “Lord remember me when thou comest into Thy kingdom”. The thief was no doubt an Israelite and as such knew well the promises of the Old Testament regarding the Messiah and the kingdom He would reign over. He had read the superscription written over the Saviour’s head “This is Jesus of Nazareth the king of the Jews”. He had watched the Lord and listened to His words and realized He was indeed the King. The thief did not ask to be taken to heaven to be with the Lord when he died that day but for Christ to remember him when he came into His kingdom.
Our Lord’s answer to him was regarding that day when His kingdom will be set up on earth otherwise it had no relevance. He promised the thief that he would be part of it when it would come. Later, after His resurrection the Lord told Mary “I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to My God, and your God”. Surely these plain words of scripture are clear, Jesus had not at that point ascended into heaven.
The problem lies with the comma and where the translators have placed it in the verse. Greek scholars inform us that in the original greek there are no punctuation marks so it was at the discretion of the translators where they placed it. The words of Christ to the thief are easily understood when we recognize this important fact, He simply told him “I tell you today you will be with me in paradise”. The word “paradise” has the definite article and should read “The paradise“, not referring to heaven at all but the paradise of the kingdom set up on earth.
S omeone is sure to say that’s what the Jehovah Witnesses teach about this verse. We are not interested in what JW’S say and indeed recognize them as a false cult but we cannot change the true meaning of the verse just to get one over on them. The readers will see as we deal with other texts that it would have been scripturally impossible for the thief to go to heaven that day anyhow, but more on that later.