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THE
JOURNAL
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PASSAGE SEVEN,
THE JOURNEY OF THE
I
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The Quest for The Real Life
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The Quire Twelve
Chapter Index
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THIS NEW
JOURNEY OF A
THOUSAND
DAYS begins with mixed emotions. As much am I glad to move forward into this new journey of a thousand days and continue my Life Journey of travel, exploration and photography of the the many marvelous wonders that Jehovah has provided his people here upon this Earth.
However, at the same time, I have come to understand fully that getting old is not for the irresolute, as each day I continue in my Life Journey, I find a new ache or an old one which reappears to impart its wrath upon me. Yes, the aches seem to be winning, but, I dare not give in since the alternative is totally unappealing to me.
Therefore, my roadpath continues, always on the search for new wonderment.
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The previous passage, Passage Six, The Mountain, Quire Eleven, which dealt with my Quest for the Solace seemed to last as long, if not longer than its predecessor, Passage Five, The Journey of the Myself and my Quest for the Journey On. Nevertheless, I have somehow managed to keep that what is the most important task close to my heart, that of deepening my Knowledge and Love of the Most High God, Jehovah and the one that he sent forth, his Son, Jesus Christ.
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The Quire Twelve,
Words to Ponder
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A Location Called Skull Place, at
Matthew 27:33
Imagine for a minute the last few minutes of life of the man who we have learned was called Jesus. It was at a place called in Greek, Golgotha (or in English, Skull Place) which in Latin is from the word calvaria (skull). It was at this location where the Soldiers of the Governor nailed Jesus to the stake.
Greek: σταυρω,
Transliterations to English: starous
Translated to English: stake
After the soldiers had nailed Jesus to the stake, they distributed his outer garments by casting lots, and they sat there keeping watch over him. They also posted above his head the charge against him, in writing: “This is Jesus the King of the Jews.”
(Matthew 27:27;
35,
36,
37)
Two other men, criminals, were also executed with Jesus at this site. It was at this location where they nailed Jesus to the stake alongside these criminals, one on his right side and one on his left side.
The people stood looking but the rulers were sneering saying Others he saved; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One. Even the soldiers were mocking Jesus telling him Save Yourself.
Then, even one of the criminals hanging there began to speak abusively to him saying: You are the Christ, are you not? Save yourself and us too!
Methinks, Jesus did not respond to this person because he often did not reply to those who said bad things to him or about him. Instead, he most likely kept praying to his Father in Heaven, not even turning to look at the person.
What Follows Gives Rise to an Important Subject
The other criminal rebukes the first, saying: Do you not fear God at all, now that you have received the same judgment? And we rightly so, for we are getting back what we deserve for the things we did; but this man did nothing wrong.
Then directing his words to Jesus, this man asks him, Jesus, remember me when you get into your Kingdom.
(Luke 23:39,
40,
41,
42)
The reply Jesus gave shows how absolutely amazing the man Jesus was when he was on this earth. While hanging there on the torture stake, Jesus likely stops praying, looks up and turns his head towards this man and then answers him in a way that was so much in keeping with the kind and loving person that I have come to know Jesus truely is.
Luke 23:43 tells us what next happens: Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Luke 23:43
What Paradise was Jesus Speaking About?
When ever I have asked this question in the past, most of the people I ask the question to will answer quickly saying He is going to be with Jesus in Heaven or some even saying that he was in heaven on that very day.
However, I tell them that being with Jesus in Heaven that very day could not be possible for several reasons.
First:
Jesus did not ascend to heaven on that day. If you will remember, he said that he would be in the grave for three days.
(Luke 9:22)
Furthermore, Jesus himself did not ascend to heaven until forty days later on the Pentecost.
(Acts 1:3,
9)
In fact,
this translation (King James Version) from which is here quoted, inserts a comma in the text: Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
However,
in the Koine Greek language that the original Gospels were written, there were no punctuation as all punctuation was left entirely for the translator to insert.
In comparison,
other translations do not put the comma before the word Today, but instead, after that word, thus causing that verse to read something closer to: "Verily I tell you Today, you will be with me in Paradise."
1
Thus,
understanding what we know from the scriptures about Jesus being three days in the grave, this passage would have been more correctly translated as: Verily today, I say unto thee, thou shall be with me in paradise.
Yes, Jesus was, on that very Day, assuring the person that he had a hope to be with him in the future promised paradise.
Second:
The word Jesus used, translated within the King James Bible into English as paradise is from the Greek word parádeisos.
Greek: παραδεισος
Transliterated in English: parádeisos
Translated to English: paradise
Therefore,
when the Greek word, together with the Hebrew word pardes and the Persian word pairidaeza are translated into English, all convey the same basic idea of a beautiful parklike garden on Earth.
Furthermore,
the Greek word parádeisos was used in the Greek Septuagint translation at Genesis 2:15 when translating the Hebrew word gan Eden, into Greek. This Hebrew word, when translated into English is "Garden of Eden."
Third:
The paradise of which Jesus spoke is clearly not in heaven!
Remember, earlier that day, Jesus told his disciples that they would be in heaven with him because they had stuck with him in his temptations. However, even more important, the criminal to which Jesus made the promise To day shalt thou be with me in paradise, was obviously not Born Again of water and spirit, something that Jesus had clearly explained to both Nicodemus and to his disciples was a requirement to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Neither
was the evildoer one of those that overcometh whom the glorified Christ Jesus, stated would be with him on his heavenly throne and that have a share in the first resurrection. Yes, the list of reasons continue in so many verses.
Therefore,
when Jesus said to this criminal, You will be with me in Paradise, this man would receive, not the heavenly reward which he had promised to his faithful disciples, but the reward promised when he spoke the words at
Matthew 5:5.
Fourth:
That paradise of which Jesus spoke about to the Jewish Hebrew criminal, was truly familiar to him because it was the earthly Paradise described in the first book of the Hebrew Scriptures at
Genesis 2:15. (Hebrew transliterated: gan Êden)
Furthermore,
that paradise was the same earthly one of which David the King and ancestor of Jesus would sing and write Psalms about, and because he was also not one of those who met all the necessary requirements for him to qualify to being with Christ in Heaven, such as being born again, being baptized, evening believing in Jesus as the messiah, and more; his hope of living for ever would not be with Jesus in heaven, but on the earth in the soon to arrive future paradise. It is because of this hope of living on earth that he composed many psalms describing that hope.
Therefore,
the promise that Jesus made to that criminal hanging on the stake next to him must point forward to a restoration of that earthly paradise, a restoration of this earth to the condition that would have been on the earth if Adam and Even not had disobeyed their Creator, Jehovah God.
Jesus′ promise to that man would therefore give him an assured hope of a resurrection as well as an opportunity for life in that restored Earthly Paradise.
Here, too,
the list of scriptural references are unending, however, both the message and the promise endure crystal clear: The Most High God provides His people a future and a hope, and that hope emanates from His promise to provide The Real Life upon the soon to be restored Paradise. Thus, it remains to be said: If anyone wishes to take in Life′s Water (Free of any charge or obligation), then, Please Come.
THEREFORE,
the question that now remains is:
What then, is the Real Life?
Hopefully, the above discussion has helped you to have the above question in the forefront of you thoughts. Yes, What is the Real Life? That promise found within the words of the Bible.
In fact, this would be an important question for one to spend much effort and time in Quest to find the answer to. If you would like help in your Quest for the answer, with out any charge or obligation, please contact me at my email address: twj@thewayfarersjournal.com
Yes, taking in the Water of Life is totally Free, always has been, always will be!
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This Page Last Updated: 30 April 2026
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