Paradise

3857 PARADEISOS (3): paradise. The Hebrew word "pardec," a forest or orchard, was transliterated into Greek as "paradeisos," and then English" as paradise."

Paradeisos is described in 2Co.12.2-4 as being a third heaven: "I knew a man in the Anointed One fourteen years ago (Whether in [the] body I do not know or outside the body I do not know, God knows.), such a one [was] caught up to a third heaven (3772 ouranos ). And I know such a man (Whether in [the] body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows.), that he was caught up into the paradise (paradeisos) and heard unspeakable words, which a human is not allowed to speak."

"Paradise" is the location of the "tree of life" in Rev.2.7: "...to the [one] that overcomes I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in God's paradise." Note that paradise is a place of the living, not the dead.

Concerning Lk.23.43, it is sometimes taught that Jesus and the thief would be in "paradise" that same day. After Jesus died on the cross his body was put into a tomb. But according to Act.2.27 and 31, Jesus' soul (5590 psuche) went into the "unseen place" (0086 hades ), the resting place of the spirits of dead humans. He did not on that same day go to a "third heaven" or a "pardec" of living trees and living beings. To show that paradise is a place of living rather than dead beings, punctuate Lk.23.43 thusly: "Truly I (Jesus) tell you (the thief) today, you will be with me in paradise."

But more information is available about this place called "God's paradise" and a "third heaven," the location of the tree of life. Rev.22.1-2 gives another clue: "And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as a crystal, coming from the throne of God and the Lamb. In the middle of its street, here and there a tree of life, producing twelve fruits...". And verse 14: "Those who are washing their robes are benefited, in that they will have authority over the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates."

The context of Rev.22 quoted above, actually begins with Rev.21.1-2, which states: "And I (John) saw a new heaven (3772 ouranos) and a new earth; for the first heaven (ouranos) and the first earth (ge) passed away, and the sea no longer existed. And I saw the city, the pure new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven (3772 ouranos ) from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." This new Jerusalem is mentioned again in Rev.21.9-10: "And one of the angels having the seven bowls filled with seven last plagues came to me (John) and spoke with me saying, 'Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.' And he carried me away in spirit onto a great and high mountain and showed me the pure city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven."

Thus, "paradise" is another name for the New Jerusalem. In Rev.3.12 John wrote, "The one overcoming will I make a pillar in the shrine of my God, the new Jerusalem descending out of heaven from my God, and he will surely not go out. And I will write on him the name of my God, the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem descending out of heaven (ouranos ), and my new name."

The descent of "new Jerusalem" may perhaps be the same event as Jesus' descent from heaven with believers meeting him in the air (1Th.4.15-17).

PARADISE Lk.23.43. 2Co.12.4. Rev.2.7.