Agree OP, but it looks like there are a few jumbled concepts at work already.




1. Thief on the cross

Jesus told the thief "today you shall be with me in paradise".

There are two ways of looking at this, knowing Jesus earlier informed us the dead sleep until the Second Coming.(Mat.13:23-47)

a) Today the accused thief was considered saved. Paul says the next waking moment is to be with the Lord. Jesus went to the grave for three days so the thief did not go to paradise that day.

b) misplaced comma: Jesus said today, you shall be in paradise.

2. Did Jesus go to hades?

This Greek word simply means the grave.

3. Where is Abraham's bossom?

Jesus often told “parables” or stories that were symbolic of deeper truths. Although parables contain many practical lessons, not every item should be taken literally. Is this story a parable? We believe so.

Here are 7 reasons why:

1. Jesus often began His parables with the phrase, "a certain…" this or that (see Luke 14:16; 15:11; 16:1; 19:11, 12; 20:9, KJV). If you look up these verses in Luke’s gospel, you will discover that they are all parables. Thus it’s logical to assume the Rich Man and Lazarus story is also a parable.

2. A man cannot physically enter into "the bosom" or chest of another person as Christ described.

3. Can someone literally burning in flames carry on a normal conversation?

4. Can those in heaven and hell talk to each other?

5. Jesus represented the rich man as being bodily in hell, with eyes, a mouth, a tongue, etc. This is obviously symbolic. If you were to dig up a real rich man's grave, wouldn't his body be there? Of course!

6. A real burning man would not request a little water to cool his tongue alone. What about the rest of his body?

7. Consciousness at death contradicts the rest of the Bible.

Steve Wohlberg
[link to www.whitehorsemedia.com]

The Protestant Reformers understood this truth about death.
[link to biblelight.net]