come in His Kingdom, the only Paradise the Scripture knows of

Scribes who heard Him, that they said, "Master, thou has well

will be restored. As a matter of fact, the Greek word Paradise

said. And after that they durst not ask him any question at all"

occurs in the Septuagint twenty-eight times. Nine times it

(Luke 20:39, 40).

represents the Hebrew word "Eden", and nineteen times the

Hebrew word Gan (Garden). In English it is rendered "Eden",

(2) Luke 23:43: "To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise".

"Garden", "Forest", "Orchard". The Hebrew word for "Eden"

This can mean only "Verily I say unto thee this day, thou shalt be

occurs sixteen times. The Hebrew word for "Garden" is used of

with me in Paradise".

Eden thirteen times in Genesis alone; and six times in other

In the first place we must remember that the punctuation is

passages, of "the garden of God", etc. See Gen. 2. Neh. 2:8. Ecc.

not inspired. It is only of human authority. There is none

2:5. Song 4:13.

whatever in the Greek manuscripts. We have, therefore, perfect

From these facts we learn and notice others:

liberty to criticize and alter man's use of it, and to substitute our

own. The verb "say" when used with "to-day", is sometimes

(i) We see that the three words, Paradise, Eden, and Garden

separated from it by the word οτι hoti (that); and sometimes it is

are used interchangeably; and always, either of the Eden of Gen.

joined with it by the absence of hoti. The Holy Spirit uses these

2. or of some glorious park like beauty which may be compared

words with perfect exactness, and it behooves us to learn what

with it.

He would thus teach us.

(ii) It is never used in any other sense than that of an earthly

When He puts the word hoti (that) between "say" and "to-

place of beauty and delight.

day", it throws "to-day" into what is said, and cuts it off from the

(iii) The "tree of life" and the river of "the water of life" are

its great conspicuous characteristics.

verb "say", e.g. Luke 19:9, "Jesus said...that (Gr. hoti) this day is

(iv) We see it

salvation come to this house". Here "to-day" is joined with the

Described in Gen. 2.

verb "come", and separated from the verb "I say". So also in

Lost in Gen. 3.

Luke 4:21 "And he began to say unto them that (hoti) this day is

Restoration promised in Rev. 2:7.

this scripture fulfilled in your ears". Here again the presence of

Regained in Rev. 22:1-5, 14, 17.

hoti cuts off "to-day" from "say" and joins it with "fulfilled".

But this is not the case in Luke 23:43. Here the Holy Spirit

Further we must note that the formula "I say unto thee this

has carefully excluded the word hoti (that). How then dare

day", was a well known Hebrew idiom used to emphasized the

anyone to read the verse as though He had not excluded it, and

solemnity of the occasion and the importance of the words. See

read it as though it said "I say unto thee, that this day", etc. It is

Deut. 4:26, 29, 40; 5:6; 6:6; 7:11; 8:1, 11, 19; 9:3; 10:13; 11:2,

surely adding to the Word of God to insert, or imply the insertion

8, 13, 18, 27, 28, 32; 13:18; 15:5; 19:9; 26:3, 17, 18; 27:1, 4, 10;

of the word "that" when the Holy Spirit has not used it; as He

28:1, 13, 14, 15; 24:12; 30:2, 8, 11, 15, 16, 18, 18; 32:46. The

has in two other places in this same Gospel (Luke 4:21; 19:9).

expression, therefore, "I say unto thee this day", marks the

We are now prepared to see that we must translate Luke

wonderful character of the man's faith; which, under such

23:43 in this manner, "Verily I say to thee this day, thou shalt be

circumstances, could still believe in, and look forward to the

with me in Paradise". The prayer was answered. It referred to the

coming kingdom; and acknowledge that Christ was the King,

future, and so did the promise; for, when the Lord shall have