But what does it mean?Īccording to Merriam-Webster’s paradise is “a very beautiful, pleasant, or peaceful place that seems to be perfect.” Or it is a “place that is perfect for a particular activity or for a person who enjoys that activity.” Finally, it is a “state of complete happiness.” Is this what the Bible means when it refers to paradise?Īs stated earlier, the word originally referred to a garden. Paradise has become a common word within our vocabulary. There are television shows with the name paradise in them, and it’s a word which luxury hotels will use to sell their products.
If you’re in Texas you could visit a tobacco store called Smokers Paradise. There is a town in California with the name Paradise and another locale south of Vegas referred to as Paradise. If you ask your friend about his trip to the Bahama’s he might respond that it was a paradise. And yet the concept, of God’s presence with humanity, is all throughout. It is surprising that the word paradise only appears six times in the Scriptures. The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary explains it well: In the Septuagint (LXX) the Greek word paradeisos is used for the Garden of Eden. But the word seems to have taken on a new flavor after the Babylonian Exile. 2:8), and an orchard ( Song of Solomon 4:13). It means “garden.” The word appears in the Hebrew Old Testament only in three places where it refers to a park ( Ecc. Paradise is a word that is likely borrowed from the Persians. Where Does the Bible Talk about Paradise? Hopefully, by the end, you’ll understand why the answer is both yes and no. But it’s also important to understand a little about heaven and the new heavens. I will answer this question by explaining a little about the word paradise and where it appears in the Bible. “Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” Why doesn’t he say, “today you will be with me in heaven”? What is paradise and is it heaven? Is it a sort of holding tank where believers go before the resurrection? Or was paradise the place where Old Testament saints went when they died but after the resurrection when people die, they go to heaven? Is paradise a different place than heaven? One is mocking, the other exhibits a bit of faith and asks Jesus to remember him when Jesus comes into His kingdom. There are two thieves hanging on a cross next to Jesus.