Question: Why is it that in Luke 23:43, Jesus tells the thief on the cross that he would be in paradise with him that very day when Jesus didn’t ascend into heaven that very day but it was 3 days later.

John

Answer: Dear John,

Jesus was God-man. He was God incarnate, that is he was God the Son from eternity, but becoming, by birth to the virgin Mary, something he had not been before – human. He added humanity to his divinity – becoming very God and very man

When Jesus died on the cross, God the Son did not die – the man Jesus died. The body of Jesus died. God the Son did not die – and he was in paradise then, as God is right now, as well as being with us, for God is not limited to time and space.

As Jesus, God the Son voluntarily limited himself and subjected himself to the limitations of the flesh. He was not omnipresent – but when his body died, the "God part" of him did not, and he was then omnipresent once again.

The ascension of Jesus speaks of the ascent of the glorified and immortal body of Jesus (which he did not have until he was resurrected) to heaven. His body (1 Cor. 15) was glorified, and that body went to heaven. Jesus still has that body (he didn’t jettison it in space along with Sputnik and other burned out space vehicles).

Hope this helps to explain your question. May God bless you.

In Christ,

Greg Albrecht