PauseJesus is crucified with a criminal beside him to the left and to the right. One of the criminals mocks him and tells him to save himself, if he is the Messiah. The other one recognises Jesus as someone who has done nothing wrong. This criminal asks Jesus to remember him when his kingdom comes. Jesus tells him that he will be in ‘paradise’ with him that day. What does Jesus mean by this? Christians believe that by dying on the cross and rising from the dead, Jesus gives birth to a kingdom. We call it the kingdom of God. By calling it paradise, Jesus uses the words found in Genesis where the garden of Eden is described. Jesus is saying that by dying, rising and returning in glory in the future, he makes all things new. The world will return to be how God intended it to be and we will all see that “it is good”.
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