There are subjects taught in the Bible that hardly resemble our religious traditions, but we take comfort in them and make an effort not to ask questions. We just want to be at peace with what we have been told. I remember being told that when people die they all go to heaven. Well that may be true for some people, but not for all people. The timing I was told was always an immediate trip to the pearly gates, but we can see that there is a problem with that idea as well. When we have a funeral service, somehow the people who are alive tell everyone that the dead person is now in heaven, as if they had some inside knowledge. But we know that only those who confess Jesus as Lord will eventually go to heaven. If everyone who died went directly to heaven, got a harp and wings, and played music on a cloud, then it would be rather crowded in the sky. People think our dead loved ones are able to come down from heaven and tell us about the after life. Why do they tell us that they are in heaven when no one is actually in heaven yet? Jesus clears up a lot of our misunderstanding, and explains that there is a new administration which we are living in. We see that there are many people in the past administrations and in the present administrations that wrote and discussed the idea of eternal life, death, and Paradise. Let’s explore.
Jesus explains to his disciples and the Pharisees that there are rules for who goes where after death.
Luk 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Luk 16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
Luk 16:12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
Luk 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Luk 16:14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
Luk 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
Luk 16:16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
Luk 16:17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
When we get to this portion of Luke’s chapter we focus in on the future, not just life on earth, but eternal life. So far Jesus explains that the Pharisees are an abomination in the sight of the Elohim. Those are harsh words. Notice that Jesus puts a hinge point in his comment, “until John”. Until John the Mosaic Law and the Prophets were the dispensation or administration that people lived under. There was a temple and people were supposed to keep the feasts and sacrifices, and live in all the precepts of the Law until John. John changed the administration.
What is an administration or dispensation? We can think of it as a functioning system adapted to the social age. For example, the social security administration was founded in 1935, and the first payouts started in 1937. This is an administration. People organize the system, collect the money, and decide how much eligible people should receive. If we live in the United States, we are bound to pay into the Social Security Administration. We cannot choose not to pay, our money is taken regardless whether we believe it exists or not. Each election, whether state or national, ushers in a new administration and new procedures and laws that we live under. We cannot choose not to follow the laws and processes whether we believe or support that administration or not. Jesus just told us that the Mosaic Laws and Prophets were applicable until John. Why? We changed into a new administration which is one of repentance and the Kingdom of God, from the Mosaic Law. Why did the administration change? Jesus ushered in new rules and processes because he knew that the temple would be torn down and not rebuilt until the administration of the tribulation. Now the preaching is for every man to repent and enter into the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven. Every man is forced, violently, into it, biazō is the same word as used in Matthew 11:12.
Luke 16:16 G3588 The G3551 law G2532 and G3588 the G4396 prophets were G2193 until G* John. G575 From G5119 then G3588 the G932 kingdom G3588 G2316 of God G2097 is announced as good news, G2532 and G3956 every one G1519 [2into G1473 3it G971 1forces].
Luke 16:16 LXX-WH G3588 T-NSM ο G3551 N-NSM νομος G2532 CONJ και G3588 T-NPM οι G4396 N-NPM προφηται G3360 ADV μεχρι G2491 N-GSM ιωαννου G575 PREP απο G5119 ADV τοτε G3588 T-NSF η G932 N-NSF βασιλεια G3588 T-GSM του G2316 N-GSM θεου G2097 [G5743] V-PPI-3S ευαγγελιζεται G2532 CONJ και G3956 A-NSM πας G1519 PREP εις G846 P-ASF αυτην G971 [G5731] V-PMI-3S βιαζεται
“The law and the prophets up to a certain point John away from at that time the kingdom the Elohim announced and all into them force.”
We see that John’s ministry entered in a new dispensation/administration, that instead of focusing on the Law it focused on the kingdom of the Elohim. Everyone repenting and preparing for the Messiah is forcing themselves into the kingdom. That is why people were repenting, isn’t it? It is the promise of entering the kingdom of the Elohim that made people want to repent and prepare for Jesus Messiah. How do we “force” ourselves in? We confess Jesus as Messiah and Lord, believing that he rose up on the third day. We take authority over our body, mind, will, and emotions. We repent for our sins and force ourselves to stop sinning. We live by loving the Elohim with all our heart, soul, and mind, and love our neighbors as ourselves. We wrestle sin out of ourselves in order to enter into the kingdom of God or kingdom of heaven. And we wrestle spiritual forces every day that despise us for serving Jesus Messiah.
Now that the dispensation/administration changed, something else changes. The Pharisees were not preparing the way to the kingdom of the Elohim, they made themselves irrelevant and Jesus called them out regarding their heart. Jesus Messiah is the fulfillment of the Mosaic Law. He got the people ready because he of course knew that the temple would be destroyed and there would be no way to atone for their sins. The Jews were going to all die in their sins and the Pharisees were not giving them any alternative. John was the hinge point to the new way, repentance and confession of the Messiah would mean that people would not die in their sins. They would escape the fires of hades. To help people understand this, Jesus tells them a present day story. An actual account of someone they knew, a beggar. Everyone knew Lazarus, as he was always begging. This is not a parable, as parables do not use people’s names and are not this specific.
Luke 16:19 G444 [3man G1161 1And G5100 2a certain] G1510.7.3 was G4145 rich, G2532 and G1737 dressed in G4209 purple G2532 and G1040 linen, G2165 being merry G2596 daily G2250 G2988 and glowing.
What is the context? The context is the Pharisees covet wealth, hate the poor, and love purple robes. Jesus is saying that this rich man is not just a random rich man, he is saying that the rich man is a Pharisee.
Luke 16:20 G4434 [4poor man G1161 1And G5100 3a certain G1510.7.3 2there was], G3686 by name G* Lazarus, G3739 who G906 was laid G4314 at G3588 G4440 his gatehouse, G1473 G1669 one having sores,
Lazarus’ friends would put him outside the gate to the house of the rich Pharisee, hoping the rich Pharisee would feed him.
Luke 16:21 G2532 and G1937 desiring G5526 to be filled G575 from G3588 the G5589 crumbs G3588 of the ones G4098 falling G575 from G3588 the G5132 table G3588 of the G4145 rich man. G235 And G2532 also G3588 the G2965 dogs G2064 coming G621 licked G3588 G1668 his sores. G1473
We don’t know what the sores were, but we can surmise that the man may have been crippled and had bed sores. The fact that the dogs licked his sores meant that this man was the lowest in the Pharisees caste system. Regular people were bad enough, but a sickly beggar was even worse.
Luke 16:22 G1096 And it came to pass for G1161 G599 [3to die G3588 1the G4434 2poor man], G2532 and G667 for him to be carried G1473 G5259 by G3588 the G32 angels G1519 into G3588 the G2859 bosom G3588 G* of Abraham. G599 And [4died G1161 G2532 3also G3588 1the G4145 2rich man], G2532 and G2290 was buried.
Notice the distinction that Jesus made here, the beggar was carried by the angels to Abraham’s Bay. The word kolpos means “bay or creek”, figuratively it could be bosom but this is not a figurative story, there is water in this story, there are actual places in this story, which means that the angels were carrying Lazarus to a literal place not a figurative idea. The rich man was buried. Why didn’t the angels take the rich Pharisee to Abraham’s Bay? Was Lazarus’ body thrown into the trash pit? The distinction is that the rich Pharisee had friends with money who buried him, while Lazarus did not.
Luke 16:23 G2532 And G1722 in G3588 G86 Hades G1869 having lifted up G3588 G3788 his eyes G1473 G5224 being G1722 in G931 torment, G3708 he sees G3588 G* Abraham G575 from G3113 far off, G2532 and G* Lazarus G1722 in G3588 G2859 his enfolded arms. G1473
The rich Pharisee, in torment, then looked up, and saw Abraham far away. He also sees Lazarus with Abraham in the Bay. The first thing we see is that the rich man recognizes torment. He has the ability to look around, he has the ability to recognize Abraham. How does he know what Abraham looks like? There were no portraits, or photo’s, or documentary series on television. Yet somehow he can perceive who Abraham is. He obviously remembers Lazarus and assumes Lazarus should wait on him. There is consciousness in the grave. People know where they are and they also know where others are.
Before Jesus took back the keys to hades and death, people were parsed into hades or the place of death, Abraham’s Bay, by their own works. Today Jesus has the keys and everyone goes through Jesus.
Luke 16:24 G2532 And G1473 he G5455 speaking out loud, G2036 said, G3962 O father G* Abraham, G1653 show mercy G1473 on me, G2532 and G3992 send forth G* Lazarus G2443 that G911 he should dip G3588 the G206 tip G3588 G1147 of his finger G1473 G5204 in water, G2532 and G2711 should cool G3588 G1100 my tongue; G1473 G3754 for G3600 I grieve G1722 in G3588 G5395 this flame. G3778
Lazarus was a beggar but we do not know if the Pharisee ever helped Lazarus, if he ever fed him or gave him a blanket. How is it that the rich Pharisee wants to command Lazarus to wait on him? The Pharisee still thinks there is a cast system in hades. Lazarus must have been standing, healed and whole. The rich Pharisee acknowledges that there is water, and he wants Lazarus to cool his tongue. The rich man also acknowledges that there is torment in the flame.
Luke 16:25 G2036 [3said G1161 1And G* 2Abraham], G5043 Son, G3403 remember G3754 that G618 you accepted G1473 G3588 the G18 good things G1473 of yours G1722 in G3588 G2222 your life, G1473 G2532 and G* Lazarus G3668 in like manner G3588 the G2556 bad. G3568 But now G1161 G3592 thus G3870 he is comforted, G1473 but you G1161 G3600 grieve.
Abraham talks to the rich Pharisee. Abraham tells him he apolambanō “away from received” good things in his life. Who was giving this rich Pharisee good things to receive? Satanas. Yahweh does not give us good or bad things in the way that the Pharisee was coveting, like riches, and fine linens, and purple robes. Someone has to “sell out” to Satanas to receive riches to the point of coveting, and creating a caste system in society. Lazarus received what was bad because Satanas did that to him. There are many people who preach the prosperity gospel, but it seems that it then turns itself into error that they cannot escape from. If people will depart from the true gospel, which in their day was that the Messiah was coming, then they will be honored with riches. John changed the administration to repent and prepare for the Messiah. The Pharisees were mad at John. Who was Satanas going to make rich, John or the Pharisees? Lazarus wasn’t given anything, while the Pharisee was given good from the god of this world. Solomon asked for wisdom, but ended up with riches, lost his way, and then at the end of his life claimed it was all meaningless.
The word parakaleō means “called, summoned, or called to one’s side” or literally “from the side of call/invite”. Abraham’s Bay was different than the place that the rich man ended up. Lazarus was invited into the presence of Abraham. The rich Pharisee was not. The angels brought Lazarus to Abraham’s Bay because he was invited. Abraham continues:
Luke 16:26 G2532 And G1909 upon G3956 all G3778 these things, G3342 between G1473 us G2532 and G1473 you G5490 [2chasm G3173 1 is a great] G4741 firmly fixed; G3704 so that G3588 the ones G2309 wanting G1224 to pass over G1759.3 on this side G4314 to G1473 you G3361 are not G1410 able, G3366 nor G3588 the ones G1564 from there G4314 to G1473 us G1276 should pass through.
Abraham points out to the rich Pharisee that there is megas chasma, “a large chasm”, “a huge impassable interval” that is stērizō “established”. Abraham is explaining the two places for the dead at this time period. One is death, where Abraham and Lazarus are, while the other is hades. Death has no torment. It has water. Hades has torment. There is no water in hades. No one can cross in either direction. Wherever one is, is where they must stay. The rich Pharisee acts like a rich person attempting to direct Abraham and Lazarus. The rich Pharisee wants Lazarus to go to his fathers house.
Luke 16:27 G2036 And he said, G1161 G2065 I ask G3767 then G1473 you, G3962 O father, G2443 that G3992 you should send him forth G1473 G1519 unto G3588 the G3624 house G3588 G3962 of my father. G1473
I suppose he figures that if Lazarus can’t help him then he should go help his family, but Abraham is not in the position of granting favors.
Luke 16:28 G2192 For I have G1063 G4002 five G80 brothers, G3704 so that G1263 he should testify G1473 to them, G2443 that G3361 [3not G2532 4also G1473 1they G2064 2should] come G1519 unto G3588 G5117 this place G3778 G3588 G931 of torment.
The rich Pharisee wants Lazarus to preach. We wonder if the rich Pharisee would have ever listened to Lazarus or anything he might have had to say while both were alive on earth. It is possible that neither the rich Pharisee nor his family members ever gave Lazarus any food. Nonetheless, the arrogance of the rich Pharisee is not to apologize to Lazarus for not helping him, or to apologize to Abraham for living apart from the precepts of the Mosaic Law in his caste system. Instead the rich Pharisee tries to negotiate a deal as if he had any leverage to be asking for new terms for his stay in hades. His arrogance and narcissism is quite evident here.
Luke 16:29 G3004 [3says G1473 1And G* 2Abraham], G2192 They have G* Moses G2532 and G3588 the G4396 prophets, G191 let them hear G1473 them!
Abraham tells the rich Pharisee that they have Moses’ Law and the Prophets to listen to. Even though it always seems that people want to hit us over the head with the Law, as if we live under that administration now, they themselves don’t follow Moses and the Prophets. It would seem that many religious leaders and persuaders of the law believe it is for everyone else, but not for themselves. However the Mosaic Law cannot save anyone in the end because there is no temple. There are no sacrifices, and there is no way to live out the Law now.
Luke 16:30 G3588 But G1161 G2036 he said, G3780 No, G3962 O father G* Abraham; G235 but G1437 if G5100 one G575 from G3498 the dead G4198 should go G4314 to G1473 them, G3340 they shall repent.
Again, the rich Pharisee is asking for favors, but Abraham is not handing out any favors to the man or his family. Why? Because in a relatively short period of time Jesus Messiah will rise from the dead. Also many witnesses will come out of their graves. Two people specifically will give their accounts in the temple. Will that event change anyone’s mind? Will the rich man’s family give their wealth to the poor and serve others? Would they preach repentance and confession of Jesus Messiah? Abraham responds.
Luke 16:31 G2036 And he said G1161 G1473 to him, G1487 If G* Moses G2532 and G3588 the G4396 prophets G3756 they did not G191 hear, G3761 not even G1437 if G5100 one G1537 from G3498 the dead G450 should rise up G3982 will they be yielded.
Abraham suggests that if they are not listening now, then they won’t be peithō “persuaded” if someone rises from the dead. This tells us that their heart was corrupt as Jesus pointed out earlier. Nothing was going to change their mind or heart, not even Jesus rising from the dead. There are many people like that today. People who are adamant that they will not believe on Jesus as Lord. They know there is a Bible, they know there are churches in every community, and they also know Christian believers. Yet they are not changing their own belief system. Remember what Jesus said earlier?
Luk 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
What is the abomination? Their self exultation, their riches, their caste system. The belief system that they created for themselves. The eminence front they expect others to believe. These things are accursed.
The place of Abraham’s Bay was the place of the righteous dead prior to Jesus taking back the keys. The righteous dead were not in torment but in the grave, or death. The original paradise that the adam and Eve were kicked out of was closed until Jesus opened it back up to the righteous dead. The subject of paradise does not show up very often in the Bible but it does appear in great detail in apocryphal writings. Why did the Masoretes exclude these works? Because they built themselves a belief system they wanted everyone else to follow. Their caste system kept this knowledge from the common people. However, the first century believers all knew of these works and referenced them many times. In what we call an “apocryphal work”, but was popular among the first century believers, is a song that Solomon wrote.
PSALM 14:1 A Hymn of Solomon. Faithful is the Lord to them that love Him in truth, || To them that endure His disciplining, || To them that walk in the righteousness of His commandments, || In the law which He commanded us that we might live. 2 The pious of the Lord will live by it forever; The Paradise of the Lord, the trees of life, are His pious ones. 3 Their planting is rooted forever; They will not be plucked up all the days of Heaven. For the portion and the inheritance of God is Israel. 4 But not so are the sinners and transgressors, || Who love [the brief] day [spent] in companionship with their sin; Their delight is in fleeting corruption, 5 And they do not remember God. For the ways of men are known before Him at all times, || And He knows the secrets of the heart before they come to pass. 6 Therefore their inheritance is Sheol and darkness and destruction, || And they will not be found in the day when the righteous obtain mercy; 7 But the pious of the Lord will inherit life in gladness.
Press, Covenant; Coalition, Covenant Christian. The Complete 54-Book Apocrypha: 2022 Edition With the Deuterocanon, 1-3 Enoch, Giants, Jasher, Jubilees, Pseudepigrapha, & the Apostolic Fathers (p. 1999). Covenant Press. Kindle Edition.
Solomon is explaining eternal life or eternal death. He makes the comparison for the people of his day. Now if we look at Baruch we see that he too makes the comparison between the godly and the wicked. Yet he notes, as Jesus told us, that we would be like the angels.
2 BARUCH 51:1 “And it will come to pass, when that appointed day has gone by, that then will the aspect of those who are condemned be afterward changed, and the glory of those who are justified. 2 For the aspect of those who now act wickedly will become worse than it is, as they will suffer torment. 3 Also, the glory of those who have now been justified in My law, who have had understanding in their life, and who have planted in their heart the root of wisdom, then their splendor will be glorified in changes, and the form of their face will be turned into the light of their beauty, that they may be able to acquire and receive the world which does not die, which is then promised to them. 4 For over this, above all, those who come will then lament that they rejected My law and stopped their ears that they might not hear wisdom or receive understanding. 5 When, therefore, they see those over whom they are now exalted, [but] who will then be exalted and glorified more than they, they will respectively be transformed, the latter into the splendor of messengers, and the former will yet more waste away in wonder at the visions and in the beholding of the forms.
This is an important point, the people who lord over others who are ungodly will waste away as they watch us become exalted and glorified and transformed into the splendor of angels. He goes on to tell us about hades.
2 BARUCH 51:6 For they will first behold and afterward depart to be tormented. 7 But those who have been saved by their works, || And to whom the law has now been a hope, || And understanding an expectation, || And wisdom a confidence, || Will wondrously appear in their time. 8 For they will behold the world which is now invisible to them, || And they will behold the time which is now hidden from them: 9 And time will no longer age them. 10 For they will dwell in the heights of that world, || And they will be made like to the messengers, || And be made equal to the stars, || And they will be changed into every form they desire, || From beauty into loveliness, || And from light into the splendor of glory. 11 For there will be spread before them the extents of Paradise, || And there will be shown to them the beauty of the majesty of the living creatures which are beneath the throne, || And all the armies of the messengers, who are now held fast by My word, || Lest they should appear, and are held fast by a command, that they may stand in their places until their advent comes.
Baruch is explaining eternity for us similar to Enoch. Again he points out we will be like the angels or stars, who are messengers. Baruch is looking forward to the time after the Messiah comes, not the day he is living in.
2 BARUCH 51:12 Moreover, there will then be excellency in the righteous surpassing that in the messengers. 13 For the first will receive the last, those whom they were expecting, || And the last, those of whom they used to hear that they had passed away. 14 For they have been delivered from this world of tribulation, || And laid down the burden of anguish. 15 For what then have men lost their life, || And for what have those who were on the earth exchanged their soul? 16 For then they did not choose for themselves this time, || Which, beyond the reach of anguish, could not pass away, || But they chose for themselves that time, || Whose issues are full of lamentations and evils, || And they denied the world which does not age those who come to it, || And they rejected the time of glory, || So that they will not come to the honor of which I told you before.”
Press, Covenant; Coalition, Covenant Christian. The Complete 54-Book Apocrypha: 2022 Edition With the Deuterocanon, 1-3 Enoch, Giants, Jasher, Jubilees, Pseudepigrapha, & the Apostolic Fathers (p. 2144). Covenant Press. Kindle Edition.
It was a very well known understanding that people make the choice. Somehow people came to believe that the Elohim chooses people at random, but that is not true as we have studied. Today, in our administration, whoever chooses to follow Jesus Messiah is like rolling the dice for him. He gets whoever chooses, and the path to salvation is predetermined.
https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2019/10/chosen-by-lot-peace-sacred-love-hold-up.html
https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2017/02/choice-predestined-path-eternal-life.html
https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2015/07/predestined-and-sealed-chosen-by-lot.html
Also well known to the first century believers was The Gospel of Nicodemus also known as The Acts of Pontius Pilate. The people who became Christians soon after Jesus’ crucifixion all remember the events of that horrid day, and the events that followed. They remember the graves opening and the dead coming out walking around in Jerusalem. They remember the two witnesses who told of their stories in the temple as the Lord directed them. They saw Jesus in his resurrected body, heard him preach for forty days, then they witnessed the events on Pentecost. Nicodemus was a believing Pharisee who had a conversation with Jesus about being born again.
The Gospel of Nicodemus XVll 13 Then the King of Glory trampling upon death, seized the prince of hell, deprived him of all his power, and took our earthly father Adam with him to his glory.
XVlll 1THEN the prince of hell took Satan, and with great indication said to him, O thou prince of destruction, author of Beelzebub's defeat and banishment, the scorn of God's angels and loathed by all righteous persons! What inclined thee to act thus?
XVlll 12 O Satan, prince of all evil, author of death, and source of all pride, thou shouldest first have inquired into the evil crimes of Jesus of Nazareth, and then thou wouldest have found that he was guilty of no fault worthy of death.
13 Why didst thou venture, without either reason or justice, to crucify him, and hast brought down to our regions a person innocent and righteous, and thereby hast lost all the sinners, impious and unrighteous persons in the whole world?
14 While the prince of hell was thus speaking to Satan, the King of Glory said to Beelzebub, the prince of hell, Satan, the prince shall be subject to thy dominion for ever, in the room of Adam and his righteous sons, who are mine.
XlX 1THEN Jesus stretched forth his hand, and said, Come to me, all ye my saints, who were created in my image, who were condemned by the tree of forbidden fruit, and by the devil and death;
2 Live now by the wood of my cross; the devil, the prince of this world, is overcome, and death is conquered.
3 Then presently all the saints were joined together under the hand of the most high God; and the Lord Jesus laid hold on Adam's hand and said to him, Peace be to thee, and all thy righteous posterity, which is mine.
XX 1 THEN the Lord holding Adam by the hand, delivered him to Michael the archangel; and he led them into Paradise, filled with mercy and glory;
2 And two very ancient men met them, and were asked by the saints, Who are ye, who have not yet been with us in hell, and have had your bodies placed in Paradise?
3 One of them answering, said, I am Enoch, who was translated by the word of God: and this man who is with me, is Elijah the Tishbite, who was translated in a fiery chariot.
4 Here we have hitherto been, and have not tasted death, but are now about to return at the coming of Antichrist, being armed with divine signs and miracles, to engage with him in battle, and to be slain by him at Jerusalem, and to be taken up alive again into the clouds, after three days and a half.
Just as Jesus told the thief that on that day he would be with Jesus in Paradise, we see that the believing saints went to Paradise as well. Enoch and Elijah were already there and are still waiting to return to earth. Hades and death are under Jesus’ authority with the prince Beelzebub answering to Jesus. Now we see that the two men, Charinus and Lenthius, tell the assembly of Jews what just took place.
XXl 1 THESE are the divine and sacred mysteries which we saw and heard. I, Charinus and Lenthius are not allowed to declare the other mysteries of God, as the archangel Michael ordered us,
2 Saying, ye shall go with my brethren to Jerusalem, and shall continue in prayers, declaring and glorifying the resurrection of Jesus Christ, seeing he hath raised you from the dead at the same time with himself.
3 And ye shall not talk with any man, but sit as dumb persons till the time come when the Lord will allow you to relate the mysteries of his divinity.
XXl 10 When all the assembly of the Jews heard all these surprising relations of Charinus and Lenthius, they said to each other, Truly all these things were wrought by God, and blessed be the Lord Jesus for ever and ever, Amen.
11 And they went about with great concern, and fear, and trembling, and smote upon their breasts and went away every one to his home.
12 But immediately all these things which were related by the Jews in their synagogues concerning Jesus, were presently told by Joseph and Nicodemus to the governor.
13 And Pilate wrote down all these transactions, and placed all these accounts in the public records of his hall.
https://sacred-texts.com/bib/lbob/lbob10.htm
Pilate wrote these accounts down so that there would be a record of these events. People of this new administration understood that things had changed. Everyone was asking the apostles questions to understand this new administration. We see this is in Paul’s letters and Jesus’ letters to the church as well as in this fragment by Papias of Heirapolis. Papias was a disciple who knew John, the apostles, and Polycarp. He wrote this work around 100 A.D. This is what the first and second century believers knew.
Papias SECTION 1: EXPOSITION OF THE ORACLES OF THE LORD
FRAGMENT 5 1 As the elders say, then those who are deemed worthy of an abode in Heaven will go there, 2 others will enjoy the delights of Paradise, 3 and others will possess the splendor of the city; 4 for everywhere the Savior will be seen, according as they will be worthy who see Him. 5 But that there is this distinction between the habitation of those who produce a hundredfold, and that of those who produce sixty-fold, and that of those who produce thirty-fold; 6 for the first will be taken up into the heavens, the second class will dwell in Paradise, and the last will inhabit the city; 7 and that on this account the Lord said, “In My Father’s house are many rooms.” 8 For all things belong to God, who supplies all with a suitable dwelling-place, 9 even as His word says, that a share is given to all by the Father, according as each one is or will be worthy. 10 And this is the couch in which they will recline who feast, being invited to the wedding. 11 The elders, the disciples of the apostles, say that this is the gradation and arrangement of those who are saved, 12 and that they advance through steps of this nature; 13 and that, moreover, they ascend through the Spirit to the Son, and through the Son to the Father; 14 and that in due time the Son will yield up His work to the Father, 15 even as it is said by the apostle, “For He must reign until He has put all enemies under His feet. 16 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” For in the times of the kingdom the just man who is on the earth will forget to die. 17 “But when He says all things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted which did put all things under Him. 18 And when all things will be subdued to Him, then will the Son also Himself be subject to Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.”
Press, Covenant; Coalition, Covenant Christian. The Complete 54-Book Apocrypha: 2022 Edition With the Deuterocanon, 1-3 Enoch, Giants, Jasher, Jubilees, Pseudepigrapha, & the Apostolic Fathers (pp. 2859-2860). Covenant Press. Kindle Edition.
In our own canonized scriptures we see that Jesus told us in his letter to the church at Ephesus that he is going to give us to eat from the tree of life in the middle of the Paradise of God.
Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Jesus plans to meet overcomers in paradise.
It would seem that we have had the subject of death, hades, and Paradise a bit confused and we have misunderstood the timing as to when we get to heaven. All of us will go to heaven at the same time, when we meet Jesus in the air. For those righteous saints who have died, they are awaiting Jesus’ call in Paradise. For those ungodly people who have died, they are awaiting the white throne judgment in hades. As Papias just told us there are different places for the righteous saints. Solomon and Baruch made this very clear distinction between the righteous and the unrighteous as to their eternal life or eternal death. Jesus explained to the disciples the new administration that started would eventually have new procedures and processes for death, hades, and Paradise. Jesus always gives us a choice as to where we want to spend eternity. Instead of believing the preschool version of death we should be able to adjust our thinking to the more complex version of our existence after death as Jesus told us.
