by Spirit Realm » Thu Jan 13, 2022 12:25 pm
When Paul said that he would like to be "at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8), was he referring to Abraham's bosom?
Paul believed that after leaving his body he would be at home/present with the Lord:\
Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
[2 Corinthians 5:8 ESV]
Similarly, Paul said:
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.
[Philippians 1:21-24 ESV]
However, Luke 16:19-31 sheds some light on what happens to those who depart from the body. Specifically, the passage talks about the righteous being consoled in what is commonly known as the Bosom of Abraham:
19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— 28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
[Luke 16:19-31 ESV]
Question: When Paul expressed his desire to depart from the body and be at home with the Lord, was he picturing himself being carried by angels to the Bosom of Abraham? Did Paul believe that Abraham's Bosom was a real place that he would immediately visit upon death (an intermediate state between death and the resurrection)?
Another way to phrase the question: what was Paul hoping would happen to him as soon as he died? What was Paul's theology on the afterlife?
When Paul said that he would like to be "at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8), was he referring to Abraham's bosom?
Paul believed that after leaving his body he would be at home/present with the Lord:\
[quote]Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.[/quote] [2 Corinthians 5:8 ESV]
Similarly, Paul said:
[quote]21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.[/quote] [Philippians 1:21-24 ESV]
However, Luke 16:19-31 sheds some light on what happens to those who depart from the body. Specifically, the passage talks about the righteous being consoled in what is commonly known as the Bosom of Abraham:
[quote]19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— 28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”[/quote] [Luke 16:19-31 ESV]
[b]Question:[/b] When Paul expressed his desire to depart from the body and be at home with the Lord, was he picturing himself being carried by angels to the Bosom of Abraham? Did Paul believe that Abraham's Bosom was a real place that he would immediately visit upon death (an intermediate state between death and the resurrection)?
Another way to phrase the question: what was Paul hoping would happen to him as soon as he died? What was Paul's theology on the afterlife?