Paradise Thought

Lately I have been thinking about Jesus hanging on the cross turning to another hanging next to him, he tells him "Today you will be with me in Paradise." Luke 23:43

This is the only time Jesus says the word Paradise, and because of this many people have come up with ways of trying to explain what paradise means.

Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:4 gives us a little bit of a hint by saying "this man was caught up to paradise" which makes me think it has something to do with being in God's presences.

The biggest hint I think we have is found in Rev 2:7 which says, "He who has an ear let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."

There seems to be a lot to unpack there, but for the sake of my thoughts and the length of this blog lets focus on the tree of life which is found in the paradise of God. The only other time the Tree of life is mentioned in scripture is in Gen 2:9 "... In the middle of the garden (garden of Eden which the aka Paradise) were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."
And Revelation 22:14 which you can read on your own if you would like.

Could it be that when Jesus says today you will be with me in paradise, he is refering back to the garden of Eden before the fall?