What is the "paradise" that Jesus references in Luke 23:43? Luke 23:43 - Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."


At first glance, I casually assumed "paradise" was referring to heaven, but if Jesus was dead for 3 days after His crucifixion and didn't ascend to heaven until much later, what is He referring to here? 

A prerequisite question may be: where was Jesus during the 3 days after crucifixion?
While this isn't a universal view, many traditions believe that Paradise is distinct from Heaven. Our Church (a Baptist Church) teaches that "Paradise" is a temporary holding place for those who have died and are awaiting Christ's return.

Some other references that point to Paradise being a temporary place, distinct from the final Heaven promised to those who have been saved:

http://www.bible-uk.com/paradise.htm 


  So what IS Paradise?
  
  The concept of a place of limbo, somewhere between heaven and earth,
  some kind of celestial waiting room is not one that will be found in
  the pages of scripture. What about a park or garden? Now we are on a
  firm biblical path! We know of a garden from the early pages of
  Genesis, called the Garden of Eden. We know, because Adam and Eve were
  thrust out of it (Genesis 3:24) and were unable to get back in again,
  which fits well with original Persian concept of Paradise being an
  enclosed garden. Equating Paradise with Eden is not something new or
  unusual. It is the rationale behind Milton's book, "Paradise Lost",
  for instance.


Also:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/november/24.79.html

http://www.wor.org/Books/p/Paraking.htm

There are many more, so I'll stop here. I'd also like to post a disclaimer that I don't agree with all of the things said in the last article linked to. It was included just to show that diverse traditions hold the view, and that it's not a "fringe" view.