Expert: Rev C.Brian Ross - 9/28/2010

Question
We know only God can forgive sins yet isn't John 20:23 clearly
says that Apostles were given this authority?

Answer
Hi Nihal

Thank you for a very interesting question!   

You are perfectly correct in saying that only God can forgive sin (the very concept; all sin; as opposed to you or me forgiving the individual and particular sinS of another against us!).  This is confirmed by Jesus, and is one of the ‘proofs’ of His deity (see Mark 2:6-11).  However, in this verse, Jesus is not, in fact, saying that the early apostles were to be given that divine prerogative.  Let us remember that it was not only the apostles – the ‘inner band’ – who were present in that room.  Verse 19 makes it clear that it was ‘disciples’, indicating that there were other followers of Jesus present.  Even if one insisted that there were only the ‘inner band’, we know that Thomas was not with them!

One ought also to note that, immediately before making this statement, Jesus had ‘... breathed [on them – not in the original!] and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit” (v.22).  This is reminiscent of Gen 2:7, where God the Father “... breathed the breath of life ...” into the man whom He had created from the very dust of the ground; and of Ezekiel 37:5-6 where God says that He will cause breath to enter the dry bones in order that they might live.

So what is Jesus saying in John 20:23?  If one studies the original Greek, a more accurate translation might be “Whosesoever sins you (singular) remit (forgive), shall have already been remitted them; and whosesoever sins you (singular) retain, they are already retained.” (Textus Receptus).  This means that the disciples did not provide forgiveness.  Rather they proclaimed it, under the guidance of God the Holy Spirit, and on the basis of the Gospel message.

William Hendriksen, one of the finest New Testament commentators of the second half of the last century, writes that it is only on the strength of the indwelling presence and power of God the Holy Spirit that “... the Church, acting through its officers, [has] the right to declare sins forgiven or retained when it acts in harmony with the Spirit-inspired Word” (Commentary, in loc).  William Barclay, under whose tutelage I was privileged to sit when he was Professor of New Testament in the University of Glasgow, writes: “... it is the great privilege of the Church to convey the message and the announcement and the fact of God’s forgiveness to men.” (in loc).

Of course, that forgiveness is not automatic, but is dependent on the acknowledgement of the individual that (s)he is a sinner; that (s)he is incapable, in his/her own strength, of doing anything about it; and that only the death of Jesus can atone for his/her sin[fulness].  However, those who do make such a genuine confession have the assurance that “... him who comes to Me I will not cast out.” (John 6:37; RSV).

May that be your own experience, to the glory of His Name.