Jesus Christ forgives sins. However, a few brief words from our Savior imply that Christians, or at least Christian authorities, also have the power to forgive sins. If so, I suspect many of us aren’t fully submitting to Christ’s words. The question, of course, is whether we understand His words correctly.
We see the clearest statement in the book of John, but it may also be reflected in Matthew:
If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained. (John 20:23 LSB)
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:19 LSB)
Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. (Matthew 18:18 LSB)
It seems cut and dry. Jesus said that whatever we declare on earth has the full support of Heaven. However, when we hold this interpretation against the rest of the New Testament, we will find some clear issues that we can’t ignore.
What happens in Acts?
Jesus gave His followers the power to forgive sins after His resurrection. Not long after, Jesus commissioned them to spread the gospel, leading to salvation for many and the founding of churches throughout the region. After Jesus returned to Heaven, the book of Acts shows us how the apostles journeyed throughout the region and obeyed their Savior’s words.
To better understand what Jesus meant, we can look at the actions of those men who received this command. As we read the book of Acts, and even as we read the various letters written by apostles, do we see people going around and forgiving sins?
Let’s look at a few recorded sermons and interactions to see whether these men use their authority to declare some sins forgiven and others retained.
Peter’s sermon in Acts 2:14-36
Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men, brothers, what should we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” And with many other words he solemnly bore witness and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this crooked generation! (Acts 2:37-41 LSB)
Peter declared that they could receive forgiveness of sin by repenting, then commanded them to be baptized because their sins were forgiven. Peter was a messenger who told them where they could find forgiveness.
Peter and John in Acts 4:1-26
Now as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, being greatly agitated because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. (Acts 4:1-2 LSB)
Peter and John got arrested because what they said was possible through Jesus Christ, not their authority.
And when they had placed them in their midst, they began to inquire, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people, if we are being examined today for a good deed done to a sick man, as to how this man has been saved from his sickness, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health. He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:7-12 LSB)
When confronted, neither the apostles nor their accusers say anything about their authority to forgive sins. Rather, the issue centers around Jesus.
But when they had ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, they began to confer with one another, saying, “What should we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy sign has happened through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But lest it spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name.” And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to hear you rather than God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:15-20 LSB)
Again, we clearly see the actions of Peter and John by what the religious leaders fear and then command them to cease doing. Nowhere in this exchange do we see a hint that Peter or John exercised their power to forgive sins.
Stephen’s martyrdom in Acts 6:8-7:60
Stephen is the first martyr for Jesus. As Stephen was preaching and performing the signs of an apostle, religious leaders unsuccessfully tried to oppose him. Failing to argue theology with him, they turned to sneakier methods.
Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and they came up to him, dragged him away, and brought him to the Sanhedrin. And they put forward false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases speaking words against this holy place and the Law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.” (Acts 6:11-14 LSB)
Rather than outright lying, they twisted Stephen’s words and took them out of context. Stephen’s accusers weren’t wrong about what he was saying, but they presented his words in a way that made them sound blasphemous. And if Stephen forgave or retained sins, they would have added that to the blasphemy charges.
And behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man blasphemes.” (Matthew 9:2-3 LSB)
Christ’s enemies often accused Stephen and other apostles of blasphemy, but never because they claimed to carry the authority to forgive sins.
As Stephen stood condemned, he offered a defense for himself. As he explained the gospel to the listeners, his authority to forgive sins was absent. Instead, he concluded by summarizing that they’re condemning him for the same reasons they condemned prophets in the past.
“You men—stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears—are always resisting the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. And which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become (Acts 7:51-52 LSB)
And as the first martyr was brutally stoned to death, he didn’t declare their sins forgiven. Rather, he asks Jesus to forgive them.
Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” And having said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:60 LSB)
If Stephen had the authority to forgive sins, as some interpret John 20:23 to mean, this was a clear time to do so. Yet, in his final moment, he submitted to the authority of Jesus and prayed, without certainty, that Jesus would forgive the sins of his executioners.
Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-40
The Holy Spirit led Philip to give the gospel to a nearby Ethiopian.
Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him. (Acts 8:36 LSB)
Although we don’t see their full exchange, Philip only seemed to call for the Ethiopian to believe in Jesus. There’s no hint that Philip took the initiative to forgive the man’s sins, instead letting the Holy Spirit lead him to repentance.
Saul’s conversion in Acts 9:1-31
In the amazing story of Saul’s conversion, there’s a lesser-remembered man named Ananias. God tells him to find Saul, but Ananias can’t believe God could choose such a man.
But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.” (Acts 9:13-16 LSB)
In his flesh and finite understanding, Ananias seems incapable of believing God would forgive Saul for his sins against the church. He doesn’t want to go to this man. Yet it’s not up to Ananias to decide whether Saul gains forgiveness, but God alone.
Other moments throughout Acts
We see a similar pattern throughout sermons and confrontations with religious leaders. People condemn the apostles for teaching in the name of Jesus. Yet, neither their own words nor the complaints of their enemies mention anything about the apostles granting or withholding forgiveness. Rather, everything they do points people to Jesus Christ, the only one who can forgive sins.
It’s worth noting that the apostles address the forgiveness of sins in several instances. But when they do, they direct their listeners to Jesus Christ. Look at the verses below and consider what role the apostle has in the forgiveness offered to their audience.
This One God exalted to His right hand as a Leader and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. (Acts 5:31 LSB)
Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray earnestly to the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. (Acts 8:22 LSB)
Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins. (Acts 10:43 LSB)
Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and that in Him, everyone who believes is justified from all things which you could not be justified from through the Law of Moses. (Acts 13:38-39 LSB)
As far as the book of Acts goes, we never see the apostles live out the words of John 20:23 by exercising any authority over the sins of others. They never extend forgiveness where Jesus doesn’t, nor deny forgiveness even if a person trusts Jesus to save them from their sins.
Who has the power to forgive?
When interpreting John 20:23, we must ask an all-important question: who has the power to forgive sins? This is the same question Christ’s opponents asked themselves.
And when He had come back to Capernaum several days afterward, it was heard that He was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them. And they *came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men. And being unable to bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof over where He was; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the mat where the paralytic was lying. And Jesus seeing their faith *said to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?” Immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, *said to them, “Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your mat and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He *said to the paralytic, “I say to you, get up, pick up your mat, and go to your home.” And he got up and immediately picked up the mat and went out before everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.” (Mark 9:1-13 LSB)
Responsible Bible interpretation requires us to note that just because the Bible records someone’s words doesn’t make them true. Here, we see flawed men (and enemies of Jesus) claiming it’s blasphemous to claim that anyone but God can forgive sins. We always want to be cautious when claiming that words spoken by anyone but God are unquestionably true.
However, we must also note how Jesus reacts to them. He doesn’t correct their thinking about who has the power to forgive sins. Rather, His response confirms that they’re correct and uses that to prove He is God. The correction doesn’t come about what they believe about God’s power, but the nature of the man standing before them.
This would explain Christ’s motivation in healing the paralytic. Anyone can claim the power to forgive sins, but displaying a miracle alongside those words would confirm it. And in doing so, Jesus tells them they’re correct – only God can forgive sins. He then proceeds to use that as a basis to proclaim that by having the power to forgive sins, He is God.
For our discussion, we want to examine that question as well. Jesus didn’t deny that claiming that anyone but God could forgive sins was blasphemous. We want to be careful not to make assumptions that lead us to declare things that God has not.
Where we go for forgiveness
As a side note, 1 John 1:9 reinforces where Christians can find forgiveness:
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 LSB)
God never tells us to seek others for forgiveness unless we’ve sinned against them and need to restore the relationship. If we sin, our forgiveness and cleansing come from Jesus Christ. As God, He alone can forgive our sins.
What about James 5:15-16?
James 5:15-16 seems clear that we have the power to forgive the sins of others.
Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. (James 5:13-16 LSB)
This is a verse I’ve already covered in depth as an article, podcast episode, and YouTube video.
The short answer is that “Is anyone among you sick?” is better translated as “Is anyone among you spiritually weak?” That’s because James 5:15-16 isn’t laying out the process of a pastor forgiving someone’s sins and healing their physical ailments. Instead, it shows the process of pastoral counseling.
If someone is spiritually weak and in sin, the pastor must do his job and lead that person. They need to pray for them and guide them through repentance. In doing so, God will strengthen that person and forgive their confessed sins (as seen in 1 John 1:9).
The pastor’s role in this passage isn’t to miraculously heal the body or forgive sins. Rather, they act as a guide who points the weak person to their Savior.
Practical problems with a man-centered interpretation
Biblically, there isn’t much evidence that any apostle took it upon themselves to forgive sins. Logically, it also doesn’t work. Notice a few practical reasons that placing the power of forgiveness into the hands of men and women wouldn’t work.
Why not just forgive everyone?
In 1517, the Roman Catholic Church was selling “indulgences.” People could buy these to shorten or even end a loved one’s time spent in Purgatory, a place the church taught that people would visit to purge their sins before entering Heaven.
Martin Luther, disgruntled at many problems he saw, wrote his famous 95 Theses. His 82nd thesis asked the question:
“Why does not the pope empty purgatory for the sake of holy love and the dire need of the souls that are there if he redeems an infinite number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to build a church?” The former reason would be most just; the latter is most trivial.”
We might ask a similar question about whether we grant or withhold forgiveness. If the state of a person’s sins is up to our whims, why would we not give unrestricted forgiveness to even the worst offenders? If God offers a person forgiveness through us, why would we ever deny it?
Deceitful hearts and the basis of forgiveness
Of course, we might find many reasons not to forgive someone. If John 20:23 truly means we have authority over a person’s sins, the rest of the Bible lacks guidelines for determining whether someone deserves it from us. What little Jesus says leaves us to judge a person’s worthiness on whether we believe it’s the right thing to do. We would, realistically, have to follow our hearts.
The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9 LSB)
The same heart that made us enemies of God, and the same heart that still draws us toward sin, would likely be the same one determining whether we grant or deny forgiveness to someone.
Or perhaps we could be more objective by examining their lives to determine if they truly warrant forgiveness.
Now it happened, when they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the anointed of Yahweh is before Him.” But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.” (1 Samual 16:6-7 LSB)
God pointed out Samuel’s error in judging whether one of Jesse’s sons would be the next king of Israel. Like all of us, Samuel wanted to weigh a person’s worthiness based on his perception. But in matters of God’s wrath over a person’s sins, we are ill-equipped to rightly declare whether someone is worthy of it. We can look at circumstances but are too finite and ignorant to be given such power.
When people disagree on forgiveness
At the height of its power, Roman Catholicism gave us “The Great Schism,” a world-changing event that I also find oddly humorous.
Due in part to their interpretation of John 20:23, the pope held the power of forgiveness and condemnation. He was allowed to excommunicate someone, removing them from fellowship and ultimately declaring someone an enemy of God and the Roman Catholic Church. As discussed in my 12-part series on Roman Catholicism, what may have started as an innocent attempt to honor God’s word eventually became a power struggle between sinful men.
The Great Schism occurred when two men believed they were meant to be the pope. Exercising their power to forgive or condemn, each “pope” excommunicated the other. This resulted in what we now know as the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church as each pope essentially picked up their ball and went home.
I highlight this event to point to the absurdity that would result from God leaving forgiveness to the whims of men. What happens when one person declares a person’s sins forgiven while another person declares those same sins unforgiven? Imagine modern Christianity, with its constant divisions, hurts, and personal offenses, if God truly gave us power over how He treated a person’s sins.
What’s the extent of this forgiveness (and unforgiveness)?
The New Testament is barebones about how our authority over sin would work. We don’t know if all believers possess it. We don’t know if we can forgive the sins of unbelievers or only fellow Christians.
A scary reality is that we also don’t know what happens to a Christian whose sins are unforgiven. James 2:10 reminds us that breaking one of God’s laws makes us guilty of the whole law. Jesus was our substitute on the cross, taking the punishment for all those sins that made us guilty before God. Yet if a Christian withholds our forgiveness, we have a sin that Jesus didn’t pay. And, if true, we would have to stand before God and take the punishment for it, which can only have one result.
That may seem extreme, but it’s an inescapable conclusion. If Jesus really gave Christians the power to forgive sins, it must mean something. What point would there be in allowing us to decide whether God forgives someone if it does not affect that person? If we accept one particular interpretation of John 20:23, we must also accept everything that interpretation leads to.
It’s just Jesus with extra steps
In the discussion so far, there’s been one simple answer to most objections: forgiveness in uncertain situations would be decided based on a person’s faith in Jesus.
- Why can’t we forgive everyone? Because they need to place their faith in Jesus to pay the penalty for their sins and grant the forgiveness they don’t deserve.
- What happens if someone sinfully withholds forgiveness? Genuine faith in Jesus would override someone else’s poor understanding of whether that person deserves forgiveness.
- What happens if one person declares forgiveness and another declares unforgiveness? Their faith in Christ would decide the guilt of the person.
- What happens if a follower of Jesus dies with sins unforgiven by another Christian? Their faith in their Savior’s sacrificial death would cover all sins.
If we want to maintain that John 20:23 means Christians can forgive sins without accepting all of the inconsistent (or dangerous) conclusions that result from it, we must default to Jesus and say that His death on the cross can overcome any mistakes we make when handling the sins of others. This makes the command of John 20:23 completely unnecessary. It’s just the typical Protestant understanding of salvation through Jesus Christ alone, only with extra steps.
What’s really going on in John 20:23?
The simple explanation is that Christ gave his followers the power to share the gospel. He’s telling them that believers now have the authority to tell people how their sins can be forgiven. Because of what Jesus did, we can declare someone’s sins forgiven or retained based on whether they trust Jesus to forgive them. We don’t create this forgiveness but rather communicate heavenly truths about the only way to have their sins forgiven.
Because of some assumptions we make, Christ’s words in John 20:23 may not seem to support that. But as we’ll see below, this understanding is the most consistent with what Jesus said, what His followers understood through their own worldviews, and how we see those followers obey His words throughout the New Testament.
Grammar matters
Although John originally wrote this book in Greek, many of Greek’s grammar rules have translated well to English. Thus, it’s worthwhile to look at how Jesus phrased His words:
If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.
To see the importance of grammar, look at three ways Jesus could have phrased the first half:
#1 If you forgive the sins of any, their sins are forgiven them
#2 If you forgive the sins of any, their sins will be forgiven them
#3 If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them
Notice that the first two are “if/then” statements. If you do this, then this will happen. The third, however, is an “if/because” statement. If you do this, it’s because something has already happened. It’s like a mystery movie where someone records themselves saying “If you’re watching this, I have been murdered.”
Jesus could have said that sins are immediately forgiven when we forgive them (#1). He could have promised that those sins would be forgiven at the future judgment (#2). Instead, He says that God has forgiven those sins in the past (notably, at the cross Jesus was recently sacrificed on), even though our communication of forgiveness is happening at the moment.
In short, Christ’s language clearly indicates that we are declaring something that happened in the past. It depends on what Jesus did, not what we do now. We can boldly announce that a person’s sins were paid for at the cross if they truly repent and trust Jesus. Likewise, we can confidently tell someone that God still holds them guilty of their sins if they reject Jesus as the only way to the Father.
We don’t initiate forgiveness. We act as earthly communicators of a heavenly truth.
The weight of Christ’s words to His audience
We’ve examined what the apostles did as an immediate response to Christ’s words. However, as with anything we read in the Bible, we also want to consider what the words meant to the original audience. For those who had lived under the Old Testament law, what would it mean that their risen Savior told them to declare that sins were forgiven or withheld?
He shall also do with the bull just as he did with the bull of the sin offering; thus he shall do with it. So the priest shall make atonement for them, and they will be forgiven. (Leviticus 4:20 LSB)
‘Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat of the lamb is removed from the sacrifice of the peace offerings, and the priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar, on the offerings by fire to Yahweh. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him in regard to his sin which he has committed, and he will be forgiven. (Leviticus 4:35 LSB)
So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin which he has committed from one of these, and it will be forgiven him; then the rest shall become the priest’s, like the grain offering.’” (Leviticus 5:13 LSB)
When the Old Testament speaks about forgiving sins, it’s often directed directly to God. A speaker will ask Him for forgiveness or will praise Him because of His forgiveness. Likewise, when God speaks of forgiveness, He is always the one who does it.
The only time humans have ever engaged in any aspect of the forgiveness of sins was with the priests of Israel. As we see above, the priests weren’t the ones who could forgive sins. Rather, God tasked them with an earthly task, letting the people know they would receive God’s forgiveness. They were, in a sense, earthly representatives of heavenly truths.
This priestly role would have been in the minds of the disciples who had only known the Old Testament. When Jesus told them they could declare whether or not sins had been forgiven, He gave them priestly responsibilities. Today, we know this as the “priesthood of the believer.”
And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ….. But you are A CHOSEN FAMILY, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:4-5, 9 LSB)
The books of Leviticus and Numbers involve God setting up priests in Israel. Among many things they represented, one is that they showed a separation between God and His people. People’s sins frequently needed to be atoned for, but the priest took care of the sacrifices on behalf of the people. As the go-between for God and His people, the priest’s work would have confirmed that God was no longer holding their sins against them.
As the book of Hebrews reveals, Jesus is now that high priest. He has made a single sacrifice sufficient to cover all His people’s sins. As believers today, Jesus gives us the right to do a similar job as the priests. We may not make sacrifices for people’s sins, but we are God’s human representatives who communicate to people whether or not their sins are forgiven. But, just like the priests of the Old Testament, this declaration of forgiveness isn’t based on us.
Rereading Acts and the epistles
If the apostles had the power to forgive sins, they did a horrible job of obeying Jesus. But if Christ intended to tell His followers that they had the right to tell people where to find forgiveness, the book of Acts and the various letters show overwhelming obedience.
The common thread throughout the New Testament is that Jesus alone offers forgiveness for sins. A misunderstanding of John 20:23 stands at odds with that and even creates some impossible contradictions. But if we understand the real meaning of Christ’s words, we are left with zero contradictions.
Instead, we see His followers doing exactly what He told them to do. They announced that Jesus took our place on the cross and that everyone who placed their faith in Him would have forgiveness. Likewise, they proclaimed the exclusivity of Jesus, confidently telling people that rejecting the true Jesus would result in condemnation. They never once forgave or retained sins but instead acted as God’s messengers so people could have confidence in where they stood before God.
A note on sins within the church
It’s tempting to lump similar statements from Matthew into what Christ is saying to His disciples after His resurrection.
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:19 LSB)
Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. (Matthew 18:18 LSB)
However, it’s important to see the clear distinction between what Jesus says in Matthew and John. The context of Matthew 18:18 offers the clearest explanation of how these differ from proclaiming the gospel:
“Now if your brother sins, go and show him his fault, between you and him alone; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as the Gentile and the tax collector. Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.
“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” (Matthew 18:16-20 LSB)
The fuller context of these statements shows that Jesus is dealing with sins among believers. There was no church at this time, but Christ’s followers gathered together even before His death on the cross. The leadup to His statement about binding things on Earth shows that He’s talking about removing someone from a group of believers due to unrepentant sin.
Jesus is ultimately saying that if people have turned to God’s word and seen that someone is violating it, they are working under Christ’s will if they must eventually send that person out of their group. Jesus concludes by saying He’s in the midst of their decision because they do it following God’s will, and they are simply walking in obedience as they call someone to holiness and repentance.
Understanding this, a few other New Testament instances of forgiving sins also make sense.
For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present: in the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord….. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Are you not to judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God will judge. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES.(1 Corinthians 5:3-5, 12-13 LSB)
For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have abundantly for you. But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree—in order not to say too much—to all of you. Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather graciously forgive and comfort him, lest such a one be swallowed up by excessive sorrow. Therefore I encourage you to reaffirm your love for him. For to this end also I wrote, so that I might know your proven character, whether you are obedient in all things. But one whom you graciously forgive anything, I graciously forgive also. For indeed what I have graciously forgiven, if I have graciously forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes. (2 Corinthians 2:4-11 LSB)
In both instances, Paul is clear that the forgiveness of sins has nothing to do with a person’s standing before God but rather their relationships within the church. This reflects obedience to the authority given in Matthew. No one in the church can make commands that God must honor. Instead, in careful observation of what God has revealed in His word, the church should forgive those who are repentant, while they must eventually cast out those who remain unrepentant.
The clear difference here is stated at the end of the 1 Corinthians passage. John 20:23 talks about giving the gospel to unbelievers and explaining how they can have confidence in their sins being forgiven, as seen in Acts and elsewhere. The authority in Matthew is about handling conflict and sins within the church, which we see reflected in Paul’s two letters to the Corinthian church.
Final thoughts
Christ’s words in John 20:23 are simple. It’s a statement that believers no longer need priests to deal with sins because we can confidently tell others where they can find forgiveness. However, because of centuries of misunderstanding and assumptions, it may seem overly complicated.
We looked at how the normal interpretation is at odds with what we see Christians do throughout the early church. We saw the contradictions of saying that we have the power to forgive when it’s clear that only God can. We also examined several practical problems that arise from misunderstanding the words of Jesus.
In the end, Jesus isn’t vague or confusing in John 20:23. He was very clear in His call to His followers then and what He calls us to do today. Anyone can know whether God has forgiven their sins. To those who trust Jesus to take their place under God’s wrath, we can boldly proclaim their forgiveness. But for those who reject Jesus or follow a false version of Him, we know they are still guilty of their sins.
No one can forgive sins but God alone. Yet, in His goodness, He has invited us to tell others about the God who came to the earth and died in their place. Let us boldly and confidently tell others that the guilt of their sin doesn’t rest on the work of a sinful human but the perfect work of Jesus Christ.
(A special thank you to my Patreon supporter who suggested this topic. Click the button below to join them in supporting this ministry every month.)
