What does it mean that Jesus gave the disciples the power to forgive sins or withhold forgiveness?

It doesn't mean essentially nothing.

Yesterday on Easter Sunday, my pastor preached on John 20:19-23, where Jesus appears to the disciples after his resurrection in a locked room. Verses 22-23 read:

[Jesus] breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

He gave the typical explanation that this passage doesn’t actually mean that Jesus was giving the disciples the power to forgive or withhold forgiveness, but simply that through their preaching of the gospel, people would be forgiven or not based on how they responded to it. The disciples would only be able to recognize whether people were forgiven by their acceptance or rejection of the message.

While I think that recognition of a person’s spiritual state based on their response to the gospel is part of what Jesus meant, I believe there’s more to it than that. I think we have to start with the assumption that the plain meaning of the words of the passage is really its message.

So what does this passage mean?

I believe that Jesus here was giving the disciples authority to not simply be able to recognize a person’s spiritual state, but actually to partner with God by pronouncing and bringing about forgiveness or judgement.

Do we see evidence of this happening in the New Testament?

Yes, I believe we do. There are several incidents in the book of Acts, and one from Corinthians, which I think are the manifestation of this God-given authority.

Judgement

On several occasions, the apostles pronounce God’s judgement on a person or persons. In some cases, we see this judgement immediately come about.

Ananias and Sapphira

In Acts 5:1-11, a married couple named Ananias and Sapphira conspire to sell a piece of land and bring part of the proceeds to the apostles, claiming that it was the full selling price. The Holy Spirit revealed their lie to Peter, who said:

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. (Acts 5:3-5)

The same thing happened to his wife, who came in some time later not knowing what had happened to her husband, and repeated the lie. Peter told her,

“How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” (Acts 5:9)

We see here the Holy Spirit revealing the sin and rotten spiritual state of Ananias and Sapphira, and giving Peter the authority to pronounce judgement on them, which was immediately carried out. This rightly brought great fear on “all who heard of it”. God’s judgement is nothing to mess with.

The magician who opposes the gospel

During the Apostle Paul’s missionary journeys, he and Barnabas travelled to Cyprus, where they met a man called Sergius Paulus, whom we are told is “a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God” (Acts 13:7). But there is an antagonist on the scene, a man named Bar-Jesus, a magician and false prophet (Acts 13:6), who makes himself God’s enemy and immediately receives the reward of his deeds by being struck with temporary blindness:

But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord. (Acts 13:9-12)

I believe it is significant that we are told that Paul was “filled with the Holy Spirit”, which I’ll expand on later.

This judgement was less severe and final than that of Ananias and Sapphira. Elymas was struck with blindness only “for a time”, perhaps because God was mercifully giving him space to repent.

Simon the magician

Going back to Acts 8, we are told about Philip’s evangelistic journey to Samaria, where he preached the gospel, cast out demons, and healed the sick, resulting in many conversions (vv. 4-8).

But again, there’s a fly in the ointment. One of the new believers was another magician¹, called Simon. We have an interesting incident where the apostles Peter and John come down from Jerusalem to pray for the new Samaritan believers to receive the Holy Spirit, which didn't happen when they believed and were baptized.² Simon covets this power and makes a strange request:

Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 13:18-19)

Which results in a pronouncement of judgement:

But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.” (Acts 13:20-24)

Here we see a supernatural recognition of Simon’s true spiritual state. Peter didn’t think that Simon was simply a new and confused believer who needed better teaching, the Holy Spirit revealed to him that Simon’s heart was wicked and unregenerate. In contrast to the immediate death of Ananias and Sapphira, and the blindness of Elymas, Simon’s judgement was a grade less severe. Although Peter pronounces him “in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity”, he leaves open the possibility of forgiveness.³

Shaking off the dust of their feet

In Acts 13, we see Paul and Barnabas enacting a strange ritual against those who rejected the gospel when they preached at Antioch in Pisidia:

But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. (Acts 13:50-51)

What did this mean and why did they do it? This was something that Jesus taught the original twelve disciples to do when he sent them out to preach the gospel, and was an indication of judgement on those who rejected it:

But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. (Luke 10:9-12)

Judgement on sexually immoral church member

I believe we have another instance of this authority operating in Paul’s pronouncement of judgement on a Corinthian church member who was guilty of sexual immorality:

For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 5:3-5)

It’s interesting that Paul says that the judgement on this man will come about through his spiritual presence. This is another passage that cessationists “define down”, but it clearly seems to be indicating that in some fashion, the powerful, apostolic, spiritual presence of Paul, along with that of Jesus, was key to bringing about the judgement.

This judgement is another which comes with devastating physical consequences. The man was to be delivered over to Satan, who would have the power (it seems) to physically injure or sicken him, with the goal of bringing about his repentance and final salvation.

Forgiveness

In contrast to judgement, it seems that instances of the apostles mediating forgiveness in Acts are less clear, but I think they are there. I think it happens when the apostles recognize salvation, especially among unexpected people groups, and takes place by them baptizing the new converts or praying for them to receive the Holy Spirit.

The Samaritan believers

As previously mentioned, when the gospel first reached the Samaritans, they did not immediately receive the Holy Spirit, despite believing and being baptized. Some apostolic intervention was needed:

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:14-17)

Cornelius and his household

In Acts 10, Peter receives a vision which leads him to go to a Gentile household led by a centurion named Cornelius. He preaches the gospel to Cornelius and his friends and relatives, and the Holy Spirit falls on them as they believe. Peter responds:

Then Peter declared, “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. (Acts 10:46-48)

The Ephesian group

A strange incident is recorded in Acts 19:1-7, when Paul goes to Ephesus:

There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.

Forgiveness of Corinthian church member

In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul urges the church to forgive a repentant member as he has done, presumably the one upon whom judgement was pronounced in 1 Corinthians:

Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:10)

Summary

I come to Scripture with a basic presupposition: we need to take it at its word, believe what it says, and allow it to shape our theology and practice, no matter what.

Jesus says he is giving the apostles authority to forgive sins or withhold forgiveness, and we have no warrant to deny this clear meaning.

It seems to me that this authority consisted of partnering with God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in recognizing, pronouncing, and being the human agents of either forgiveness or judgement. I believe we see that borne out in the incidents I’ve cited from the New Testament. This was a genuine authority, and not simply a “recognition” of salvation or perdition.

The “recognition” explanation is not only a claim without evidence, it doesn’t really make sense. All it’s saying is that anyone who believes the gospel will be forgiven, and those who reject it will not. This is a given; it doesn’t require a special grant from God.

Partnering with God

Why do some deny the plain meaning of this passage? It seems likely to me that it springs, as does much of cessationist teaching, from the Protestant desire to deny certain teachings of the Catholic church, such as that it alone has the power to grant or withhold salvation.

But we must never allow our reaction against distorted teachings of God’s word to cause us to deny those teachings ourselves.

Cessationists wish to preserve God’s supremacy in all things. Of course, only God can forgive or judge a person, based on the person’s own response to the gospel.

But these pronouncements of forgiveness or judgement did not come from the Apostles themselves. As with all of the supernatural works they did, they come from God and are empowered by the Holy Spirit. The apostles, and we, are agents of God’s work on earth, and this agency comes with genuine authority to do God’s works. These include works such as healing, casting out demons, and pronouncing or withholding forgiveness.

It is not that the apostles decide independently whom to forgive or judge; they enact God’s forgiveness and judgement.

It is significant that this grant of authority from Jesus comes immediately after he grants them the Holy Spirit (its fulfillment comes a bit later, at Pentecost).

Jesus made it clear that he himself did not operate in his own power when he was on earth, but followed the leading of his Father in every moment, doing God’s works in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Trinity worked in harmony to accomplish God’s goals, and this is the model for our dependence on God as we continue his works:

Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. (John 14:10-14)

Presuppositions and lack of experience

I think the cessationist desire to explain away passages like this comes both from their presuppositions that supernatural power such as that which Jesus granted the apostles does not operate today, and from a lack of experience of such power.

Redefining Jesus’ commission of the apostles down to simply sharing the gospel message means that it’s applicable today and something which any believer can do, in keeping with the cessationist view that supernatural gifts are no longer given to the church.

Was this commission only for the apostles, or for all believers?

The short answer to this is that I don’t know. I am inclined to think that it is a level of authority and power that seems to belong to the office of apostle. We see Jesus giving it only to the apostles, and we see it operating only through the apostles in the New Testament—possibly. Another incident that fits the pattern might be Acts 9:10-19, where a disciple named Ananias receives a vision from the Lord commanding him to go lay hands on Saul so that he would regain his sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Baptism and church discipline

However, I do think this commission continues through the church, as the church recognizes salvation and grants baptism, and exercises discipline on members who engage in unrepentant sin. Baptism is a pronouncement and mediation of God’s forgiveness, and church discipline is a pronouncement and mediation of God’s judgement. As we receive or exclude people from church fellowship, we are declaring and enacting their reception in or exclusion from the people of God and fellowship with God himself.

In Matthew 18, where Jesus institutes church discipline⁴, it is connected with the authority to forgive or retain sins:

Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 18:18)

I realize many will think this is a dangerously Catholic-type view, but again, I don’t think reaction against distorted doctrine should lead us to reject and deny the teachings of Scripture. I think something actually happens in baptism and church discipline which is not simply symbolic, and this is not recognized by most of the church today simply because they do not experience or expect the power of God in general.

1. Here again as with Elymas the magician we see the occult power of Satan opposing the power of the kingdom of God, a clash which always happens when the Holy Spirit is present in power.

2. According to the theological teaching I’ve received, this was due to the historical division between Jews and Samaritans, in order that the authority of the Jewish apostles was recognized and to ensure the unity of the young church.

3. I think it’s interesting that Peter tells Simon to pray that “if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you”. Doesn’t God forgive all sin when we repent? I think Peter is perhaps thinking that Simon may be close to committing, or perhaps has committed, the one unforgiveable sin, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32).

4. There are many other NT passages which teach about how the church should respond to those claiming genuine faith but living in sin, such as 1 Corinthians 5:9-13.