Has anyone figured out this verse? I'm stuck.
John 20:23
"If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them: if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained."
I doubt this means what it appears to mean since only God can forgive sin. Can anybody shed some light on this please?
The Key To Understanding This Is In Verse 21 and 22 Verse 21 " As The Father Sent Me So I am Sending You"
Verse 22 " Now Having Received The Holy Spirit, And BEING LED AND DIRECTED BY HIM"
The Key Is (BEING LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AND BEING DIRECTED BY HIM)
AS JESUS WAS SENT BY FATHER GOD
JESUS WAS SENDING THEM IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS (THE AUTHORITY)
AS IN ACTS 5:3 "Ananias Lied To THE HOLY SPIRIT"
But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?
CONTEXT AUTHORITY (THE HOLY SPIRIT)
Acts 5
1BUT A certain man named Ananias with his wife Sapphira sold a piece of property,
2And with his wife's knowledge and connivance he kept back and wrongfully appropriated some of the proceeds, bringing only a part and putting it at the feet of the apostles.
3But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart that you should lie to and attempt to deceive the Holy Spirit, and should [in violation of your promise] withdraw secretly and appropriate to your own use part of the price from the sale of the land?
4As long as it remained unsold, was it not still your own? And [even] after it was sold, was not [the money] at your disposal and under your control? Why then, is it that you have proposed and purposed in your heart to do this thing? [How could you have the heart to do such a deed?] You have not [simply] lied to men [playing false and showing yourself utterly deceitful] but to God.
5Upon hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. And great dread and terror took possession of all who heard of it.
6And the young men arose and wrapped up [the body] and carried it out and buried it.
7Now after an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not having learned of what had happened.
8And Peter said to her, Tell me, did you sell the land for so much? Yes, she said, for so much.
9Then Peter said to her, How could you two have agreed and conspired together to try to deceive the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out [also].
10And instantly she fell down at his feet and died; and the young men entering found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
11And the whole church and all others who heard of these things were appalled [great awe and strange terror and dread seized them].