Well this raises a couple of questions, doesn't it?

I know I've said this before but one of the things I love about studying Scripture is that no matter how many times I have read the Bible (I've lost count), new things pop out at me each time.  Things that leave me amazed that I never noticed them before.

Here is an example from today.  This is Jesus talking to His disciples.  This is after Jesus has been crucified, buried, and risen.  This is the second time He appears to all the disciples including Thomas. 

John 20:21-23(NKJV)

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 

And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 

If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Hmm, am I reading that correctly?  I get the "receive the Holy Spirit" part.  It's the part in green that I am wondering about.  Do we as disciples really have the power to forgive sins or not forgive them?

I can see two schools of thought here.  First on an individual basis I'd say that is certainly so.  If we are wronged we certainly do have the free will choice to decide if we forgive the person or not.  But our decision to forgive or not has nothing to do with whether they are forgiven by God or not.  That is between the person and God.

But the wording in blue makes me question whether that is the correct interpretation or not.  Jesus says "As the father sent me, I also send you".  God sent Jesus to forgive sins or not on an eternal, heavenly basis, not just an individual basis. 

Based on those words I think a reasonable person could make the case that Jesus was talking about disciples having the power to forgive or not on an eternal, heavenly basis.  I find it an odd concept but not without precedent in Scripture.

Here is one example. 

1 Corinthians 6:1-3(NKJV)

Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 

Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 

Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? 

There are also references in Revelation to us judging.  There are probably others but these are the two that come to mind.

I don't really know where I stand on this one yet.  It is going to take some more study.  Specifically I will be looking for confirmation in the Old Testament.  Stay tuned for future updates on this topic.