An awesome responsibility ...

There’s something I want to look at from the gospel this week (John 20:19-31). It’s the part where Jesus breathes on his disciples and empowers them to carry on his work in the world.

Listen to this:
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” ?

I've always found this a troublesome passage, and I’m sure it’s been used against people in a most awful controlling way.
Jesus himself didn’t bind anyone by refusing to forgive them – everyone he encountered he forgave. Forgiveness seemed to be his most plentiful gift! So why, then, would he tell the disciples that if they retained the sins of anyone, they would be retained????

Perhaps it’s the language used here that makes it so confusing. Is Jesus telling the disciples to judge? Is he saying, the people you forgive will be forgiven, and those you choose not to forgive will never be forgiven? That’s quite a power trip, isn’t it?
Think about it for a minute: why would Jesus say that? Why would he, a man who forgave everyone, even those who crucified him, tell us, mere mortals, to judge others and decide on their merit for forgiveness?

In Peterson’s translation, I think the meaning comes out a little clearer:
“If you don’t forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?”

Forgiveness is vital – vital to Life itself! When we don’t forgive someone we bind them – and we bind ourselves! We freeze the situation – there’s no room for change, for improvement, everything stays captured in that wrong – that hurt. It’s only when we forgive, and are forgiven, that there’s the opportunity to start over – to try again – to make a fresh start. That’s why the church recognizes the importance of confession – so we can be forgiven and reconciled (not so our sins can be held against us forever) – but so we can say we’re sorry and let them go, and start on a clean page.

When Adam & Eve sinned in the garden, God didn’t hold them prisoners there forever in punishment! He put them out of the Garden to make a fresh start – to find a new way of being. There were consequences to what they did – there are consequences to every choice we make every day – but God didn’t hold them prisoners – unforgiven – unable to move forward into the fullness of life God wanted for them! God gave them the opportunity to find a different way.

And so I believe Jesus is cautioning the disciples here – cautioning them that if they don’t forgive someone, what are they going to do? Are they going to judge? To punish? Jesus didn't given them the power to do that. “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”

And so he tells them, after he breathes the Holy Spirit into them, that they have the power to forgive. That they, too, have the power to release the captives – those who are held captive by their sins – and set the prisoners free – but he knows what human are like. He knows our every weakness – especially the love of power … and so he adds the caution:
If you don’t forgive them, what are you going to do with them?

They – and you – are going to be trapped forever – chained forever to their misdeed – without the opportunity to find a new way to fullness of life in God. That’s a horrible thought! You, me, taking the responsibility for blocking another human being’s way to fullness of life in God! Not a responsibility I want on my list when I face St. Peter @ the pearly gates!

And remember, that means us, too. We have the power to forgive – we have God’s invitation, nay - commandment, to forgive each other – and if we choose not to …….... what are we going to do with the consequences?