Hi to all , Jesus is talking to His disciples in John 20: 21 , and the context is Jewish and NOT for Gentiles , for many say that Jesus earthly ministry was more important than anyone Else's .

1) Jesus , in v21 , says to them , AS MY  Father hath sent me , even so send I you .

2) Then in v22 , He breathed on them , and said unto them , Receive ye the Holy Spirit .

3) Remember that this was not yet Pentecost .


4) Then Jesus says ; Whose soever sins ye remit , they are remitted unto them ; and whose soever sins ye retain , they are retained .

5) There are those that say that Christ words are for today , so How do the disciples  REMIT SINS , and Jesus said it .

6) How DO ALL you baptizers reconcile John 20 :23 with Eph 2:8 or with Rom 10:9 ? 

Maybe we can reconcile John 20:21-23 because Jesus gave His disciples the Holy Spirit before the rest of the believers.  It was given before pentecost.  in Acts 2:4 the Holy Spirit was given to the rest of the believers.  Maybe the original disciples that received the Holy Spirit in John 20 were able to forgive sins or retain them as Jesus said, but the followers who were given the Holy Spirit after the pentecost were not able to forgive or retain sins.

Hi Candy and Tantor .  The OP , WAS , HOW DID THEY remit SINS, which neither of you Adressed and don't address it in " Ebonics " Please .

Do you really think John spoke 17th century English?

they remitted sins before the resurrection.....?

a will is in effect only when a person dies......... remitting sins was different after the dbr?

1) My first point that is denied by Many , is that the context is Jewish .

2) Those that believe in water Baptism , it is Hard for them , to believe that the Body of Christ is NOT in view , then or NOT now .

3) Many SAY that we need to follow what the earthly Jesus had spoken , and many say that if we don't , consider that Blasphemy .

4) Many follow water Baptism , so you are following what Jesus said to the Disciples .

5) Sins were remitted when the Disciples Baptized any Jew .

6) If they believed what the disciple preached, the Gospel of the Kingdom , that Jesus preached in Matt 4:17 ,

7) Then if they were baptized , their SINS were Remitted .

8) If they refused the message that the disciples preached , then their SINS were retain , like the Pharisees , in Matt 3:7 .