Hi everyone, welcome back to the logical.
Bible study podcast. Thank you for tuning in again.
This is the podcast where we look at the Gospel, reading from
the massive today, and we really want to do a thorough exegesis
on the text. We want to pull it apart.
So we can understand what the author was trying to get at
today. We're looking at John chapter 20
verses 19 to 23. In the evening of that same day,
the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room
where the disciples were for fear of the Jews.
Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, peace be with
you and show them his hands and his side.
The disciples were filled with joy.
When they saw the Lord and he said to them, again.
Peace be with you. As the father sent me.
So I am sending you. After saying this he breathed on
them and said receive the holy spirit for those whose sins you
forgive. They are forgiven for those
whose sins you retain they are retained.
So let's start by thinking about the context.
So, it's Easter Sunday morning. Mary Magdalene has already been
to the tomb and she seen Jesus in the form of the Garda, and
she runs back and tells the apostles that all happens in
John chapter 20. So what we're going to see in
our passage today, if you add it all up.
This is the fifth appearance of Jesus after his resurrection,
and it's on the very same day. It's later on Easter Sunday.
Now, one thing that's worth pointing out is this passage is
read every year on Pentecost, Sunday.
Now that can be a bit misleading.
In fact, it has misled the some Scholars, and perhaps, you might
have even heard some priests say, this, that this passage is
John's version of Pentecost, as in John, was intending to write
this to tell us that this is Pentecost day.
And this is what happened at Pentecost.
And obviously, it's quite different from Luke's account of
the Pentecost. In the book of Acts, it is not
correct to say that John here is describing his version of the
Pentecost. That is just bad scholarship.
Pentecost is the event that's talked about in the book of Acts
and that occurs after Jesus Ascension.
This events that we're looking at.
Although, it does involve Jesus giving the holy spirit.
It's a different kind of giving in the Holy Spirit.
And more importantly. It happens at a different time.
This event that we're going to see today happen.
Ins before Jesus Ascension. In fact, it's on Easter Sunday.
It's a completely different outpouring of the spirit than
what occurs at Pentecost. In fact, the catechism actually
says that, these are two separate events.
There's a passage in the catechism that will look at
where it says that. So, if you hear anyone saying
that this is John's version of Pentecost, you can politely
Point them towards the, the catechism where the Catholic
Church clearly teaches that we understand this to be two
separate events. So verse 19 in the evening of
that same day, the first day of the week.
It's Easter Sunday. They call that Sunday.
The first day of the week in that culture.
The doors were closed in the room where the disciples were
for fear of the Jews. So the disciples in some big
room in Jerusalem, and they're afraid that the Jewish
authorities are going to come and get them.
Think about this state of mind. The disciples are probably in
shock. After they've seen the Jewish
authorities, put Jesus to death, and they're probably worried
that the Jews will want to get rid of them, his followers as
well. But while they're in the room
with the door closed, Jesus came and stood among them.
Now, even though the doors are locked somehow, Jesus appears
out of nowhere in the room. And this is the Fulfillment of
many of the promises that he's given to them earlier.
He said, to the apostles and chapter 14.
I will come back to you. So this is the Fulfillment of
that and the first thing he says to them is peace be with you.
He knows that they will be in shock.
So he gives them a friendly. Greeting.
And the word here for peace is the Hebrew Shalom.
And obviously if you know your Bible there's a lot packed into
that. It basically has strong
connotations about reconciliation between God and
man, which is what Jesus has come to bring.
He showed his hands and his side.
So he wants to prove to them that he's not a ghost.
We that's becomes clear. If you look at Luke's version of
this appearance of Jesus. He wants them to know that he's
not a ghost. You can route read.
Luke 24:4 that the disciples were filled with joy when they
saw the Lord. So, finally, this group of
apostles who hadn't believed up to an hour.
They finally believe late on Easter Sunday, evening, and
there are Overjoyed, they realize that Truly has risen
bodily. Now, Jesus now gives them a
commission. He kind of changes the topic
here a bit. And the Commissioners will see,
is to forgive sins in his name. Verse 21 as the father sends me,
so I am sending you. This is an important verse, the
son. Jesus was sent by the father.
We know that from John chapter 12.
Now, Jesus, the son is going to send the apostles to continue
the same mission that he was given from the father.
So the apostles mission is actually an extension of the
sun's mission that he was given from the father.
And in particular, the mission that he's thinking of is the one
about forgiving sins early in the gospels.
We see that the father has given the sun power on Earth to
forgive sins. Now, this power is going to
transfer to the apostles themselves.
Verse 22 after saying this, he breathed on them and said
receive the Holy Spirit. Now, this is a special gift
personally given from Jesus directly to the apostles.
It's not given to all believers. It's given to the apostles and
he breathes on them. Very physical language and that
recalls especially Genesis 2:7 where God breathes new life into
man. So in a sense by breathing on
them, Jesus signifies that he's passing on the authority that he
has. It's kind of similar to laying
on of hands. As part of this new creation,
his breathing New Life. He's transferring his own power
to forgive sins into the apostles.
So it's really cool. There's a lot of imagery coming
together here. Now, the Holy Spirit.
He it says he said to them, receive the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit has been mentioned before, and
particularly Jesus, baptism the holy the Holy Spirit.
Overshadows Jesus. Now, it's being imparted from
Jesus to the apostles as a gift for the first time.
This is the first time where the apostles as a group get exposed
to the Holy Spirit. Now it's worth mentioning at
this point. That this is not Pentecost.
You'll see some Progressive Scholars saying that this is
John's version of the Pentecost event.
This is not the Pentecost event. The Punic Pentecost event
happens much later in the book of Acts.
And in fact, the catechism makes it clear as will see that this
is not the Pentecost event. This is a different outpouring
of the spirit. And this is what Jesus says to
them. This is his commission verse 23.
I'll read the whole phrase for her.
Sins. You forgive.
They are forgiven for whose sins.
You retain. They are retained.
Now, this is a very significant verse for Catholic theology and
one that we need to talk about more.
I think. So, for whose sins you forgive.
They are forgiven. Remember, Jesus is saying this
to the apostles, the context, and the Greek text here,
indicates that the apostles themselves.
Now, I've been given binding and loosing Authority for
forgiveness of sins. Sometimes you'll see other
non-catholic Christians, try and explain this verse by saying
that. What Jesus is saying is that
essentially God is going to forgive sins and then the
apostles are going to detect it. And then the apostles will just
know and then they'll pass that information on to people.
That's not what the context is suggesting.
What's going on? Here is the other way around.
Jesus is saying that, if the apostles determine that,
someone's sins should be forgiven, then God will forgive
them. That's what Jesus is saying.
It's not that God, forgives someone first and then the
apostles learn about it. That's not what the Greek text
is saying. The Greek is making it clear
that the apostles themselves have the power to forgive sins,
because Jesus has given them that power.
So, here's how it's going to work in.
Practice is what Jesus is saying.
When the apostles choose to forgive.
Someone sins. God will forgive their sins.
God will ratify their decision. And this is an extension of the
binding and loosing that Jesus had already given them earlier
in Matthew chapter 16, and then the second half of this phrase
is for who sin. You retain, they are retained.
So notice Jesus also gives the power to the apostles to refuse,
forgiveness of people in certain situations.
He's saying that in certain situations.
If you choose, not to forgive someone sins, then God won't
forgive their sins. Either.
This is strong language, but it seems to be what Jesus is
saying. And notice again, the clear
Biblical teaching here. The Forgiveness of sins is not
automatic. It's not guaranteed.
There's certain things we have to do to get forgiveness of Ins
Christians, some Christians. Don't like that teaching, but we
need to be clear that it does appear to be biblical.
Now, one interesting bit of information that comes from
this, if you think about it, if Jesus is saying to the apostles,
you now have the power to forgive sins, the practice of
confession as Catholics, think of it, that has changed
throughout the ages. What the confessional looks like
has changed. How a person approaches a priest
to get forgiveness has changed in the Catholic Church,
throughout 2000 years, but Scholars point out that this
passage at least at a minimum. Implies that if Jesus.
Specs his Apostles to do some sort of confession.
To do some sort of confession setup.
Because how else are they going to know?
Whether to forgive someone sins? If they don't know what the sins
are you notice? You see that?
They're so Jesus is sort of implying that in the future.
People are going to have to tell the apostles their sins because
how can the apostles forgive their sins?
If they don't know what they are.
So there's a subtle hint here that Jesus is setting up the
sacrament of reconciliation or confession.
Now usually the Catholic Church doesn't provide an official
interpretation of any biblical. Text.
Usually it leaves it up to Scholars to work out what the
most likely meaning is. And in this podcast, we talk
about different interpretations of texts.
But this passage John 20:23 that we're looking at.
The church has officially given a pronouncement on what it means
at least at a minimum. So at the Council of Trent in
the 16th century, the church defines this Passage and they
said that it means this is the institution of the sacrament of
penance. Here's a quote from the Council
of Trent about this passage. The Lord instituted the
sacrament of penance principally.
When after his resurrection, he breathed upon his disciples and
said receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any,
they are forgiven, if you retain the sins of any they are
retained. So that's the quote from the
Council of Trent and the universal teaching of the
father's has always acknowledged that by such a Sublime action.
And by such clear words the power of forgiving and retaining
sins was given to the apostles and their lawful successors.
The Bishops for reconciling the faithful who have fallen after
baptism. So that's been the constant
teaching of the church is that at this moment in the room in
Jerusalem, Jesus gives Them, the power to do confession and to
forgive sins. So there's a lot in that.
So where does the catechism refer to this everywhere?
It's all over the place. This passage from John chapter
20, we can't cover all of the passages, but I want to
highlight some of the ones which are most relevant.
So, paragraph 645. We have a discussion here about
Christ risen Humanity. It says by means of touch and
the sharing of a meal, the Risen Jesus establishes direct contact
with his disciples. He invites them in this way to
recognize that he is not a ghost and above all to verify, the
Risen body in which he appears to them.
Is the same body that had been tortured and crucified for it.
Still Bears, the traces of his passion, yet at the same time,
this authentic, real body. Possesses the new properties of
a glorious body. Not limited by space and time
but able to be present how, and when he Wills For Christ's
Humanity can no longer be confined to Earth and belongs.
Henceforth only to the father's Divine Realm.
So we see both aspects of that paragraph in our passage today.
We see the marks of Jesus physical body and we see the
fact that he can appear and disappear at will after his
resurrection. Then, there's a lot said, in the
catechism, a lot said about when Jesus breathed on them and gives
them the power to forgive sins. Paragraph 1, 120 is about the
sacraments and it says, the ordained priesthood guarantees.
That it really is Christ who acts in the, sacraments through
the holy spirit for the church. The saving Mission entrusted by
the father to his incarnate. Son was committed to the
apostles, and through them, to their successes.
They receive the spirit of Jesus.
Act in his name and he in his person.
So that's important to keep in mind the apostles, act, in Jesus
name, and the Bishops, their successors continued to do that.
Paragraph 1441 is in the discussion about her.
Only God forgives sins. It says, only God, forgives
sins. But since he is the Son of God,
Jesus says of himself, the son of man has Authority on Earth to
forgive sins and exercises. This divine power by saying,
your sins are forgiven further, by virtue of his Divine
Authority. He gives this power to men to
exercise in his name. So that paragraph in the
catechism confirms what we said in the podcast about Jesus
received the power to forgive sins from the father.
And he passes that power here in John chapter, 20 onto the
apostles paragraph. 858 is a discussion about the apostles
that says Jesus is the Father's Emissary from the beginning of
his ministry. He called to him, Those whom he
desired and he appointed twelve whom he named Apostles to be
with him and to be sent out to preach.
From then on, they would also be his emissaries, Greek.
Apostille oi in them, Christ continues, his own mission
quote, as the father has sent me even, so I send you The apostles
Ministry is the continuation of his mission.
Jesus said to the twelve, he who receives you receives me.
So that last bit there about to help the apostles continued
Jesus mission explains a lot of the book of Acts.
A lot of people say, the book of Acts is basically the Fifth
Gospel because it continues what Jesus was doing.
Paragraph 976 is a discussion about forgiving sins.
It says the Apostles Creed Associates faith in the
Forgiveness of Sins. Not only with faith in the Holy
Spirit, but also with faith in the church and in the community
of saints, it was when he gave the Holy Spirit, to his Apostles
that the Risen Christ, conferred on them, his own divine power to
forgive sins. Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven, if you retain
the sins of any they are retained.
So again, that passage courts, John chapter 20, as the moment,
in which Jesus gives them the power to forgive sins.
There's a couple more paragraphs in there as well.
And then in paragraph 1287 we have a discussion about
confirmation the Sacrament of Confirmation.
It says the fullness of the spirit was not to remain
uniquely the messiah's but was to be communicated to the whole
Messianic people on several occasions Christ promised, this
outpouring of the spirit A promise, which he fulfilled
first on Easter Sunday, and then more strikingly at Pentecost.
So, again, that confirms what we said earlier on Easter Sunday,
what we saw here in John chapter 20, it's the first outpouring of
the spirit from Jesus to the apostles.
And then later at Pentecost. There's a second outpouring and
they have different purposes. So this passage from John
chapter 20 is really important as you can see for Catholic
theology. That is the end of today's
discussion. If you've learned something new
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again tomorrow. As we begin something you were
going to go back to the gospel of Mark.
It's been awhile, since we've been going through the gospel of
Mark, but now we finally get to return to it and that will be
good to have some regularity back in the way that we move
through the gospels. So, please tune in again
tomorrow.