João 20:21-23

DISCOURSE: 1731
INSPIRATION AND AUTHORITY OF THE APOSTLES

João 20:21. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so I send you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

IT is not easy to conceive what disappointment our Lord’s Disciples must have felt, when they found that he was dead upon the cross, and committed to the silent tomb. “They had expected that he was the person who should redeem Israel:” and the wonderful works which he had done, had appeared to justify that expectation [Note: Lucas 24:19.]: but, behold, his enemies had prevailed against him, and the hopes which they had entertained were altogether frustrated. But our blessed Lord left them not long in this disconsolate condition. He soon gave them evidences that he was risen from the dead. To some he appeared on the morning of his resurrection: and “in the evening of that day” he came to them all, whilst they were assembled, with closed doors, for fear of the Jews; and both spake peace to their troubled minds, and renewed to them the commission which he had given them to preach his Gospel to the world; enduing them, at the same time, with a more abundant measure of qualifications for their ministry than he had hitherto conferred; and assuring them, that all which they either said, or did, on earth, under the influence of his good Spirit, should be confirmed and ratified in heaven.

Interested as we are in the office which was here assigned them, it will be well for us to ascertain, with some precision,

I. The measure of inspiration given them—

The commission which the Apostles now received from Christ resembled that which Christ himself had received from the Father—
[Christ was furnished by the Father for the office that was assigned him. “The Spirit of the Lord God was upon him [Note: Isaías 61:1.],” yea, and “was given to him without measure [Note: João 3:34.].” “The Spirit of the Lord rested upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord, and made him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord [Note: Isaías 11:2.].” At the time of his baptism, the Holy Spirit was sent down in a visible manner, both to attest his mission, and to qualify him for it [Note: Mateus 3:16.]. And this was the way chosen by God for manifesting to the world the commission given to the Apostles, and for imparting to them, at the same time, the qualifications necessary for the discharge of their high office.]

On them the Lord Jesus poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit, to fit and qualify them for their work—
[His “breathing on them” was merely an emblematic sign, to shew them that he was empowered to communicate the Holy Spirit to whomsoever he would. He had before told them, that “he would send unto them the Holy Spirit from the Father [Note: João 15:26; João 16:7.]:” and he now imparted to them that heavenly gift; and assured them, that, within the space of a few days, they should be baptized with the Holy Ghost [Note: Atos 1:5.],” and receive him in that abundant measure which would be necessary for the perfect execution of the various duties to which they would be called.

But there was, doubtless, an infinite disparity between our Lord and his Disciples, both as to the measure of inspiration with which they were endued, and as to the perfection of holiness which they possessed. The knowledge of our blessed Saviour was co-extensive with the knowledge of his heavenly Father [Note: João 5:20; João 10:15; João 16:30.]; and in him was not the smallest possible imperfection [Note: Hebreus 7:26.]: but they were still weak and sinful, and liable to err, except when under the immediate guidance of the Holy Spirit. In acting, we know, in the instance of St. Peter, how fallible they were: and in recording what they had been commissioned to declare, they were left to themselves, to use their own language, and to report what they knew: they were indeed assisted by the Holy Spirit, who “brought all things to their remembrance;” and by the Spirit they were instructed in things which they could not otherwise have known: and by the same Spirit they were kept from error of every kind: so that all which they have spoken must be regarded as the word of God, no less than if their very words had been dictated from above: for though, I say again, they were left to record every thing in their own language, yet, in all that they stated, and in all that they revealed, they were kept from error of every kind and every degree. If, on some occasions, they delivered any thing from their own minds, as matters of opinion, and not as divine authority, they failed not to inform the reader in what light he was to regard that particular sentiment which was so delivered [Note: 1 Coríntios 7:6; 1 Coríntios 7:10; 1 Coríntios 7:25; 1 Coríntios 7:40.]: but in all other matters they claimed the authority of God himself, as sanctioning and confirming all that they uttered in his name [Note: 1 Tessalonicenses 2:13; 1 Tessalonicenses 4:8.]

This will yet more fully appear, whilst we consider,

II.

The authority committed to them—

The words in which this authority was conveyed have been grievously misinterpreted and perverted—
[The ministers of the Church of Rome found on this, and other similar passages of Holy Writ, a claim to the power of forgiving sins. When, indeed, they are accused of this, they will deny it, and will endeavour to explain away their arrogant assertions. But it is a fact, that they teach their people to conceive of them as possessing this power: and their people do entertain this opinion, and do look to them to exercise this power; and do submit to their unscriptural impositions, under this fallacious hope; aye, and do pay them, too, for administering to them this indulgence. This power, say they, was given to St. Peter [Note: Mateus 16:19.]; and therefore the Pope, as the successor of St. Peter, possesses it. This power too, say they, was given to the Church; and therefore they, as constituting the Church, possess it [Note: Mateus 18:18.]. And again: this power was given to all the Apostles; and therefore they, as descendants of the Apostles, possess it [Note: The text.]. But when did Peter ever exercise this power? Did he, when he first preached to the Jews? When, under great agony of mind, they cried, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” did he say, “I, I Peter, forgive you?” No: he assumed no such power to himself; but said, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins [Note: Atos 2:37.].” Did he arrogate to himself any such power, when he opened the kingdom of heaven to the Gentiles? No: when they would have been ready enough to yield him even divine honours, he forbad them [Note: Atos 10:25.]; and, instead of saying “I forgive you,” he referred Cornelius and his company to the Lord Jesus Christ, as the only source of hope and peace; saying, “To him give all the prophets witness, that, through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins [Note: Atos 10:43.].” When our blessed Lord himself forgave sins, the surrounding Jews, conceiving of him as a mere man, accused him of blasphemy. And their accusation was just, if he was not God; for, “who can forgive sins, but God only [Note: Marcos 2:7.]?”]

What, then, is the true import of the passage?
[The authority vested in the Apostles was not personal, but official; or rather, I should say, did not exist at all in themselves, but only as declaring the character of those whom God would accept or reject in the day of judgment. So far as this power was exercised in inflicting or removing censures from any members of the Church, it had relation only to this world. So far as it related to the eternal world, it was altogether declarative, and in no respect judicial. It accorded exactly with the authority of the priests under the law, when they were called upon to judge respecting lepers: there were given marks, whereby they were to try every case that came before them: where those marks were found, they pronounced the person leprous: and where they were not found, they absolved him from the charge of leprosy [Note: Levítico 13:38.]. So the Apostles have laid down, with the utmost clearness, the marks whereby a child of God may be discerned, and be distinguished from an hypocritical professor: and according to what they have declared shall every case be decided in the day of judgment: those whom they have pronounced forgiven, shall be forgiven; and those to whom they have assigned a sentence of condemnation, shall assuredly be condemned. This was the power which they exercised: and this power still resides in those who, as God’s ambassadors, are authorised by him to declare his will to men. So far as they judge according to the written word, the sins of men, as remitted or retained by them, shall be remitted or retained in heaven.]

That we may bring this subject home for more general use, I would call you to notice from it,
1.

What aid is reserved for you in the discharge of your duties—

[You need, in your respective callings, the influence of the Holy Spirit, as much as ever the Apostles did. And to you shall it be given, as freely as ever it was conferred on them — — — The Lord Jesus Christ has “the residue of the Spirit” still abiding in him [Note: Malaquias 2:15.]: and if you pray, “Lord Jesus, breathe on me!” he will in no wise refuse your request [Note: Lucas 11:13.]

2. How to judge of your state before God—

[Men will pretend to declare, with great confidence, that such and such characters, which they account good, have nothing to fear. You yourselves, too, may have formed a strong opinion on such points. But I warn you, that whatever you or the world may think, God’s judgment shall stand; and his final sentence shall be in exact accordance with his written word. Your one inquiry therefore must be, “What saith the Scripture?” for assuredly those whom the Scripture acquits, shall be acquitted; and those whom the Scripture condemns, shall be condemned. “To the word, therefore, and to the testimony. Whoever they be that speak not according to this word, there is no light in them.”]