20:21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has
sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them,
and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any,
they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
This section of Scripture seems
awkward and much has been done with it. I hope by now we have learned to remain
in the Story and seek understanding consistent with the Story. I will admit
that the translation does not help in deciphering of what exactly was meant
here. Words have been added to try and make sense of the passage. Unfortunately
the added words only add confusion.
First the context: The eleven are
full of fear, guilt, and shame. The guilt and shame are the direct result of
their catastrophic failure to stand by and with Jesus in His arrest and
crucifixion. Instead they either ran away or stood by and watched while denying
with cursing that they knew Him at all. All this after having promised to die
for and/or with Him if necessary.
Guilt is a powerful life sucking
force. Shame is debilitating. Jesus steps into their guilt and shame offering
grace and peace. His message and presence convey one simple truth. "I
forgive you." Forgiveness is tricky in that it takes two. Jesus has
forgiven them but they have not forgiven themselves. We will see that more
clearly as the Story unfolds.
Make no mistake. The end result
of guilt, shame, and unforgiveness is death. Jesus apparent mystical act of
breathing on them while in this condition is actually a parallel of Eden when
He breathed into the lifeless form of Adam. The Bible defines life not as
physically breathing in and out and having a heart beat etc... but it is more
than that. Truly living is being vitally connected with God. Paul wrote
"you who were dead in trespasses and sins are now made alive in Christ
because He forgave all your trespasses" (Col. 2:13)
This is not just some legal
jargon. Unresolved issues in a relationship kill the relationship. The
disciples consider their journey with Jesus to be over, not because of Him but
because of them. They are unworthy to take another step with Him. Jesus knows
how they feel so He comes in peace offering grace and forgiveness. He breathes
life back into them. His words "Receive the Holy Spirit" can just as
accurately be translated "receive the sacred breath". In other words
"Live again!"
I believe given the Story this is
the accurate rendering of His words. Why? Because look at what He says next:
"Any sins you forgive are forgiven and any sins you retain are
retained."
What Jesus is saying is pretty
simple when you stay in the flow of the Story. "I have forgiven you and if
you also forgive then it's over and gone and we can move on together but if you
don't forgive then the guilt and shame remain and we can never move on."
As a pastor I can't tell you how
many people I have met who are stuck in their own guilt and shame. I have been
there myself. Then one day God kind of hit me over the head with this thought
"What makes you so special and elite that I can forgive murderers,
adulterers, liars, and traitors but I can't forgive you? Why are you holding on
to what I have already let go of?"
Perhaps there is something you
have done that you just can't let go of. Breathe again. Let it go. Jesus
already has but forgiveness is two sided. If you insist on holding on to your
guilt and shame they are retained...
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