Now let’s take it a verse at the time: “As my Father hath sent me, so send I you.” A comparison with Luke 22:28-30 adds to information about the authority “the Twelve” were to have.

“Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I Appoint Unto You A Kingdom, As My Father Hath Appointed Unto Me. “That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and Sit On Thrones Judging The Twelve Tribes Of Israel.”

In other words, “the Twelve” were to be the official rulers of Israel in Christ’s kingdom on earth… and what is an official without authority to reign (cf. Rev 5:10, 20:6)! Matt. 21:43 (below) makes it clear that the kingdom was to be taken from those then ruling over Israel. Jesus declared this to the chief priests and elders of Apostate Israel; those with whom Jesus consistently contended.

“Therefore say I unto you, The Kingdom Of God Shall Be Taken From You, And Given To A Nation Bringing Forth The Fruits Thereof.”

But what Nation is the Kingdom to be given to? The Lord made it equally clear as to what Nation the Kingdom was to be given, saying;

“Fear Not, Little Flock; for it is your father’s good pleasure to Give You The Kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)

Here we learn that authority in the kingdom was to be centralized in the Twelve Apostles:

“Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, Ye Also Shall Sit Upon Twelve Thrones, Judging The Twelve Tribes Of Israel.” (Matt. 19:28)

In Matt. 16:19 Jesus Christ singles out Peter as the chief of the Twelve and personalizes this authority in him:

“And I Will Give Unto Thee (Peter) The keys of The Kingdom of Heaven: And Whatsoever Thou Shalt Bind On Earth Shall Be Bound In Heaven; And Whatsoever Thou Shalt Loose On Earth Shall Be Loosed In Heaven.”

We see Peter’s authority exercised here in early Acts records: “And in those days Peter Stood Up In The Midst Of The Disciples...” (1:15). “But Peter, Standing Up With The Eleven, Lifted Up His Voice...” (2.14). “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said Unto Peter And To The Rest of The Apostles...” (2:37).

While Peter could take official action personally, the “Little Flock,” represented by “the Twelve” Apostles had been given divine authority also. Here, Matt. 18:18-20 is not a prayer promise, as so many seem to suppose; rather it identifies what would constitute a quorum for official action.

“Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. ¹⁶ But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. ¹⁷ And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglects to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. ¹⁸ Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. ¹⁹ Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:18-20)

“Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them: and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained” (John 20:23).

That this apostolic authority should extend to the remission of sins should not seem so strange. Didn’t our Lord Himself have such authority (CF. Matt. 9:6, Jn. 5:22, 27)? Now He gives His authority to His official representatives.

What makes John 20:23 (the power to forgive sin’s) so difficult for us is the idea of such authority being placed into the hands of failing men. But wait, we haven’t yet looked at John 20:22. “And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive Ye The Holy Ghost.” This authority was thus obviously not simply placed into the hands of “failing men.” Rather, these very men were soon to be “filled with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:4).

This is in accord with Eze. 36:27 that declares this: “And I will put my spirit within you, and Cause You To Walk In My Statutes, And Ye Shall Keep My judgments, And Do Them.” They will be caused to do as the Lord’s will.

Rather than being unequipped for such a position, the apostles were “endued with power from on high” and thus fully capable of executing the authority our Lord placed in their hands. They did use that authority.