Salvation
If the apostles were able to forgive sins like Jesus, why don't Christians consider them divine too?
Quick answer
Christians believe that while the apostles were given the authority to forgive sins, this authority was granted by Jesus, who is God. The ability to forgive sins is a divine prerogative that Jesus shares with the apostles as part of their mission, but it does not imply their divinity.
Full argument
The Gospel of John clearly illustrates that Jesus bestowed upon the apostles the authority to forgive sins, but this act is rooted in His divine nature. In John 20:19-23, Jesus breathes on the disciples and grants them the Holy Spirit, empowering them for their mission. This act parallels the creation narrative in Genesis where God breathes life into man, indicating that Jesus is performing acts that only God can do. Furthermore, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as referenced in Acts 2:30-33, highlights that Jesus, exalted at the right hand of God, is the source of this divine empowerment. Thus, while the apostles can proclaim forgiveness, it is through the authority and power of Christ, affirming His divinity rather than suggesting their own.
Key verses
John 20:23bible
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.
Acts 2:30-33bible
Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this which you see and hear.
Genesis 2:7bible
then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
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