Well TC, since opinions are being posted here, and yours is just an opinion. I disagree with your opinion. Big surprise there huh,? My opinion is, it simply means that when people reject our preaching on becoming born again in Christ by faith, we can tell them their sins are retained. It really is that simple. Mortal, sinful human beings can not do anything for anyone's sins, for or against. You may not like that, so be it.
The only thing I care about, however, is that I want to know how people intend to bluff their way into Heaven. Nothing else really matters.
Another way that I thought of looking at that verse, is that if I personally forgive you of a sin that you committed against me, then God considers it forgiven and doesn’t need to deal with the person over it.
The context bears that out much better than the idea that Jesus is giving a special class of believers authority to retain the sin HE promised to forgive if it were confessed. NO man can override God’s promise and decision.
Your explanation works well, too. I never thought of it that way.
Me? I’ll go right to God because HE promised that HE’D forgive me if I confessed. If I go to one of those Catholic priests, they might be having a bad day and decide that I’m not sincere enough for them and refuse to forgive, but rather retain.
Why should I take my chances with a Catholic priest when I have God’s sure word to count on?