Jesus Christ extends his mission, power, and authority to His church of His apostles! The apostles have the same mission, ministry, power, and authority as Christ!
Jn 20:21 as the father sent me, so I send you!
You have not dealt with the verses I cited concerning the teaching role of the Holy Spirit in the life of every believer. Why is that?
No one who is not God can possess
the same power and authority as Christ. The apostles established the Early Church, they went out into all the world and preached the Gospel, making disciples of those God used them to convert. But none of the apostles created a universe and sustain it moment-by-moment, as Christ did, and does; none of the apostles were "a se" - "from self" - existing as a necessity of their own being as Christ, the God-Man, has always existed; none of the apostles were able to atone for the sin of all mankind (let alone their own sin) as Jesus did; none of the apostles rose from the dead and ascended into heaven on a cloud. So, no, the apostles did not have the same power and authority as Christ. Not even close. (
John 1:1-4; Colossians 1:16-17; John 1:29; Acts 1:9)
Even His judging!
Matt 19:28 and
1 cor 6:2
Matthew 19:27-28
27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?”
28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
I don't see anything in this passage speaking of the Church as an institution sitting in judgment with Christ,
only the Twelve.
1 Corinthians 6:2-3
2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?
3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!
Does Paul say here in what manner the "saints will judge the world"? No. He certainly
doesn't say they will do so
on par with Christ.
His teaching authority!
Matt 28:19 and
Jn 20:21
Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Where does this passage indicate Jesus conferred his divine, teaching authority upon his disciples? Jesus directed his disciples to preach the Gospel and make disciples, but they were to teach
what he had taught them, not stand as his equal, teaching
their own doctrine. What authority they had in teaching was derived from the fact that they taught Christ's divine, and thus authoritative, truth.
John 20:21-23
21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending 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 withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
Where does this passage assert that the disciples held the same authority as Christ in what they taught? All it indicates is that Jesus sent his disciples into the world to preach the Gospel, equipping them with the Holy Spirit, in whom the disciples would possess the power to do God's will. They had no message or power of their own, being nowhere close to standing on par with Christ in his teaching authority.
As representatives of Christ, the apostles had power to forgive sins, but this power was conferred upon them, and would depart the instant they ceased to serve Christ in truth and humility. The disciples were constrained by the Holy Spirit and the truth of Christ in what they would and would not forgive. Unlike Christ, the Twelve had no independent, self-derived power to forgive and in this respect were completely unlike Christ in their forgiveness.
I could go through all of your proof-texts, showing how you're misrepresenting what they indicate, but I haven't the time nor interest. I think what I've offered above is sufficient to counter your perspective.
