As I see it, we cannot know the sacred author’s intent, except through the interpretation of the Church. And, it is that intent that matters. We can analyze language usage and culture, but we still are not inside the mind of the scribe. As well, one verse of scripture cannot be divorced from the others - this is a modern error that placates the ego. Not one word from scripture can be taken as proof of anything - they stand as evidence that must be judged in the light of faith.
Since we are temples of the Holy Spirit, and since Christ dwells within us, is it not redundant to claim that we have done anything of a godly nature away from His presence? I see this as implied by the modern interpretation. Is not “in the presence of Christ” a rather curious use of the phrase since we (and Paul and the Corinthians) know that, where two or three are gathered in His name, He is there among them. And Paul was a Christian writing to Christians, so our Lord’s presence among them was certainly known, was it not?
We can be exegetes or eisegetes until the parousia, but we cannot divorce this from our Lord’s teaching that “he who hears you hears Me” - which includes not only teaching, but also the words of absolution. The Apostle’s authority to forgive with the authority of heaven is far above and beyond any human forgiveness. You and I can forgive a murderer, but that has nothing to do with the criminal’s culpability before God. When the Apostles forgave, God agreed and was a party to that forgiveness. He knew beforehand what they would bind and loose.
Again, human forgiveness can be only against that which affects us. I cannot forgive someone else for stealing from their neighbor, since I have not suffered loss. Where there is no offense, there can be no forgiveness. Being the Judge, Christ can and does forgive, through His ambassadors, since He is injured by each and every offense.
