Biblical Argument for the Sacrament of Confession

[Catholig]

Hello,

I just wanted to ask what everyone thinks of my linking these two passages which seem to fit so well together -
Mark 2:5-7:

.5 And when Jesus had seen their faith, he saith to the sick of the palsy: Son, thy sins are forgiven thee. 6 And there were some of the scribes sitting there, and thinking in their hearts: 7 Why doth this man speak thus? he blasphemeth. Who can forgive sins, but God only?

20 Whose faith when he saw, he said: Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. 21 And the scribes and Pharisees began to think, saying: Who is this who speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?

And -

21 He said therefore to them again: Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you. 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them; and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost.23 Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.

These two verses fit together so perfectly - in one the scribes and pharisees make the same argument that many protestants do, namely that god alone can forgive sins, and that it is tantamount to blasphemy to say “thy sins are forgiven thee”. And yet in the other Our Lord himself gives his disciples the Holy Ghost and tells them that if they forgive someones sins they are dismissed.

I also think that since confession is a concrete act to turn away from sin - and has been compared to a second baptism by some saints that the passages from the Gospels of Matthew and Mark regarding the confession of sins before baptism comes into play -

6 And were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

5 And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all they of Jerusalem, and were baptized by him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.

What do you think?
Catholig

 

[RobHom]

I agree with what you have said.

Here, on the following link, are further “justifications” for the Sacrament of Confession, as well as the “confessing of sins” to a priest.

catholic.com/library/Confession.asp

 

[MarcoPolo]

I have seen the same link in those passages.

Interestingly…consider this:

You see, what Jesus did…the apostles were able to duplicate through Him:

Exorcise demons:
Jesus here for example. Apostles here.

Healing:
Jesus here for example. Apostles here.

Perform other miracles:
Jesus raised Lazarus. Paul raised Eutychus. Peter raised Tabitha. Even when Peter was in Christ, he was able to walk on water like Jesus!

And yet when it comes to forgiving sins like you mentioned, Catholig (in Mark 2 and Luke 5), for some reason, that capacity being passed on to the apostles seems implausible to Protestants.

 

[MarcoPolo]

I have seen the same link in those passages.

Interestingly…consider this:

You see, what Jesus did…the apostles were able to duplicate through Him:

Exorcise demons:
Jesus here for example. Apostles here.

Healing:
Jesus here for example. Apostles here.

Perform other miracles:
Jesus raised Lazarus. Paul raised Eutychus. Peter raised Tabitha. Even when Peter was in Christ, he was able to walk on water like Jesus!

And yet when it comes to forgiving sins like you mentioned, Catholig (in Mark 2 and Luke 5), for some reason, that capacity being passed on to the apostles seems implausible to Protestants.

 

[Yerusalyim]

In a sense, the Protestants are correct, only God can forgive sins…so, while the POWER to forgive sins is God’s alone, the AUTHORITY to do so was given to the Apostles and passed to priests. Before another Catholic jumps on me, read the CCC 1441 states:

ONLY GOD FORGIVES SINS

.

The Sacrament of Penance has taken many forms throughout Church history. There was a time when the Faculty to absolve one from their sins was reserved to the Bishop and was given only after lenghty and sometimes severe PUBLIC penance. We owe the current form of the sacrament to Irish Monks as I understand the history.

Your quotes are dead on…also remembering that James states: "Confess your sins one to another so that you may be healed…"James 5:16. And that the Church has the authority, given in Christ, to shape HOW we apply the authority he has given the Church. Therefore, the MECHANICS of how the sacrament is practices have changed, but the essence remains the same…Christ acting through human agency to convey his forgiveness.

 

[fellowChristian]

Confession “Old” style, during the time of Moses.

Leviticus
27’Now if anyone of the common people sins unintentionally in doing any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, and becomes guilty,

28if his sin which he has committed is made known to him, then he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without defect, for his sin which he has committed.

29’He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slay the sin offering at the place of the burnt offering.

30’The priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and all the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar.

31’Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat was removed from the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar for a soothing aroma to the LORD. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.

Confession “New” style during the time of Jesus

John20
21So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

22And 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, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained."

Confession being carried on during the time of the Apostles

** James 5:14**
14 Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man: and the Lord shall raise him up: and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16 Confess therefore your sins one to another: and pray one for another, that you may be saved. For the continual prayer of a just man availeth much.

 

[Pax]

The following verse ties into this as well:

Matt 28:18-20

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”

Jesus sent the apostles out in the same way that the Father sent Him. The original OP rightly quoted John 20:21 in this regard. It says:

"Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you."

Jesus was sent and given the power to forgive sins. So also the apostles were sent to act in “persona Christi” to forgive sins.