In 2 Cor 2:10 is Paul using Authority to forgive sins?

[mab23]

**Does this verse show Paul using the “Authority” to forgive sins, which was given to the apostles in John 20: 21-23
**
I am currently having a discussion with a fellow non-catholic Christian and he cannot really talk his way out of the apostles being given the Authority to forgive sins, I need more to convince him that this is what happened and an example. Looking at apologetic material I saw this verse above once, and I don’t see it in many other and I want to know why?

**Paul to the Corinthians

KJV 2 cor 2:10**

9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.

10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;

11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

 

[LEMAITRE]

Yes it does show Paul using his Authority to forgive sins.

Below are some more examples of scriptural verses supporting Confession:

John 20:21 - before He grants them the authority to forgive sins, Jesus says to the apostles, “as the Father sent me, so I send you.” As Christ was sent by the Father to forgive sins, so Christ sends the apostles and their successors forgive sins.

John 20:22 - the Lord “breathes” on the apostles, and then gives them the power to forgive and retain sins. The only other moment in Scripture where God breathes on man is in Gen. 2:7, when the Lord “breathes” divine life into man. When this happens, a significant transformation takes place.

John 20:23 - Jesus says, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” In order for the apostles to exercise this gift of forgiving sins, the penitents must orally confess their sins to them because the apostles are not mind readers. The text makes this very clear.

Matt. 9:8 - this verse shows that God has given the authority to forgive sins to “men.” Hence, those Protestants who acknowledge that the apostles had the authority to forgive sins (which this verse demonstrates) must prove that this gift ended with the apostles. Otherwise, the apostles’ successors still possess this gift. Where in Scripture is the gift of authority to forgive sins taken away from the apostles or their successors?

Matt. 9:6; Mark 2:10 - Christ forgave sins as a man (not God) to convince us that the “Son of man” has authority to forgive sins on earth.

Luke 5:24 - Luke also points out that Jesus’ authority to forgive sins is as a man, not God. The Gospel writers record this to convince us that God has given this authority to men. This authority has been transferred from Christ to the apostles and their successors.

Matt. 18:18 - the apostles are given authority to bind and loose. The authority to bind and loose includes administering and removing the temporal penalties due to sin. The Jews understood this since the birth of the Church.

John 20:22-23; Matt. 18:18 - the power to remit/retain sin is also the power to remit/retain punishment due to sin. If Christ’s ministers can forgive the eternal penalty of sin, they can certainly remit the temporal penalty of sin (which is called an “indulgence”).

2 Cor. 2:10 - Paul forgives in the presence of Christ (some translations refer to the presences of Christ as “in persona Christi”). Some say that this may also be a reference to sins.

2 Cor. 5:18 - the ministry of reconciliation was given to the ambassadors of the Church. This ministry of reconciliation refers to the sacrament of reconciliation, also called the sacrament of confession or penance.

James 5:15-16 - in verse 15 we see that sins are forgiven by the priests in the sacrament of the sick. This is another example of man’s authority to forgive sins on earth. Then in verse 16, James says “Therefore, confess our sins to one another,” in reference to the men referred to in verse 15, the priests of the Church.

1 Tim. 2:5 - Christ is the only mediator, but He was free to decide how His mediation would be applied to us. The Lord chose to use priests of God to carry out His work of forgiveness.

Lev. 5:4-6; 19:21-22 - even under the Old Covenant, God used priests to forgive and atone for the sins of others.

 

[mab23]

Yes it does show Paul using his Authority to forgive sins.

Thank you !!! that was very helpful

 

[pablope]

**Does this verse show Paul using the “Authority” to forgive sins, which was given to the apostles in John 20: 21-23
**
I am currently having a discussion with a fellow non-catholic Christian and he cannot really talk his way out of the apostles being given the Authority to forgive sins, I need more to convince him that this is what happened and an example. Looking at apologetic material I saw this verse above once, and I don’t see it in many other and I want to know why?

Yes…also…cite Acts 13…where Paul is ordained or laid hands on…making him a bishop/priest…before he goes on his first missionary journey.

1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

And Gal 2…where Paul submits to make sure his gospel is true…Galatians 2:2 I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain.

 

[Julia_Mae]

**Does this verse show Paul using the “Authority” to forgive sins, which was given to the apostles in John 20: 21-23
**
I am currently having a discussion with a fellow non-catholic Christian and he cannot really talk his way out of the apostles being given the Authority to forgive sins, I need more to convince him that this is what happened and an example. Looking at apologetic material I saw this verse above once, and I don’t see it in many other and I want to know why?

Looking at the whole section:

If anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure (not to exaggerate) to all of you. This punishment by the majority is enough for such a person, so that on the contrary you should forgive and encourage him instead, or else the person may be overwhelmed by excessive pain. Therefore, I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. For this is why I wrote, to know your proven character, whether you were obedient in everything. Whomever you forgive anything, so do I. For indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for you in the presence of Christ,
so that we might not be taken advantage of by Satan, for we are not unaware of his purposes.

If you go back to Chapter One, you can pick up near the end what is going on. Apparently Paul had intention of visiting Corinth on his way to and back from somewhere and had a change of plan. Someone (the person who he is talking about forgiving) seems to have gotten themselves all worked up and accused Paul of wrong by his change of plan, and caused some scandal in the church at Corinth. This is why he didn’t hurt Paul as much as he hurt the community, and Paul wants them to forgive him and take him back.

Paul says he will forgive him “in Christ” by which I think he means essentially, not being in Corinth, he will say “Forgive him Lord for any fault against me.” So Paul is trying to effect a reconciliation of everyone.

In the early Church, people used to confess their sins in public, to God and the congregation. We still do, but the Sacrament has grown to include the private confession we are used to.

 

[thistle]

**Does this verse show Paul using the “Authority” to forgive sins, which was given to the apostles in John 20: 21-23
**
I am currently having a discussion with a fellow non-catholic Christian and he cannot really talk his way out of the apostles being given the Authority to forgive sins, I need more to convince him that this is what happened and an example. Looking at apologetic material I saw this verse above once, and I don’t see it in many other and I want to know why?

D-R Bible, Haydock Commentary:

Ver. 10. I also. The apostle here granted an indulgence, or pardon, in the person, and by the authority of Christ, to the incestuous Corinthian, whom before he had put under penance: which pardon consisted in a releasing of part of the temporal punishment due to his sin. (Challoner) — Now as you have pardoned him by my instructions, and have received him again into your communion, I also pardon[2] him, and confirm what you have done, for your sake, as well as for his, and dispense with any further severities of a longer penance, which he deserved. (St. Chrysostom) And I do this in the person of Christ, by that power and authority derived from Christ, which he left to his apostles, when he said, (Matthew xviii. 18.) whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed in heaven, &c. not only in the sight of men, says St. Chrysostom, but in the sight of God, who hath given us this power. (Witham)

 

[Catholic_Dude]

I need more to convince him that this is what happened and an example.

Acts 8: 9 But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. 10 They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” 11 And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles**(“http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts 8&version=ESV#fen-ESV-27178b”)] performed, he was amazed.

14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are in the gallc] of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” 24 And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”
This is the first example of Confessing sins in the NT. Simon fell into mortal sin after believing and baptism, Peter told him to repent, and Simon gave his act of contrition. This makes no sense any other way.

 

[mab23]

Looking at the whole section:

If you go back to Chapter One, you can pick up near the end what is going on. Apparently Paul had intention of visiting Corinth on his way to and back from somewhere and had a change of plan. Someone (the person who he is talking about forgiving) seems to have gotten themselves all worked up and accused Paul of wrong by his change of plan, and caused some scandal in the church at Corinth. This is why he didn’t hurt Paul as much as he hurt the community, and Paul wants them to forgive him and take him back.

Paul says he will forgive him “in Christ” by which I think he means essentially, not being in Corinth, he will say “Forgive him Lord for any fault against me.” So Paul is trying to effect a reconciliation of everyone.

In the early Church, people used to confess their sins in public, to God and the congregation. We still do, but the Sacrament has grown to include the private confession we are used to.

so are you saying this is not a verse showing Paul using his Authority to forgive sins as was given by Jesus?

 

[Julia_Mae]

so are you saying this is not a verse showing Paul using his Authority to forgive sins as was given by Jesus?

Well, it depends how you think of it. Jesus said: “Those you forgive, I will forgive.” Paul forgave the person for what was apparently a false accusation against him. So, by Jesus’ promise, the man will be forgiven by Jesus, also. You can certainly argue that this is a model for Reconciliation. It misses that because we don’t have evidence that the man asked for forgiveness. If he did, it would be a very good example.

 

[mab23]

Well, it depends how you think of it. Jesus said: “Those you forgive, I will forgive.” Paul forgave the person for what was apparently a false accusation against him. So, by Jesus’ promise, the man will be forgiven by Jesus, also. You can certainly argue that this is a model for Reconciliation. It misses that because we don’t have evidence that the man asked for forgiveness. If he did, it would be a very good example.

Good points thank you!