Is there anywhere in Tanakh which gives Priests' right to forgive sin? As a Jew, I believe we should go to G-d alone, but I'm willing to see sources

[Justin_Mary]

but normally a Catholic who sins gravely should first repent that sin to God and then go to a priest at his earliest convenience for reconciliation. Even during reconciliation, though, it is God acting through the priest that gives absolution to the penitent.

These statements sound confusing & contradicting.

I understand we go to God in the person of the priest. Not before or after, but the act of going to reconciliation is going to God. Right?

 

[Vico]

That’s good to know, as I was getting the impression here that the Priest would actually forgive via himself, and not G-d.

Not only that, but note in Catholic teaching, if one confesses to God with perfect contrition, and proper disposition, it will be forgiven.

1451 Among the penitent’s acts contrition occupies first place. Contrition is “sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again.” 50

1452 When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible. 51

 

[PetraG]

God’s forgiveness of sin isn’t extraordinary.

As the Catechisms States; Only God forgives sin

The priests is given the authority to forgive sin, but this does not exclude God

If anything, the priest forgiveness would be the Extraordinary,. God the Ordinary.

Jim

No, no, only God forgives sins. The ordinary means for the baptized is via the Sacrament of Penance: God uses the priest as His instrument to extend forgiveness and reconciliation. All the graces and all the effects of all the sacraments are from God, not people.

No, I am saying that the Church’s contention that sacramental confession is the ordinary way provided by God for reconciliation does not mean the Church is pretending to own God or to be God’s gatekeeper. There are other ways, but with the availability of baptism and sacramental confession they are out of the ordinary.

 

[LilyM]

In the OT, and I’m sorry I don’t have time to look up chapter and verse, King David sins grievously with Bathsheba. He does indeed repent and pray to G-d, but does not automatically assume himself to be forgiven after he has done so.

It is for the prophet Nathan, acting as G-d’s intermediary, to declare both forgiveness and penance. I believe Nathan’s quote is “for G-d’s part, He has forgiven your sins, but the child (of David and Bathsheba) will die” or similar words.

That’s one close parallel that comes to mind. And the priest plays a similar role. Of course we pray directly to G-d when we sin, but rely on His anointed priests to set a penance (which of course we can do more) and declare on G-d’s behalf the forgiveness of sins.

 

[Rabbi]

you agai

But why can’t g-d just forgive him as it is?

 

[Rabbi]

The keys? That’s in the New Testament, I thought. There is no such metaphor in Tanakh.

 

[DENNYINMI]

Isaiah 22:22…The Key of the House of David.

Interesting. @Rabbi

 

[Rabbi]

Thanks, I will look into it.

 

[Rabbi]

What is your interpretation, however?

 

[JimR-OCDS]

He can

Anyone who tries to say that a person’s sins can not be forgiven unless he confesses to a priest, is wrong and the sacrament of reconciliation was never intended to exclude G-D

Jim

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Even the priest who sexually abused boys while hearing confession ?

Jim

 

[DENNYINMI]

Personally I view it as the Church views it. The King leaves the key with the ‘custodian’ as a means of conferring his authority while “away” for lack of better explanation.

Look at the passage with an open mind. When Christ speaks of the keys in the New Testament…The Apostles knew the meaning. We as Christians would find the answer in the Old.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

But here Christ was speaking about what the Apostles would declare doctrinally as sinful or not. Not excluding God from the forgiveness of a contrite soul

Jim

 

[JimR-OCDS]

The Church is in deep trouble today, because of sexual abuse and cover ups

We as Catholics can see through the media hype to a point, but to deny that this had any effect on Catholics, is foolish

Jim

 

[DENNYINMI]

They were given the power to bind and loose, forgive sins or retain them. HIs words.

When Christ told them whos sins were forgiven they would be forgiven, or whos sins they retained, they would be retained, He did not give them one thing most forget:

He did not give them the power to READ MINDS. In other words, in order to forgive sins (or have them retained) it is safe to conclude persons were going to the Apostles for forgiveness…haha

The Keys in Isaiah 22 would have been noted and understood by the early Jews when conferred on St. Peter…It was their bible. God Bless

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Bind and lose, did it mean that the priest in the confessional can refuse to give absolution to a legitimate penitent ?

Jesus was most likely referring to moral doctrine, not forgiveness by a priest, but he surely was not excluding God’s forgiveness and mercy in those words

Jim

 

[Wesrock]

Wesrock:

but normally a Catholic who sins gravely should first repent that sin to God and then go to a priest at his earliest convenience for reconciliation. Even during reconciliation, though, it is God acting through the priest that gives absolution to the penitent.

These statements sound confusing & contradicting.

I understand we go to God in the person of the priest. Not before or after, but the act of going to reconciliation is going to God. Right?

Any desire for repentance requires and interior change in the heart, to my mind, whether it’s fear of hell or sorror for offending God. This involves a recognition of God, which is what I had in mind.

And I think anytime I realize I’ve gravely offended God, I say an Act of Contrition of some sort then and there and plan to go to confession.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Repentance by definition means, “to change one’s heart.”

Sin, by definition means to “miss the mark.” Akin to an archer aiming for his target, but misses it.

Due to ego and power, the Church failed to teach us this. over the centuries.
Jim

 

[Wesrock]

Justin_Mary:

Wesrock:

but normally a Catholic who sins gravely should first repent that sin to God and then go to a priest at his earliest convenience for reconciliation. Even during reconciliation, though, it is God acting through the priest that gives absolution to the penitent.

These statements sound confusing & contradicting.

I understand we go to God in the person of the priest. Not before or after, but the act of going to reconciliation is going to God. Right?

Any desire for repentance requires and interior change in the heart, to my mind, whether it’s fear of hell or sorror for offending God. This involves a recognition of God, which is what I had in mind.

And I think anytime I realize I’ve gravely offended God, I say an Act of Contrition of some sort then and there and plan to go to confession.

I’m not going to say I’m perfect about this, either, but I think it’s generally encouraged for Catholics to make an examination of conscience each night.

 

[Justin_Mary]

But why can’t g-d just forgive him as it is?

Didn’t people bring sin offerings to the priest, then the priest perform a rite, for the forgiveness of sins?

Isn’t the “scapegoat” based on a Jewish rite?