The Sacrament of Priesthood
The Sacrament of Priesthood
The Priest and the Authority of Binding and Loosing, Hearing Confession, and the Forgiveness of Sins
Confession before the priest is established by Scripture in both the Old and New Testaments.
54. There Are Four Necessary Types of Confession
- Confession to God, as David the prophet said to the Lord:
“Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight” (Psalm 51:4)
- Confession before the priest-father, in order to receive absolution, permission to partake of Communion, and also to receive spiritual guidance. This point will be explained in detail.
- Confession to the person whom one has wronged, in order to obtain forgiveness.
- Confession within oneself, acknowledging personal guilt. Without this, one cannot confess to God, to the priest, or to people.
In this study, our concern is to establish confession before the priest, since this is the point of contention raised by Protestants.
55. Confession Before the Priest Exists in the Old Testament
The sinner confessed his sin before the priest, who instructed him regarding the type of sacrifice required for the forgiveness of his sin. This is stated in Leviticus 5:5–6:
“Then it shall be, when he is guilty in any of these matters, that he shall confess that he has sinned in that thing. And he shall bring his trespass offering to the Lord… So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin.”
56. Confession Before the Priests Continued Throughout the Old Testament
This is evident in what is said about John the Baptist (the priest, son of Zechariah the priest):
“And were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins”(Matthew 3:6)
57. In the New Testament, the Lord Said to Peter
“And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19)
58. Binding and Loosing Concern Spiritual Matters Related to Eternal Destiny
This authority concerns spiritual matters related to eternal destiny, not the permitting of foods that were forbidden in the Old Testament—such as pork, as some claim. The phrase “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven,” which precedes the authority of binding and loosing, cannot possibly refer to dietary laws. There is no connection between pork and the Kingdom of Heaven.
59. The Authority Given to Peter Was Also Given to All the Disciples
“If he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:17–18)
The word “church” here refers to the clergy, not to the entire body of believers. It would be unreasonable for a personal dispute between two individuals to be presented before a popular assembly of all believers in order to bind or loose. The same authority given to Peter as representative of the apostles was also given directly to the apostles themselves.
60. A Clear Example of the Lord Granting the Apostles the Authority of Forgiveness
After the Resurrection, the Lord appeared to the apostles and said:
“As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John 20:21–23)
Here, the authority of forgiveness is clearly granted to the apostles.
This was preceded by two things: the Lord’s sending of them, and His granting them the Holy Spirit. This authority was not given to all people, but only to the apostles.
Since forgiveness is granted through the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, and since the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, it is therefore God who forgives. This corresponds to the absolution secretly pronounced by the priest at the end of the Liturgy: “They shall be absolved by my mouth through Your Holy Spirit.”
61. The Holy Spirit Is the One Who Forgives—But How?
The Lord says:
“He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you” (John 16:14)
The Holy Spirit takes from the merits of the Blood of Christ and declares that sins are forgiven, for “without shedding of blood there is no remission.” The Holy Spirit proclaims this forgiveness through the mouth of the priest, who has received the breath of the Holy Spirit and authority from Him.
62. It Is Unreasonable for the Priest to Forgive Unknown Sins
The priest must know the sins that are to be forgiven and must know that they are subject to forgiveness through repentance. He knows the sins and the repentance of the confessor through confession. When the priest recognizes true repentance worthy of forgiveness, and since “the law is sought from the priest’s mouth,” the penitent is reassured—according to the law—of the forgiveness of his sins.
63. Confession Has Been Practiced by the Church Since Its Beginning
From the apostolic era, as stated in the Book of Acts:
“And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds” (Acts 19:18)
If it were not the apostles’ role to hear confessions, they would have refrained from doing so and taught against confession. Likewise, John the Baptist would have refused to hear the confessions of sinners in their repentance. Yet confession was established in both the Old and New Testaments.
64. Confession Among People Is Clearly Taught in Scripture
If confession were to God alone, Scripture would not say:
“Confess your trespasses to one another” (James 5:16)
The phrase “to one another” means human beings confessing to human beings. The apostle did not say, “Confess to God alone.” Saint Augustine explains this verse as confession to those who have the right to hear it—namely, priests. Just as “teach one another” does not mean that the ignorant teach the ignorant, but rather that the learner learns from the teacher.
65. Confession Before the Priest Is Even More Appropriate
Even if any person could confess to any other person by virtue of this verse, confession before the priest is all the more appropriate, given his position and authority granted by God for the forgiveness of sins, as well as his obligation to preserve confidentiality—something not guaranteed among laypeople.
66. “Who Can Forgive Sins but God Alone?”—What Does This Mean?
It means that God alone possesses the ultimate authority to forgive sins, since sin is committed against Him as a violation of His commandments and a rebellion against His authority.
Yet God, who holds this authority, has stewards on earth (Titus 1:7; 1 Corinthians 4:1). He delegated this authority to them when He said:
“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John 20:23)
If God, the possessor of authority, has granted this authority to His stewards, there is no reason for anyone to object to an authority that God Himself has bestowed.
67. Hearing Confessions Is Part of the Ministry of Reconciliation
God entrusted His stewards with:
“The ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18)
As ambassadors for Christ, they proclaim:
“Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20)
Reconciliation is achieved through repentance, and confession is an essential part of repentance. Therefore, whoever carries out the ministry of reconciliation also carries out the Sacrament of Confession by virtue of the work entrusted to him by God.
