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Confession and the priesthood

Must sins be confessed to a priest, and does the New Testament have priests at all?

The passage it turns on

When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the middle, and said to them, “Peace be to you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit! If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.”

John 20:19-23In context. The risen Jesus appears to the disciples behind locked doors, breathes on them, gives the Holy Spirit, and says, ‘If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them’.

The risen Christ breathes the Spirit on the apostles and gives them power to forgive or retain sins. To retain a sin you must know it, so the sin must be told. This is the institution of the sacrament of penance, and the power passed on with the office, as the mission did.

The sending is the sending of the whole church with the gospel; forgiveness is declared to those who believe it and retained from those who refuse it. Nothing in Acts shows an apostle hearing a private confession and absolving. The power is the gospel itself, carried by every disciple.

Press a reading to put the lamp behind the words that side leans on. The passage does not change.

What each side holds

Catholics hold that Christ gave the apostles power to forgive and retain sins, that this passed to bishops and the priests they ordain, and that grave sins committed after baptism are normally forgiven through confession to a priest and absolution. Protestants hold that every believer confesses directly to God through Christ, that all Christians are priests, and that ministers declare forgiveness rather than confer it.

Both sides confess sin, both practise some form of confession to another person, and both say only God forgives. The question is whether he has bound that forgiveness to an ordained man.

The points people make

Confess to God, or to a priest?

This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and don’t tell the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

1 John 1:5-10In context. John to believers: if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves, but ‘if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us’.

Scripture is silent on it. Scripture promises forgiveness to those who confess their sins to God, commands Christians to confess to one another, and gives the apostles power to forgive and retain sins (“If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them”, John 20:23). It is silent on that power requiring sins to be told to a priest, and on its passing to priests.

The Catholic reading

John says God forgives those who confess, and the Church agrees; the question is how. Christ chose to work through men: he sent the leper to the priest, and gave his apostles authority to forgive. Telling a sin aloud to one who can say “you are forgiven” is a mercy, not a barrier.

“Only God forgives sins.”

Catechism of the Catholic Church 1441

The Protestant reading

John’s promise is to anyone who confesses, with no priest in the sentence. David confessed to God and was forgiven on the spot (Psalm 32). James says confess to one another, not to a cleric. Christ is the high priest we go to directly, with boldness.

“we hold that Christ is not the author of this law, which compels men to enumerate their sins”

Calvin, Institutes 3.4.7, 1559

Confess your sins to one another

Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises. Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will heal him who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.

James 5:13-16In context. James closing his letter: the sick should call the elders to pray and anoint them; sins will be forgiven; ‘confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another’.

Scripture states it. James commands Christians to confess their sins to one another and pray for one another. Both sides have the command.

The Catholic reading

James puts confession beside the elders praying and anointing, and says sins will be forgiven: confession and the ministry of elders in one breath. The early church confessed publicly before the bishop; private confession to a priest grew out of that, gentler but the same thing.

“he entrusted the exercise of the power of absolution to the apostolic ministry.”

Catechism of the Catholic Church 1442

The Protestant reading

The command is mutual: one another. Nothing says to an elder, and the elders in the passage are called to pray over the sick. Protestants who skip confession altogether have lost something James commands, and some are recovering it, in small groups and with pastors.

“Private Absolution ought to be retained in the churches”

Augsburg Confession, Article 11, 1530

Are there priests in the New Testament?

coming to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious. You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Because it is contained in Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen, and precious: He who believes in him will not be disappointed.” For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected, has become the chief cornerstone,” and, “a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: who in time past were no people, but now are God’s people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

1 Peter 2:4-10In context. Peter to believers scattered through Asia Minor: they are living stones, ‘a royal priesthood, a holy nation’, offering spiritual sacrifices through Jesus Christ.

Scripture states it. Scripture calls all believers a royal priesthood and never gives a church officer the title priest. Paul once describes his own preaching as “serving as a priest of the Good News of God”, that the Gentiles might be an acceptable offering (Romans 15:16). A distinct ministerial priesthood is argued from that language and from history, not from a title in Scripture.

The Catholic reading

The English word priest comes from presbyter, the New Testament’s elder. Paul calls his own ministry “priestly service” (Romans 15:16), and the Eucharist is an offering, so those who preside are priests in that sense, sharing in Christ’s one priesthood.

“Indeed bishops and priests, by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, have the power to forgive all sins”

Catechism of the Catholic Church 1461

The Protestant reading

The New Testament uses the sacrificing word, hiereus, for Christ and for all believers, never for a church officer. Church officers are elders and overseers. Peter tells every believer they are a royal priesthood. The one priest is Christ; the many priests are all of us.

“Thus we are all consecrated as priests by baptism”

Luther, To the Christian Nobility, 1520

One mediator, and a great high priest

Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession. For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:14-16In context. The letter to the Hebrews: Jesus is the great high priest who was tempted as we are, so come boldly to the throne of grace.

Scripture is silent on it. Hebrews invites every believer to come boldly to God through Christ, and Catholics agree. Scripture is silent on whether ordained absolution serves that access or adds a step to it.

The Catholic reading

A priest does not stand between the sinner and God as a second mediator; he acts in Christ’s person, as Paul says he reconciles as Christ’s ambassador. The one mediator works through his body the Church, as he works through preaching and through baptism.

“Jesus was at liberty to allow his mediation to be worked through the apostles and their successors.”

Robert G. Schroeder, Catholic Answers, 2006

The Protestant reading

Hebrews invites every believer to come boldly to the throne of grace, because Jesus is the high priest who sympathises. A system in which forgiveness of grave sin normally requires a priest’s absolution puts a human step where Hebrews puts none.

“there is no special class of people who mediate the knowledge, presence, and forgiveness of Christ”

J. V. Fesko, The Gospel Coalition

Call no man father

Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sat on Moses’ seat. All things therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but don’t do their works; for they say, and don’t do. For they bind heavy burdens that are grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them. But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad, enlarge the fringes of their garments, and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ by men. But don’t you be called ‘Rabbi,’ for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers. Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven. Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Matthew 23:1-12In context. Jesus to the crowds about the scribes and Pharisees who love titles: call no one Rabbi, ‘call no man on the earth your father’, no masters; the greatest will be a servant.

Scripture states it. Jesus tells his disciples not to be called “Rabbi” or “masters” and to “call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father”, set against the Pharisees’ love of “the place of honor” and titles. Paul still writes “I became your father through the Good News” (1 Corinthians 4:15). Titles of religious rank in any church, Father, Reverend or Doctor, stand under the command.

The Catholic reading

Jesus is condemning the love of titles and status, not the word: Paul calls himself the Corinthians’ father in Christ (1 Corinthians 4:15) and Stephen says “brothers and fathers” to the council. Read literally the verse would forbid “teacher” and your own dad.

The Protestant reading

Granted that it is about status, the warning lands on any clergy culture that loves honour, titles and the best seats, in every church. Protestants have their own versions. The verse is a check on clericalism everywhere, not a proof text against one word.

“This does not mean that we should do away with pastoral or ministerial authorities.”

J. V. Fesko, The Gospel Coalition

Watch

One talk from each side, chosen for making its own case well. Each loads from YouTube only when you press play.

Ascension Presents. 9 min. Fr Mike Schmitz on why Catholics confess to a priest and what the sacrament is for. Open on YouTube
Got Questions Ministries. 6 min. Got Questions on how Protestants read John 20:23, the verse Catholics tie to confession. Open on YouTube

Sources on this page

Every quotation above, with the page it comes from and the day it was read. Primary documents first where a side has one.