The Power Of Absolution: Can Priests Forgive Mortal Sins?

The Catholic Church teaches that priests have the power to forgive sins, including mortal sins. This belief is based on the interpretation of John 20:21-23, where Jesus gives the Apostles the power to forgive and retain sins. However, some argue that this power is solely reserved for God, as mentioned in Psalm 130:4. Catholics counter this by stating that Jesus, being both God and man, passed on his earthly work of forgiving sins to men through his apostles. This power, they believe, is not derived from the priest's own authority but from Christ's, allowing them to stand in Christ's place and declare forgiveness.

Jesus gave his apostles the power to forgive sins

> Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you... Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

Here, Jesus grants his apostles the ability to forgive sins and the discretion to withhold forgiveness. This is significant because it is the only other time God breathed on someone besides during the creation of Adam (Genesis 2:7).

The Catholic Church interprets this passage as evidence that Jesus intended for his apostles to continue his earthly work of forgiving sins. The passage suggests that Jesus is giving his apostles the same authority that he received from God the Father, which includes the power to forgive sins (Mark 2:10).

However, some have argued that Jesus is giving his apostles the authority to proclaim the gospel, rather than the power to forgive sins. In response, Catholics assert that Jesus' words, "If you forgive... they are forgiven," indicate a direct granting of authority to forgive sins.

The formula of absolution used by priests in the Catholic Church is based on these words of Jesus, emphasizing that the priest is acting in the place of Christ to convey the forgiveness of God through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Only God can forgive sins

The Catholic Church teaches that priests can forgive sins, including mortal sins. However, some people argue that this goes against the Bible, which states in Psalm 130:4, "But with you [God] there is forgiveness".

In Mark 2:1–12, Jesus says to a paralytic, "Your sins are forgiven" (Mark 2:5). The scribes object, asking, "Who can forgive sins except God alone?" (Mark 2:7). Jesus, being fully God and fully man, has the authority to forgive sins on earth (Mark 2:10). He passes this authority on to his apostles, who become the first priests. In John 20:21-23, Jesus says to his disciples, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained" (John 20:22-23).

This passage indicates that Jesus gives his apostles, and by extension, priests, the authority to forgive sins. The Catholic Church's formula of absolution, used by priests during confession, is based on these words of Jesus. It is important to note that the priest's authority to forgive sins comes from Christ and is not their own power.

While some may argue that only God can forgive sins, the Catholic doctrine of priestly forgiveness is based on the belief that Jesus passed on his earthly ministry of reconciliation to his apostles, who became the first priests. This is a fundamental aspect of the Catholic faith and its understanding of the sacrament of confession.

The Bible does not say Jesus gave his priesthood to men

The Bible does not explicitly state that Jesus gave his priesthood to men. While some interpret John 20:19–23 as evidence of Jesus bestowing the ability to forgive sins onto his male apostles, others argue that this passage does not mention priesthood or the power to forgive sins. Instead, it could be referring to the authority to proclaim the gospel.

In Mark 2:1–12, Jesus asserts his authority to forgive sins as the Son of Man, demonstrating that this power was once only in heaven but has now been brought down to earth by Jesus. However, some argue that this power to forgive sins is exclusive to Jesus as the Son of God, and that a human priest cannot forgive sins.

The Catholic Church, on the other hand, teaches that Jesus' priesthood was also given to men so they could continue his earthly work of forgiving sins. They interpret Jesus' words in John 20:21–23 as granting the apostles the authority to forgive sins: "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

However, critics of this interpretation point out that Jesus did not explicitly say he was making them priests or giving them the power to forgive sins. They argue that Jesus was giving them the authority to proclaim the gospel, which includes the message of forgiveness.

It is worth noting that the Bible teaches that all believers in Christ are priests in their own right, as stated in 1 Peter 2:5–9: "You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." This suggests that the priesthood is not limited to a specific group of people but is a privilege granted to all believers.

The power to forgive is given to the apostles by Jesus

The Catholic Church teaches that priests can forgive mortal sins. However, some disagree with this, arguing that it is against the Bible. For example, in Psalm 130:4, the Psalmist says, "But with you there is forgiveness," suggesting that only God can forgive sins.

However, the Bible also states that Jesus has the authority to forgive sins. In Mark 2:1–12, Jesus says to a paralytic, "Your sins are forgiven" (Mark 2:5). The scribes object, asking, "Who can forgive sins except God alone?" (Mark 2:7). Jesus, being fully God and fully man, has the power to forgive sins as the Son of God (Mark 2:10).

The question then becomes whether Jesus passed on this power to forgive sins to his apostles. In John 20:19–23, Jesus appears to his disciples after his resurrection and says, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I 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; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.'"

Some interpret this passage as Jesus giving his apostles the authority to forgive sins. The phrase "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven" seems to indicate that Jesus is granting them this power. This interpretation is supported by the Catholic Church, which holds that Jesus passed on his priesthood and the power to forgive sins to his male followers.

However, others argue that Jesus is only giving his disciples the authority to proclaim the gospel, which includes the message of forgiveness. They believe that the power to forgive sins is something Jesus kept for himself, and if sinners believe the gospel, they will receive forgiveness directly from God.

Mortal sins must be confessed to a priest

In the Catholic Church, it is believed that priests have the power to forgive mortal sins. This is based on the interpretation of several Bible passages. One such passage is John 20:21-23, where Jesus says to his apostles: "Peace to you! As the Father has sent me, I also send you... Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

This passage suggests that Jesus gave his apostles the authority to forgive sins, just as he himself had the authority to do so as the Son of God. This is further supported by Mark 2:10, where Jesus states that the Son of Man has "authority on earth to forgive sins".

The Catholic Church teaches that this authority to forgive sins was passed down from the apostles to their successors, the priests. As such, Catholics are instructed to confess their mortal sins to a priest, who can then grant them absolution. This is seen as a necessary step for reconciliation with God and the Church.

It is important to note that while priests are believed to have the power to forgive sins, it is ultimately God who is the source of forgiveness. The priest acts as an intermediary, standing in the place of Christ to declare the sinner forgiven through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Additionally, while confession to a priest is encouraged, it is recognized that sins can also be forgiven by God directly in certain circumstances. For example, if a person intends to confess their mortal sins but is unable to do so through no fault of their own, their sins are still considered forgiven. However, it is recommended that these sins be mentioned during the next confession.

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