Do Catholic priests have the authority to forgive sins?

The Catholic Church bases its authority to do so from Matt. 16:19 and Matt 18:18…but let’s see what it says

Matthew 16:19
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.


Matthew 18:18
Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Ah…it does NOT say forgive, it says “bind” and “loose”.

So the Catholic church does NOT have the authority to forgive (if it has any authority at all that is), it can only bind and loose.



Notice what the Jews said when Christ tells a person that their sins are forgiven.

Mark 2:7
Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?

Now the Jews, if nothing, understood this fact: Only God can forgive sins (we’re talking about ultimate forgiveness).

Mark 11:26
But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

The Catholic church does not understand this basic truth, it does not have to authority to pardon a person of their sins.


But now this raises the question: What does it mean to “bind” and to “loose”?










[edit on 23-7-2008 by SirPaulMuaddib_2]

To get an idea of what binding and loosing is, let’s examine what Christ did, what was bound that He loosed?

He set an example, for the apostles on how to do this, he didn’t just leave it up in the air for them to guess what this was.

MATT 23:4 “For they BIND (1195) heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.”

Ah, one can be bound by burdens. That is certainly one thing, which one can be bound by. Christ can free a person from his burdens, because he takes their burden and gives them his burden which is lighter.

Matthew 11:30
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

MARK 3:27 “No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first BIND (1210) the strong man; and then he will spoil his house."

This was in reference to Christ exorcising someone. In order to cast out a demon, that demon had to be bound, by the power of the Holy Spirit and then cast out of the “house” (the possessed person).So this person was “bound” by a demon, and Christ “loosed” him by casting it out.

LUKE 13: 11And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
12And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.

LUKE 13:16 “And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath BOUND (1210), lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?”

This woman had a physical malady caused by demonic spirits. Christ had the authority to loose her from this “spirit of infirmity”, and did so.

MARK 7:35 “And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was LOOSED (3089), and he spake plain.”

A man who was deaf and mute was healed.




So we see this binding and loosing is tied to 2 main things.

1) Casting out demons
2) Healing the sick.

Also a third
3) raising the dead

So it is plain now, Christ was giving the apostles the authority to cast out demons and heal the sick.

This is confirmed in his command to the apostles before he sent them out

Matthew 10:8
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

[edit on 23-7-2008 by SirPaulMuaddib_2]

I know Catholics are true believers in Christ and are good people.....I was one for the first 20 years of my life. In my adult years I started having issues with the way they worshiped so I left the church, not angerly I just left.

Now I just go to God directly....for everything....not through saints, priests or even the holy mother.

Originally posted by kinglizard
Now I just go to God directly....for everything....not through saints, priests or even the holy mother.

When you are asking for (ultimate) forgiveness, then this is exactly what you should do, the Catholic Church wants you to obtain this through them, which is not a position supported in the bible.

I know that God forgives sins. But God also gave Jesus all power in heaven. Jesus has the power for forgivness with God's will. Jesus also gave his disciples the power to heal and take out devils and under Jesus's eyes this was the same for forgiveness. at one of the healing I believe Jesus said something like healing and forgivenss was the same.

hopefully someone can find the scipture ill will look later. I just dont think non we can to a preist or preacher and they have the athority to forgive. I think a man that can heal and take out devils has God's will in him and there for has the authority to forgive with God's will endtened.

Christ gave a list of what authority the apostles had. (Matthew 10:8)

Healing of course is in this list.

Yes, you are correct, forgiveness is linked to healing. For example if a person had an STD that was a result of sexual sin, then of course forgiveness had to be invoked before he could be healed. Now part and parcel of that was the person's responsibilty to repent and "sin no more".

So in this case, you're right, the priest involved is "loosing" the person of his illness (healing them), and forgiveness is involved.

But this is not how the Catholics are applying it. They are applying this authority to everything, to all sins, and really to "ultimate" forgiveness.
Ultimate forgiveness is in the pervue of God alone.

[edit on 23-7-2008 by SirPaulMuaddib_2]

You are completely wrong and I will address you in a minute. First KLizard.


1. God created a church, this was prophecied in the Old and new testament, a church that would spread throughout the world, a church with a hierarchy able to interpret scripture so personal interpretation would not lead people to hell.


2. before 1500 no other church existed except the catholic church.


You go directly to God but we go through Mary and the saints (not always) but because they are so holy and their prayers God hears and he listens to our friends. They obtained that degree of holiness so we ask them to ask God.

Now Klizard I am sure you asked someone on earth to pray for you? Why would you do that? If your theory is right and going to God only then why do i see milliolns of protestants asking each other for prayers.


Matter offact Klizard didn't I just see you a couple months ago ask for someones prayers? It's the exact same thing with the saints and mary.




now on to the OP who completely distorted the truth, you completely, God bless your heart, skipped a very important passage.


John 20:23

Note he was directly talking to the apostles.

" He breathed on them: Whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven them; and whos sins you shall retain they are retained them "


How can any man have the power to retain a sin? Because what he said is that go around forgiving sins but those who are not sincere retain them, they had jurisdiction to do this.

and the fact is that priest have been forgiving sins 1500 years before protestantism was even a thought. This church is the bride of Christ and you have to be literally blind to not see this. Truly.


Like I said the loosing and binding was a different topic, he was talking about loosing and binding things on Earth that the holy ghost would revel to them. Because he specifically said.

" whatever you loose on earth is loosed in heaven "

This speaks of doctrinal powers not casting demons out because hes specifically talking about the things the holy spirit reveals to them.


peace,.

Originally posted by JesusisTruth


1. God created a church, this was prophecied in the Old and new testament, a church that would spread throughout the world, a church with a hierarchy able to interpret scripture so personal interpretation would not lead people to hell.

Can you provide a scriptural reference for this, because I don't know of any such prophecy.

The verse you bring up, I shall address shortly.

reply to post by JesusisTruth


Thank you so much for your point of view friend.

For sure I ask others to pray for me, we are told:

Matthew 18:19-20
Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

So having someone "on Earth" pray with you or for you is of great benefit.

Please don't take my beliefs as an attack on yours. I know you are a follower of Christ.

I'm wondering do you believe the mother Mary, Catholic priests and Saints are closer to God that you could ever be? Or does God love and listen to all his children equally?