How can people read the Gospel of John starting at 20: 21 and read that and still say man cannot forgive sins?

Question

through the grace Jesus provided? Do you not understand that it IS Jesus who forgives sins THROUGH the priest? What is it about that verse that is so blinding that people just can't see it?

Answer 1

It's their hatred and resentment of Catholicism that blinds them, not to mention all the lies they've been told and prefer to believe.

Answer 2

"Confession to a priest is an essential part of the Sacrament of Penance: 'All mortal sins of which penitents after a diligent self-examination are conscious must be recounted by them in confession, even if they are most secret and have been committed against the last two precepts of the Decalogue; for these sins sometimes wound the soul more grievously and are more dangerous than those which are committed openly.' [Council Of Trent (1551): DS 1680 (ND 1626); cf. Ex 20:17; Mt 5:28.] When Christ's faithful strive to confess all the sins that they can remember, they undoubtedly place all of them before the divine mercy for pardon. But those who fail to do so and knowingly withhold some, place nothing before the divine goodness for remission through the mediation of the priest, 'for if the sick person is too ashamed to show his wound to the doctor, the medicine cannot heal what it does not know.' [Council of Trent (1551): DS 1680 (ND 1626); cf. St. Jerome, In Eccl.]"

The present-day priest or minister has the God-given right to forgive men's sins or hold them bound for God. Would not the Christian church have died out with the last apostle if these "gifts from God" were not passed on to the present-day clergy through Apostolic Succession?

Answer 3

Pastor Billy says: the key to the example of John 20:20-22 is the additional authority to retain sins by the apostles who are our first bishops or New Testament priests.

Many times a non-Catholic will argue these verses away by claiming we are all priests and we can all ask for forgiveness and give forgiveness to one another. However Christ gives these first bishops the authority to also retain sins, he is instituting the sacrament of penance something a non-Catholic would never claim is theirs also to do. Further the ability to retain sins indicates the knowledge of sins of another and not simply private prayer to God.

Therefore we can deduce (without referring to any additional early Christian sources) the presbyters of the Church do indeed have the ability to forgive sins in the name of God .

There is an example in the gospel of Matthew where Jesus heals the paralytic man. The people around Christ marvelled not because they understood Jesus to be God but because in this act they ask "how is it a man can do this?"

This was an example of Christ's authority in his humanity. The authority which is passed from the Father to the Son is the same authority in John 20:20-22 passed from the Son to his bishops. In the confessional the priest does not forgive in his name such as "I forgive you in the name of father Michael O'Malley" but in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. It would help protesters greatly if they actually took time examining the rite of penance, the actual words spoken by the priest.

In practise many non-Catholic pastors act as councillors and offer advise to sinners just like Catholic priests do in the confessional yet they will never be able to offer absolution as they are not authentic ministerial priests and in fact know it.

now Midge you ever going to pick me as a best answer?

Answer 4

Not only John but also Mt 18:18 ... binding on earth and heaven. 2 Cor 5:18 ... ministry of reconciliation. Jas 5:14-16 ... forgiveness of sins, anointing of the sick, confession.

It is very clear. Jesus gave the Apostles the power, and they - through Apostolic Succession - gave it to their followers, etc.

Nearly 2,000 years later and it is still in effect.

Answer 5

some good factors you have, I too have been examining the KJV Bible now for 34 years and there are cases as quickly as I study some thing that i might swear exchange into by no potential in there the final time I study it, I even have even looked in different Bibles questioning somebody placed that assertion in basic terms in that Bible, i exchange into examining. So, on with your answer, as a sparkling born babes, the Bible says to desire the honest milk of the interest, the clarification at the back of encouraging the hot born babe to start in John, is to permit him to confirm that his new salvation got here from the Son of God, and, that the Son of God exchange into lots greater that for the time of basic terms a son, in that HE exchange into somewhat GOD appear interior the flesh. additionally as a new child, he desires a solid commencing place, and that commencing place is JESUS CHRIST. then after the hot babe has cut back his teeth on John, and conventional his commencing place with Mark, Luke, and Matthew, then he can start to carry on with the course and spot the place his Saviour went, and what got here approximately after that, as he reads Acts, the historic account of the early christian Church, then as quickly as he has a commencing place, has seen the way it began and what human beings have executed to perserve the testimony of Jesus Christ, now the babe desires to help unfold the Gospel like Paul, now it's time to examine perfect doctrine, with Romans

Answer 6

Yes. Priesthood authority can be used to forgive sins. It can also bind on earth and it shall be bound in Heaven. This authority was lost after the death of the apostles during the apostasy. It was returned to the earth through the Restoration of the Gospel.

Answer 7

When people read the Bible through their traditions( and every body does it) and apart from Apostolic Tradition and the Church as authority,all sorts of things cam be read into or out of the Bible.

Answer 8

I must agree with you. In 1 Peter 2:9, Peter tells all Christians that all Christians are Priests; therefore, we go through Christ being of the "Royal Priesthood."

Answer 9

PEOPLE FOR JESUS

Did Jesus come to earth and die all alone for sin,
Or did he ask his Father for a number of elect men,
Did Jesus pray and say, he gave them his God's name,
And that they were sanctified, having truth within,
And if salvation depends on them, will they enter in.

Jesus said the twelve would each sit upon a throne.
but will God give Jesus a greater multitude as his own,
Does Jesus appoint them a kingdom as God has give him one.
So when the time comes, how many sees Jesus return come,
As they go to meet him as his own heavenly in special song.

They are the elect, the chosen, the redeemed born again,
All are to imitate them as a multitude past the tribulations,
These survive alive for plam branches, with robes elation,
To see the heavenly, prepare for the earthly resurrection,
The heavenly come down out of heaven from God unto action.

So the earth made for habitation, is made new as it began.
After all the years of sorrow caused being born into sin,
That is all gone and all are made alive, eternity to win,
This has been the promise from the book given after Eden,
That all is LOST and is to be SAVED by People for Jesus.

Matt.24:3, 45 - 47;

Answer 10

A priest is not required to forgive sins. A careful examination of conscience and true repentance for the sin(s) is all God or Jesus required for forgiveness. With a priest, you know what the penance will be up front. Without a priest, you have to wait to see if the penance you selected for yourself was sufficient. You have to wait until you die or until you can consult a priest.

Me? I will wait until I die.

Answer 11

It's not necessarily just that verse, but they have a total misunderstanding of AUTHORITY in general. Protestants don't like to think that any other person can possibly have authority over them. They find it much easier to be their own pope and interpret scripture in whatever way is most suitable to them.