Ego Te Absolvo

In a panel of a tract taking aim specifically at the Roman Catholic Church, the late comic book evangelist for Fundamentalism, Jack Chick, tries to use Scripture to disprove Confession and Absolution. In it, his faceless cartoon depiction of God the Father sitting on a throne says, “I am the only one who can forgive sins.” A callout box says, “See 1 John 1:9” (which is actually used liturgically in LSB’s Settings One and Two for Confession and Absiolution). But the irony is what comes in the caption: “‘Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but GOD ONLY.’ Mark 2:7” (emphasis added).

It is ironic because in the context of the verse, the “this man” being scolded is Jesus. The one speaking this verse denouncing the fact that a man can forgive sins is one of the scribes - whom Jesus makes look foolish by doubling down and then performing a miracle.

Maybe this is not the best choice for a proof text. If you find yourself in agreement with the enemies of Jesus, you might want to check your premises.

The one-year series Gospel for Trinity 19 is St. Matthew’s account of this encounter, which includes the finale, “When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.” (Notice the plural).

Many neo-Evangelical Christians line up behind Jack Chick and the scribes in this account, assuming that human beings cannot forgive sins. Sadly, a lot of Lutherans do as well - which is especially tragic because the Small Catechism’s Six Chief Parts includes the section on confession, which itself includes the Office of the Keys and its proof text, John 20:22-23. As an aside, our use of the NIV in our catechism translates the passage in a weak way. Compare the NIV and the ESV.

At any rate, since John 20:22-23 is not among the many Bible verses that Fundamentalist Christians memorize (speaking from my own experience as a child), it is an understandable (though not excusable) doctrinal slip-up. But for Lutherans to pooh-pooh Confession and Absolution is beyond inexcusable, and means that we have many older, lifelong Lutherans who need to review their Catechisms - not to mention their Bibles!

In an online discussion about this, a pastor tried to make the argument that we are required to forgive, because we will be forgiven by the same measure that we forgive. But the reality is that the Office of the Keys is not that kind of forgiveness. It is: “that special authority which Christ has given to His church on earth to forgive the sins of repentant sinners, but to withhold forgiveness from the unrepentant as long as they do not repent.”

As much as pastors love to forgive sins and release the penitent from his guilt, there are times when that is the wrong thing to do. Pastors do not relish turning the key the other way - but that is our duty in cases of unrepentance.

One presumable Lutheran said that the Jack Chick quotation of Mark 2:7 was correct. But it isn’t. It is correct that God forgives our sins. It is not correct that Jesus is a blasphemer. It is not correct that men cannot forgive sins - as once again, “they glorified God who had given such authority to men” and “If you forgive anyone his sins…”

Confession and Absolution had become unpopular even in Luther’s day, which prompted the Reformer to write, “When I urge you to go to Confession, I am doing nothing else than urging you to be a Christian.” But now that we live in an overwhelmingly Protestant culture, lifelong Lutherans are sometimes shocked to hear their pastors preach and teach about the Sacrament of Absolution. Sometimes, Lutherans get rather angry about it, arguing that only God can forgive sins, not men. After all, that’s in the Bible, right Jack?

We clearly have a catechesis problem. Maybe we need to reduce the age of communion but raise the age of confirmation to seventy.

One online interlocutor said that we should not use the formula “I forgive you” when we absolve, since Jesus didn’t say to say that. He said that we should use Jesus’ words. So what did Jesus say?

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending 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 withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” Emphasis added.

Our Lord is speaking to the Twelve as “apostles” (sent ones). And Jesus points out both the delegation of authority and the Trinitarian action in Holy Absolution. The Father sent Jesus, and Jesus sends his “sent ones” (apostles) as His chosen ministers of Absolution. Authority is delegated from the Father to the Son to the apostles by means of the Holy Spirit. And Jesus does not authorize them to tell the “any” who have committed sins merely in the third person: “Jesus forgives you” or in a passive voice: “you are forgiven.” The apostolic authority is not merely reporting what Jesus does or did. Rather it is a delegated, authoritative act. The subject is “you” (plural) and the verb is “forgive” (ἄφετε, from ἀφίημι - a word that can be translated by many English words based on context).

And so when one of the ministers of our Lord carries out the Lord’s order “you forgive,” he does forgive. It is not done by his own authority, but rather by the authority of his office delegated to him by Jesus, who gave it to him by the Spirit, and who received it from the Father.

This Trinitarian action explains our invocation of the Trinity in the formula of absolution (which also calls to mind our baptism), and why the formula often includes something like “by virtue of my office as a called and ordained servant of the Word”).

And so if pastors (“called ministers of Christ”) alter the formula of absolution to avoid using their Christ-delegated Spirit-wrought authority that originates with the Father, they are shirking. Our Lord called men into the office to speak the words authoritatively so that our penitents might believe. Circumlocutions around this do not being comfort, but only added doubt.

Perhaps this is why some formulas of absolution include the question, “Do you believe that my forgiveness is God’s forgiveness?”

Perhaps some pastors are timid about using this authority because they feel unworthy of it. And this is understandable. But we are not to minister based on our feelings. We have orders. We are declared worthy by virtue of the one who sends us., that is, by virtue of the office into which we have been ordained. When we are acting as the King’s minister and plenipotentiary, this is no time for false humility and waffling. Whether we feel like it or not, our Lord delegated this sacred authority to us, and told us to use it!

We don’t have a choice, pastors.

And lay people, don’t be offended by your pastor’s authority. It is not there to make you a second class citizen, but rather to make you a citizen of heaven. That “special authority” that your pastor exercises is a blessing to you, and believe me, it is a burden that he carries knowing that he is not worthy of himself to forgive you. But he does it anyway because it is his bounden duty and because he loves you.

But here is the problem: Reason rebels. The sinful flesh rebels. Our feelings rebel. Our sense of pride rebels. And that’s why we need forgiveness all the more! So Jesus delegates, Jesus orders, and most importantly of all, Jesus uses his “sent ones,” His “chosen ministers” in the holy office to forgive.

So let us glorify God, who has given “such authority to men.” Amen.