Mathew 16:19, "I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.", makes no direct reference to sin, and is interpreted by the U.S. Catholic Bishop's Bible web site as refering to the authority of excommunication.
The 2nd Corinthians verses cited have nothing to do with confession. They merely assert the right of the appostles to preach in the name of the Lord.
James 5:16, "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.", is on the healing power of prayer, and does Not limit confessions to priests, but rather to the communtity of the church.
Of the verses cited, only John 20:23 (not 22), "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.", is applicable to the question without resorting to interpretations not apparent from the texts, and even that doesn't directly mention confession. |
