Does Leviticus 19:20-22 Support Roman Catholic Confession To A Priest?

        Roman Catholic apologists sometimes cite Leviticus 19:20-22 to validate their practice of confessing "mortal" sins to an ordained priest, aiming to receive God’s forgiveness. This interpretation, however, warrants scrutiny. In Leviticus 19:20-22, the focus is on a man bringing a guilt offering to the tent of meeting, where the priest makes atonement on his behalf. The text states, “And the priest shall make atonement for him…before the Lord for his sin…and the sin which he has committed shall be forgiven.” A closer look reveals key issues.

        The passage does not mandate auricular confession or priestly absolution. The sinner brings a guilt offering, and the priest performs a ritual of atonement, in line with the Mosaic system. This was a practice of ritual cleansing, not personal confession. The text does not differentiate between “venial” and “mortal” sins, a distinction upheld in Catholic theology but absent in the Mosaic Law. This suggests that the Catholic interpretation superimposes later theological constructs onto ancient texts. 

        Under the Old Covenant, priests oversaw sacrificial rituals to ensure adherence to the Law. They were mediators in a ceremonial capacity, announcing God’s prescribed means of forgiveness through sacrifices, not through personal absolution. The sacrifices in Leviticus served as temporary coverings, pointing forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10:1-4 clarifies that these offerings could never fully cleanse sin. Only Christ’s sacrifice could (Hebrews 10:10-14). The need for a Levitical priesthood was fulfilled and transcended by Christ.

        With Christ’s atoning death, the priestly system was abrogated. Believers now have direct access to God through Christ, our eternal High Priest (Hebrews 10:19-22). This access negates the necessity of an ordained ministerial priesthood for mediating forgiveness. While the New Testament advocates for the confession of sins (James 5:16; 1 John 1:9), it emphasizes communal confession and divine forgiveness without prescribing priestly intercession. The role of church leaders in the New Testament is about pastoral care and guidance, not sacramental absolution.