Second Sunday of Easter (1885)John 20:19-31

The doctrine of absolution is the doctrine that the rightly called servants of Christ, pastors, or even every believer in Christ to his fellow Christians, can and may speak forgiveness of sins in Christ's Name, and that every absolved person can, yes, should, believe his sins are forgiven him, as if God Himself would have forgiven his sins from heaven. This doctrine is a doctrine of the Lutheran Church, by which she differs from all other churches; for the sake of which she also at the same time is vehemently challenged by them. What importance our Lutheran church attributes, attests to this doctrine in the first place, that it is one of the six chief parts of her children's catechism. Then Augsburg Confession Article 25 testifies: "The people are most carefully taught concerning faith in the absolution" etc.; likewise the Smalcald Articles, Article 8: On Confession. For the sake of this doctrine the Lutheran Church is challenged most vehemently by all sects of the Reformed Church. It is accused of her that this is still a piece of Roman leaven, a deceptive retreat for secure souls, and a horrible seduction of simple-minded Christians. Yes, it is, some say, almost a blasphemy when a Lutheran pastor presumes to say: I forgive you all your sins, etc. It would be horrible if these allegations were true. But they are false, God be praised! In this matter the Lutheran Church, as in all other doctrines, stands in the pure and full Truth of the divine Word.

Why do we Lutherans still today steadfastly hold to the comforting doctrine of absolution?

1. Because it is taught in Holy Scripture with the clearest and most incontrovertible words.

a. First of all, our text testifies that the doctrine of absolution, or forgiveness of sins through men, is taught clearly and incontrovertibly in the Scriptures.1 Christ here gives the power of the keys to his apostles as representatives of the Church, who has the Holy Spirit; as all believers have the Holy Spirit, therefore they also have all the power of the keys, although it is administered by preachers, according to God's ordering, in the name of the Church; this is why Christ earlier2 gave it to the Church or the community; even earlier3 He had said to Peter: "I will give to you the keys to the kingdom of heaven" etc.; but He does not give to Peter for his person, as the Pope blasphemously teaches, but to all apostles in

1 John 20:22-23.2 Matthew 18:17-18.3 Matthew 16:17.

Peter, and all those who are of the faith of Peter, i.e. the Church, as Matthew 18 clearly testifies. So therefore what can be clearer than that Christ has given, yes, has commanded His Church to speak absolution? When a pastor says: I forgive you all your sins in the stead and by the command of Christ, what is it otherwise than what He says according to our text: "Your sins are forgiven you"?

b. This doctrine is also logically inferred from the parting words of Christ4: "Teaching them to hold everything" etc. What has Christ commanded His Church? To preach the Gospel, to serve the Sacraments, to absolve, etc. No one denies the preachers the right to preach, to baptize, etc. But with what right will one dispute them to speak the absolution? This is why Paul writes5: "Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ." That is why the Lutheran Church holds steadfastly, etc.

2. Because it is the necessary and blessed fruit of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

a. Christ's suffering and death was vicarious, He suffered and died for and in place of sinners, atoned for their punishment, paid their debt, satisfied God's righteousness for them, earned for them righteousness that avails before God.6 That is why Christ died with the words: "It is finished!", namely the work of redemption; the resurrection confirms this: α: if Christ would have remained in death and the grave, then no one could know if He had really accomplished the great work, reconciled God, redeemed sins, etc. On the contrary, we must believe that if He had not accomplished it, the devil, death and hell would have overcome Him. Who could rely on a dead Savior resting in the grave? That is why Paul says7: "If Christ had not been raised" etc.; β. but now Christ is risen, from the debtors' prison8 of death, free and in divine glory - what does this mean? Thus God has actually testified: Yes, the work of redemption is accomplished, the debt paid, sins forgiven, come, all is now ready for your salvation.9 Therefore, absolution is the blessed fruit of Christ's rising from the dead. For since God Himself in Christ has thereby actually absolved the sinful world from sins, guilt, and punishment, thus not only every Christian has the right, but the sacred duty to call out to every person sorrowing over sins: Fear not, you are redeemed, your sins are forgiven you, i.e. to absolve him.

4 Matthew 28:20.5 2 Corinthians 2:10.6 Isaiah 53:4-6; 2 Corinthians 5:14, 19, 21.7 1 Corinthians 15.8 Schuldturme.9 Romans 4:25.

The fact that the sects do not believe in absolution is because they do not know or believe the importance of the resurrection of Christ. They perhaps believe that Christ had acquired forgiveness of sins and salvation through suffering and death, but mean it has not yet been administered, but set down by God as a treasure and man must now only move God through his living, wrestling, etc. to give it to him now also for his person. Therefore they deny that the resurrection of Christ happens for the good of the sinful world and therefore it would already be absolved by God. How wrong!

3. Because absolution is really nothing other than the Gospel preached to individual men.Gospel and absolution are essentially not distinct from each other, except only in their application. Both purport the forgiveness of sins; but while the Gospel proclaims and proffers forgiveness to all sinners in general, on the other hand, forgiveness is awarded to the individual sinner in his person in and through the absolution. No more than the preaching of the Gospel, no more can the speaking of the absolution be against God's Word. On the contrary! Compare to the disposition of Dr. Walther's Gospel Postils, page 165; Brosamen, page 140; Dietrich's Catechism, questions 513-514; Essay concerning Absolution in the General Synod, 1860, p. 34ff.

Otto Hanser