The Scriptures and Early Church on Confession

There is a frequent assertion that the sacrament of confession developed quite late in the pre-Nicene church.  Generally, casual observers of church history believe it to have begun around the time of the Novatian schism (mid-3rd c.), as a means of restoring apostate Christians who wished to return to the Church.

I do not believe this is so.  The systematic use of confession as a means of rehabilitating Christians may have become universal practice at that time, but the practice itself appears much, much earlier (as early as St. John the Forerunner) and with remarkable consistency in the available sources.

What follows is a brief list of those sources / references:

• Matthew 3:5-6: Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him, and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. [the him = St. John the Baptist]
• See also Matk 1:5
• Acts 19:17-20: This became known to both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it was totaled fifty thousands pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
• 1 Corinthians 11:27-32: Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
• Ephesians 5:8-14: For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, bu rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: Awake you who sleep. Arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light."
• James 5:16: Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
• The Didache (late 1st c.) chapter 4: See that you do not neglect the commandments of the Lord, but keep them just as you recieved them, without any additions or subtractions of your own. In church, make confession of your faults, and do not come to your prayers with a bad conscience. That is the Way of Life. [this is written to already-baptized Christians]
• Justin Martyr also makes mention of confession when describing the procedure for baptism (mid 2nd c.).
• St. Cyprian of Carthage (mid 3rd c.) makes mention of confession as the primary tool he uses to bring apostates (those who denied Christ to avoid martyrdom) back into the Church.

In each of the above cases, the confession appears to have been public (i.e. in front of everyone). Now, the priest stands in as a representative of the community as a mercy, but the idea (of bringing one's sins into the light in order to be liberated from them) remains consistent.