The holy confession was an act known in the Old Testament (Levit. 5:5-6. Numbers 5:5-7. Proverbs 28:13). For this reason the people would come to John the Forerunner and confess their sins, while he would testify their repentance with baptism (Matth. 3:5-6. Mark 1:4-5).
This action was continued in the Christian Church too: "and many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds" (Acts 19:18), resulting in them being forgiven by the apostles, in accordance with the promise of the Lord, that this authority would be given to the apostles (Matth. 16:19. 18:18). This was fulfilled after the resurrection of Christ. The forgiveness was not based on the power of the apostles of course, but "in blood" of the Lord (John 20:21-23. 1 John 1:7). The confessor is used as a tool, as a servant of Christ and steward of the mysteries of God (1 Corinth. 4:1. c.f. Tit. 1:7. 1 John 1:9/2:2).
In the ancient Church confession would be conducted in public at the holy gathering of the faithful ones, where of course the hierateon and the bishop were present, and the bishop would give absolution. "All that repent are forgiven by the Lord, if they repent in unity of God and in the presence of a bishop", St. Ignatius mentions characteristically (Ign., Philad. 8,1), whereas "Didache" motions: "Confess your sins in Church, and do not approach your praying with a dirty conscience; this is the road to life"(Did. 4,14).
St. Cyprian stresses that the sinner becomes accepted again in the ecclesiastical community, i.e. in the mystery of the divine eucharist "via the application of the hands of the bishop and of the hierateon", after the sinner has already confessed (Cypr. epistle 16,2); he does not allow the holy communion to be received by anyone "if beforehand the bishop and the hierateon have not applied the hand on him" (epistle 18,2); the "repentance", he says, that is done "via the priests" is "liked by the Lord" (De lapsis 29).
Origen considers it a natural result "for the ministers and clergymen of the Church to accept the sins of the people, according to the image of the one that gave priesthood to the Church, and, imitating the Teacher, to provide the people with repentance of sins" (Orig., To Levit., Speech V, 3).
Basil the Great refers to the confession
during the apostolic Church (Acts 19:18) and concludes that "it is necessary
to confess the sins to the ones that the oeconomia of the mysteries of God has
been entrusted to" (1 Corinth. 4:1), because the first christians too would
"confess to the apostles, who would also baptise everyone" (Basil the Great,
Terms by adm. 288).
St. John Chrysostom referring to the priests he says "While they still live and walk about on earth, they undertook the management of heavenly matters with authority that God did not give even to the angels, nor to the archangels. He did not say truly to the angels 'all the things you will bind on earth, will be bound in heaven too, and all the things you will loose on earth, will be loosed in heaven too' [referring to the Matth. 16:19]... the bond however of the priests touches the soul itself and passes through towards heaven, and all the things that are done by the priests below, are sanctioned above by God. The Archbishop (Prelate) approves of the decision of the servants. After all, didn't He give them all of the heavenly authority? He told them; those whose sins you will keep, they will remain kept" (Chrys., On priesthood, Speech 3:5).
The Orthodox Church therefore continues this first-christian tradition of confession in front of the confessor.
For a more detailed analysis of Confession, both hagiographically and historically, please visit Theme Five.
EXPLANATION OF TERMS USED IN THE CHAPTER
mysteries = A mystery in the orthodox faith refers to the transmission of the invisible divine grace via visible signs. For instance, what the Roman Catholics call "the seven sacraments" are all mysteries, as well as the nativity of the Son from the Father and the procession of the Spirit from the Father and His mission from the Son are all mysteries. For more on this subject, visit this link.
hierateon = the clergy in Church as a whole.
hagiographical = from the words hagios = saint and graphe = writing; biblical.