When there is no supporting scripture it isn't slear and simple. No where in scripture does an apostle make use of his authority to forgive sins.
Except here - in James “Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.” James 5:14-15 Here, James makes it clear that certain people in the Church – not just anyone – have special powers. The prayer offered in faith by the priests (men) resulted in the forgiveness of sins. If these men did not have special powers, why did James not ask anyone to pray over the sick?