“The only example I see of someone asking any other to atone for their sins is by the Jews in relation to their priests.”
Actually, there is one other example from the Bible that I can think of. Simon Magus, the “father of heresies”, pleaded for Peter to pray to God on his behalf for forgiveness after trying to purchase the gift of the Holy Spirit. I think we all know how that worked out for Simon.
Simon Magus is the original proponent of simony.
That’s where we get the word.