Colossians 2:14 and the 'Record of Debt'

[Martin Marprelate]

Colossians 2:13-15, ESV. 'And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities, and put them to open shame, triumphing over them in Him.'
The KJV and NKJV translate 'record of debt' as 'handwriting of ordinances.' The NASB and CSB give 'Certificate of debt' rather than 'Record of debt.' The NKJV has 'Certificate of debt' in the margin. A literal translation might be, 'the handwriting of decrees' (Gk. dogmasin). An interpretative translation might be, 'charge sheet.' Whatever it was, it 'stood against us with its legal demands.' The Greek is not easy, but what was our 'record of debt' and how has it been cancelled?

The cancelling of this record, or certificate of debt was the means of the forgiveness of all our sins. As Gentiles, we were dead in trespasses and sins, outside of the Mosaic Covenant, though still under condemnation for them (Romans 2:12; 3:9) and 'strangers from the covenants of promise [the covenants with Noah, Abraham and David], having no hope and without God in the world' (Eph. 2:12).

The Greek word cheirographon('handwriting') had a technical meaning in the ancient world of 'certificate of indebtedness.' It showed that the recipient was due to pay a bill. But it was also the custom in the Roman world, when a criminal was crucified to nail the 'charge sheet' detailing the miscreant's crime to the cross above his head (c.f. Matthew 27:37). So what are these verses saying? That God has nailed our record of debt, our charge sheet, to the cross - but not our cross! It was nailed (not physically, but in the mind of God) to the Lord Jesus' cross. Our cheirographon, our record of debt - our sins - are 'set aside,' nailed to the cross of Christ, with, if I dare say so, a note signed by the Father saying "Paid in Full." Jesus paid it all!

As a result, satan is cast down, along with 'the rulers and authorities,' whom I think we are to see as his minions (c.f. Eph. 6:12). Satan is the 'accuser of the brethren, who accused them day and night before God' (Rev. 12:9-10; c.f. also Job 1:9-11; Zech. 3:1). Now he has nothing to accuse us of, because all that record of debt has been taken out of the way. Divine justice is satisfied. Our sins have been punished, but 'The LORD has laid on Him the iniquities of us all,' so that God can be, 'Just and the justifier of the one who believes in Jesus.'

'The reign of sin and death is o'er,
And all my live from sin set free.
Satan has lost his mortal power;
'Tis swallowed up in victory!
Saved from the legal curse I am,
My Saviour hangs on yonder tree:
See there the meek, expiring Lamb!
'Tis finished! He expires for me!' [Charles Wesley]

 

[Martin Marprelate]

Bump!

 

[atpollard]

Not “paid” but “cancelled”.

I have no idea what Greek words were employed nor am I adequate to “pontificate” in their distinction in the original language. However, I speak English and to “pay” a debt and to “cancel” a debt are not the same thing. Since it was this action by God towards this “debt” of ours that “disarmed the rulers and authorities, and put them to open shame, triumphing over them”, it seems no insignificant matter.

While my Greek [sucks], my experiential knowledge is “above average”. My debt was no small matter, nor was it something easily remedied. “Dead in sin” and “child of wrath, just as the rest” are apropos. To merely “pay” the debt and transfer the punishment to another would have fallen far short of providing what I needed to be restored. Even “cancelling” cannot be a mere “don’t worry about it” wave of the Divine Hand. No, the “cancelling” that my debt required to achieve God’s goal was closer to the stated “remove the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” or “wash in the blood” so that “though my sins WERE like scarlet, they became like snow”. That is the Debt Cancellation that I required and Jesus Christ provided.

(but what do I know about such weighty matters)



i am a little church(no great cathedral)
far from the splendor and squalor of hurrying cities
-i do not worry if briefer days grow briefest,
i am not sorry when sun and rain make april

my life is the life of the reaper and the sower;
my prayers are prayers of earth's own clumsily striving
(finding and losing and laughing and crying)children
whose any sadness or joy is my grief or my gladness

around me surges a miracle of unceasing
birth and glory and death and resurrection:
over my sleeping self float flaming symbols
of hope,and i wake to a perfect patience of mountains

i am a little church(far from the frantic
world with its rapture and anguish)at peace with nature
-i do not worry if longer nights grow longest;
i am not sorry when silence becomes singing

winter by spring,i lift my diminutive spire to
merciful Him Whose only now is forever:
standing erect in the deathless truth of His presence
(welcoming humbly His light and proudly His darkness)

- e.e. cummings

 

[Martin Marprelate]

I have no idea what Greek words were employed nor am I adequate to “pontificate” in their distinction in the original language. However, I speak English and to “pay” a debt and to “cancel” a debt are not the same thing.

You are correct that "pay" and "cancel" are not the same thing. But on what basis has the "certificate of debt" been cancelled?
It has been cancelled because someone else has paid it off in full (Gal. 3:13; Isaiah 53:5).

 

[atpollard]

You are correct that "pay" and "cancel" are not the same thing. But on what basis has the "certificate of debt" been cancelled?
It has been cancelled because someone else has paid it off in full (Gal. 3:13; Isaiah 53:5).

Gal 3:13 [NKJV] Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed [is] everyone who hangs on a tree"),

Perhaps a bit pedantic, but “redeemed” is not “paid in full” either. Galatians is about who God has purchased, not a debt I owed that has been paid.

Isa 53:5 [NKJV] But He [was] wounded for our transgressions, [He was] bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace [was] upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Not an argument that I wish to engage in. However, I acknowledge that “paid my debt” is one valid reading of that verse. It is not the only valid reading of “for” in that verse. “For” can also be understood to mean “in order to achieve” which is merely “cancel” or “redeemed” without the assumption of “paid my debt”. So, just a “maybe”.

My only point being that I expect so FUNDAMENTALLY CENTRAL a concept as “Jesus died to pay my debt” to be more clearly articulated somewhere in scripture.
YMMV

 

[Martin Marprelate]

Gal 3:13 [NKJV] Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed [is] everyone who hangs on a tree"),

Perhaps a bit pedantic, but “redeemed” is not “paid in full” either. Galatians is about who God has purchased, not a debt I owed that has been paid.

Isa 53:5 [NKJV] But He [was] wounded for our transgressions, [He was] bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace [was] upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Not an argument that I wish to engage in. However, I acknowledge that “paid my debt” is one valid reading of that verse. It is not the only valid reading of “for” in that verse. “For” can also be understood to mean “in order to achieve” which is merely “cancel” or “redeemed” without the assumption of “paid my debt”. So, just a “maybe”.

My only point being that I expect so FUNDAMENTALLY CENTRAL a concept as “Jesus died to pay my debt” to be more clearly articulated somewhere in scripture.
YMMV

If you redeem something (or someone), you pay a price to get it back. Matt. 5:26. "Assuredly, I say to you, you will not get out of there untill you have paid the last penny." That [figuratively] is the price the Lord Jesus paid to get us out of hell. We were under a curse (v.10); Christ became a curse for us. How is that not Penal Substitution?
Isaiah 53:5. The transgressions were ours; the wounds were His. The iniquities were ours; the bruising was His. The peace is ours; the chastisement (or punishment - NIV, ESV) was his. The healing is ours; the stripes were His. Penal Substitution.

 

[atpollard]

If you are going to reject PSA, you have to become a Unitarian or a J.W.

False … but a conversation ender.

 

[Martin Marprelate]

False … but a conversation ender.

Whether it's a conversation-ender is up to you, but I don't think it's false.

 

[Aaron]

Colossians 2:13-15, ESV. 'And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities, and put them to open shame, triumphing over them in Him.'
The KJV and NKJV translate 'record of debt' as 'handwriting of ordinances.' The NASB and CSB give 'Certificate of debt' rather than 'Record of debt.' The NKJV has 'Certificate of debt' in the margin. A literal translation might be, 'the handwriting of decrees' (Gk. dogmasin). An interpretative translation might be, 'charge sheet.' Whatever it was, it 'stood against us with its legal demands.' The Greek is not easy, but what was our 'record of debt' and how has it been cancelled?

The cancelling of this record, or certificate of debt was the means of the forgiveness of all our sins. As Gentiles, we were dead in trespasses and sins, outside of the Mosaic Covenant, though still under condemnation for them (Romans 2:12; 3:9) and 'strangers from the covenants of promise [the covenants with Noah, Abraham and David], having no hope and without God in the world' (Eph. 2:12).

The Greek word cheirographon('handwriting') had a technical meaning in the ancient world of 'certificate of indebtedness.' It showed that the recipient was due to pay a bill. But it was also the custom in the Roman world, when a criminal was crucified to nail the 'charge sheet' detailing the miscreant's crime to the cross above his head (c.f. Matthew 27:37). So what are these verses saying? That God has nailed our record of debt, our charge sheet, to the cross - but not our cross! It was nailed (not physically, but in the mind of God) to the Lord Jesus' cross. Our cheirographon, our record of debt - our sins - are 'set aside,' nailed to the cross of Christ, with, if I dare say so, a note signed by the Father saying "Paid in Full." Jesus paid it all!

As a result, satan is cast down, along with 'the rulers and authorities,' whom I think we are to see as his minions (c.f. Eph. 6:12). Satan is the 'accuser of the brethren, who accused them day and night before God' (Rev. 12:9-10; c.f. also Job 1:9-11; Zech. 3:1). Now he has nothing to accuse us of, because all that record of debt has been taken out of the way. Divine justice is satisfied. Our sins have been punished, but 'The LORD has laid on Him the iniquities of us all,' so that God can be, 'Just and the justifier of the one who believes in Jesus.'

'The reign of sin and death is o'er,
And all my live from sin set free.
Satan has lost his mortal power;
'Tis swallowed up in victory!
Saved from the legal curse I am,
My Saviour hangs on yonder tree:
See there the meek, expiring Lamb!
'Tis finished! He expires for me!' [Charles Wesley]

A debt is canceled like a check is canceled, by paying it. A check is a record of debt.

 

[Martin Marprelate]

False … but a conversation ender.

I've looked again at my comment here and I want to apologize for it. I did not at all mean to suggest that everyone who is against PSA is a Unitarian or JW, but that is probably how it came across. I do believe a higher level of Biblical proof is being demanded of PSA than is being asked of the doctrine of the Trinity, but the way I put it was quite wrong and I am going to ask the mods to remove the offending passage.
My apologies again.

 

[kyredneck]

My only point being that I expect so FUNDAMENTALLY CENTRAL a concept as “Jesus died to pay my debt” to be more clearly articulated somewhere in scripture.

Reminds me of the parable of the forgiven servant who remained unforgiving, Mt 18:21-35. But his debt wasn't paid, it was forgiven.

 

[Aaron]

However, I speak English and to “pay” a debt and to “cancel” a debt are not the same thing.

But they are the same thing.

 

[Aaron]

My only point being that I expect so FUNDAMENTALLY CENTRAL a concept as “Jesus died to pay my debt” to be more clearly articulated somewhere in scripture.

16 And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him. - Lev 5:16 KJV

2 If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour; 3 Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein: 4 Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found, 5 Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, [and] give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering. 6 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD, a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: 7 And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein. - Lev 6:2-7 KJV

Debts are paid in Christ's offering.

 

[atpollard]

But they are the same thing.

As the parable of the Forgiven Servant in Matthew 18 illustrates, they are not the same. The debt was “canceled” without being “paid”. The difference is “forgiveness” vs “restitution” of the debt.

Is “sin” a debt that ”restitution” can be “paid” for, or a debt is “cancelled” by offering “forgiveness”?
(Both achieved by the sprinkling of His blood … that is not in question.)

 

[Ben1445]

As the parable of the Forgiven Servant in Matthew 18 illustrates, they are not the same. The debt was “canceled” without being “paid”. The difference is “forgiveness” vs “restitution” of the debt.

Is “sin” a debt that ”restitution” can be “paid” for, or a debt is “cancelled” by offering “forgiveness”?
(Both achieved by the sprinkling of His blood … that is not in question.)

I think a big part of the conversation is that we are bought. The word bought passes the idea of paid for quite well. It is not a concept that has been inserted into the Bible.

 

[atpollard]

16 And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him. - Lev 5:16 KJV

Debts are paid in Christ's offering.

I desire NOTHING less than I desire to argue this point, however, I will offer one small observation of a selective re-interpretation and then leave the matter.

Examining the LAW of Leviticus 5 closely, note:

Lev 5:4-6 [NKJV]
4 'Or if a person swears, speaking thoughtlessly with [his] lips to do evil or to do good, whatever [it is] that a man may pronounce by an oath, and he is unaware of it--when he realizes [it], then he shall be guilty in any of these [matters]. 5 'And it shall be, when he is guilty in any of these [matters], that he shall confess that he has sinned in that [thing]; 6 'and he shall bring his trespass offering to the LORD for his sin which he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin.

The person is guilty of violating an oath … for example, pledging to “be more patient with their children” … and must make a “trespass offering” for the sin. No debt is paid, “confession” is made by the sinner and “atonement” is made by the priest.


Lev 5:14-16 [NKJV]
14 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 15 "If a person commits a trespass, and sins unintentionally in regard to the holy things of the LORD, then he shall bring to the LORD as his trespass offering a ram without blemish from the flocks, with your valuation in shekels of silver according to the shekel of the sanctuary, as a trespass offering. 16 "And he shall make restitution for the harm that he has done in regard to the holy thing, and shall add one-fifth to it and give it to the priest. So the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.

”in regard to the holy things” indicates that the sin being discussed here refers to withholding (perhaps completely unintentionally) something which is commanded due to God:
firstfruits (Leviticus 2:14, 23:9-14)
the firstborn (Leviticus 27:26-27)
the tithe (Leviticus 27:30-33, Deuteronomy 14:22-29)
vowed offerings (Leviticus 27:1-25, Numbers 30:1-16)
It was only in the case where SOMETHING was already owed to the national treasury under a Theocracy by the Law established by God that an additional 20% surcharge was required to be added to the payment for failing to pay what had been commanded.

Sin is not like “firstfruits” or the “tithe”. Not to be difficult just for the sake of being difficult, but this genuinely seems like an error of “kind” in applying this law to Jesus Christ’s payment for our redemption. Our sin is punishable by DEATH, so the OT laws on repayment of civil debts are not the applicable verses to draw parallel examples from (IMHO).

We can be “punished” or we can be “forgiven”, but our “debt” cannot be “paid” like a balance due.
PSA is not the only Atonement theory that has ever existed.
It holds a great deal of truth (as have all other theories) but appears imperfect against the evidence of Scripture (like all the others).

 

[atpollard]

I think a big part of the conversation is that we are bought. The word bought passes the idea of paid for quite well. It is not a concept that has been inserted into the Bible.

We are indeed BOUGHT. Setting aside the OT and Gospels (where it talks about buying things) here are the exact verses using the term [G59] “agorazō”:

[1Co 6:20 NASB20] 20 For you have been bought[G59] for a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

[1Co 7:23, 30 NASB20] 23 You were bought[G59] for a price; do not become slaves of people. ... 30 and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy[G59], as though they did not possess;

[2Pe 2:1 NASB20] 1 But false prophets also appeared among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought[G59] them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

[Rev 3:18 NASB20] 18 I advise you to buy[G59] from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to apply to your eyes so that you may see.

[Rev 5:9 NASB20] 9 And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the scroll and to break its seals; for You were slaughtered, and You purchased[G59] [people] for God with Your blood from every tribe, language, people, and nation.

[Rev 13:17 NASB20] 17 and [he decrees] that no one will be able to buy[G59] or to sell, except the one who has the mark, [either] the name of the beast or the number of his name.

[Rev 14:3-4 NASB20] 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one was able to learn the song except the 144,000 who had been purchased[G59] from the earth. 4 These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are celibate. These [are] the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased[G59] from mankind as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.

[Rev 18:11 NASB20] 11 "And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys[G59] their cargo any more--

So did Jesus “pay our debt of sin” according to these verses?
(Just the question for each SOUL to answer for itself … as a good Baptist answering to God, scripture and conscience … and not to any Creed of man.)