Lexical Summary cheirographon: Handwriting, written record, certificate of debt Original Word: χειρόγραφον Strong's Exhaustive Concordance manuscript, record of debtsNeuter of a compound of cheir and grapho; something hand-written ("chirograph"), i.e. A manuscript (specially, a legal document or bond (figuratively)) -- handwriting. see GREEK cheir see GREEK grapho NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom cheir and graphó Definition a (handwritten) document, legal note, bond NASB Translation certificate of debt (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5498: χειρόγραφονχειρόγραφον, χειρογραφου, τό (χείρ and γράφω), a handwriting; what one has written with his own hand (Polybius 30, 8, 4; Dionysius Halicarnassus 5, 8; others); specifically, a note of hand, or writing in which one acknowledges that money has either been deposited with him or lent to him by another, to he returned at an appointed time (Tobit 5:3 Tobit 9:5; Plutarch, mor., p. 829 a. de vitand. aere al. 4, 3; Artemidorus Daldianus, oneir. 3, 40); metaphorically, applied in Colossians 2:14 ((where R. V. bond)) to the Mosaic law, which shews men to be chargeable with offences for which they must pay the penalty. Topical Lexicon Historical Background In the Greco-Roman world a person’s obligations were formally acknowledged through a handwritten note that listed the debt and its binding stipulations. These documents were commonly preserved, sometimes pierced by a nail to a public post when satisfied, as a visible testimony that the liability was paid in full. The papyri discovered in Egypt display hundreds of such bonds, illustrating a legal culture in which every unpaid account stood as an ever-present threat to one’s freedom and estate. Biblical Usage The Apostle Paul draws on this familiar legal image in Colossians 2:14: “having canceled the record of debt against us with its legal demands. He set it aside, nailing it to the cross”. By invoking the single term translated “record of debt,” Paul compresses the entire account of human obligation before God into the picture of a signed confession that verifies guilt and demands satisfaction. The letter to the Colossians is the sole New Testament occurrence, which magnifies its force; the imagery is reserved for the moment Paul wants to proclaim Christ’s decisive victory over every accusation that law and conscience could level against the believer. Theological Significance 1. Total Cancellation: The verb “canceled” underscores that the obligations listed in the document no longer exist. This surpasses mere suspension; it is the eradication of the liability itself (Romans 8:1). Connections to the Old Testament • Exodus 32:32 illustrates Moses’ offer to be blotted out on behalf of Israel, anticipating the substitutionary removal of a written indictment. Implications for Christian Living • Assurance of Forgiveness: The believer’s confidence rests on an objective act in history, not on fluctuating feelings of pardon. Homiletical and Pastoral Applications • Counseling the Guilty Conscience: Direct penitents to the completed cancellation, encouraging them to leave confessed sin where God has nailed it. The single New Testament reference therefore reverberates through history and ministry: what was once a handwritten testimony against humanity has become, through the work of Christ, an empty sheet forever affixed to the cross as proof of divine mercy and justice perfectly met. Forms and Transliterations χειρογραφον χειρόγραφον χειροπέδαις χειροπεδών cheirographon cheirógraphonLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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