What is the better rendering of colossians 2:14?

Question

What is the better rendering of Colossians 2:14 ?

KJV " blotting out the handwriting of ordinances which was against us "

ESV " by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with it's legal demands "

It seems to me that the simpler reading of the text would be the KJV. ( according to BLB the Greek word cheirographon literally breaks down to hand + write )

It also makes more sense to me that if anything were to be blotted out it would be handwriting ( in BLB "blotting out" is the Greek word exaleipho used in Rev 17:7 as "wipe away" )

I don't understand where the ESV gets its rendering ' record of debt '

Answer 1

Some attempt to make this a matter of the blotting out of the sins that have been committed. But the text is quite clear if it is translated literally.

εξαλειψας το καθ ημων χειρογραφον τοις δογμασιν ο ην υπεναντιον ημιν και αυτο ηρκεν εκ του μεσου προσηλωσας αυτο τω σταυρω TR - Beza, Stephanus, Elzevir and Scrivener are all identical

... having blotted out the against us handwriting in the decrees which was adverse to us also it he has taken out of the midst having nailed it to the cross

The Englishman's Greek New Testament, interlinear literal translation, 1877 edition.

Paul uses very similar wording in Ephesians 2:15 :

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

In Ephesians 2:15 commandments are contained in 'ordinances' (or 'decrees' it being dogmata). In Colossians 2:14 the handwriting expresses 'ordinances' or, again, 'decrees' it being also dogmata.

Thus the decrees contain commandments and the decrees are handwritten.

Note that in Colossians 2:14 it is 'the cross' (τω σταυρω) not 'his' cross. It is God who raised Christ from the dead who is the antecedent in verse 12 and it is God who nails something to the cross of Christ.

What is nailed is 'the handwriting'. It is nailed by God to the cross.

This is the handwriting of God himself, who with his finger engraved decrees on stone at Sinai.

But through the death of Christ, who offered himself willingly, the just for the unjust, the clean for the unclean, the spotless for the sinful, through his death is the handwriting removed.

Not only are sins borne away in the sufferings of Christ during the three hours of darkness at Golgotha but also, in the sacrificial offering of Christ giving up his own life, the redeemed are taken out from under the law and removed from it for ever.

Many texts attest to this - such as 'we are dead to the law by the body of Christ', Romans 7:4 ; 'we are delivered from the law that being dead wherein we were held', Romans 7:6 ; 'I through the law am dead to the law' Galatians 2:19.

And here, in this place, Paul reveals the deliverance by God himself who, in permitting men to crucify his own Son, has nailed to the cross upon which Christ yielded up his life, the handwriting of decrees against us which was contrary to us.

---

Not only so but the writing is lifted off the page.

The verb means to lift off (not to blot out). The writing is removed. The engraving disappears. It is as though it had never been written.

The poor translation makes it seem as though there is a big black smear of ink but this is not the concept. The engraving is lifted off, is the true concept.

Aleipho is anointed. And therefore ek aleipho is a negative. But the allusion is maintained of anointing, in Christ. Thus through the anointed one, there is an 'unanointing' (an 'out of' anointing) in regard to the writing.

The further allusion is that all that comes down from Adam is cut off, much as the allusion is rendered in the cutting off of Jordan all the way back to the city of Adam when the children of Israel passed over dry shod, Joshua 3:16.

So is all that comes down from the man of sin and death cut off in the cross of Christ.

So is dealt with the law, the handwriting of decrees which humanity never kept but only broke continually. It was contrary to us and Adam should never have put his progeny under it at the behest of serpent and woman.

Nevertheless, in the cross of Christ, the anointed, all is righted for the seed of Christ, the redeemed who are under his headship.

---

And, it is 'taken out of the midst' (literal interlinear).

What was in the midst in Eden was the tree of life. But Eve misunderstood, and the serpent assisted her misunderstanding rather than enlighten her. And she went on to tempt the man who caved in and transgressed.

They put the tree of knowledge of good and evil 'in the midst'. And there it stayed, as they had done, and as could not (by the first humanity) be undone.

But the coming of another humanity has removed it 'from the midst'.

---

But some would put the faithful back under law so they have to mistranslate the text and make it to read that Christ (not God) has nailed to his own cross (an odd thing to say) the record of the sins.

They further suppose that only the 'ceremonial' law (as they call it) is removed from us and they tell us that we are still under 'moral' law.

I suggest that the text is otherwise than this.

Answer 2

The text of Col 2:14 is not disputed.

The operative word in Col 2:14 is χειρόγραφον (cheirographon) which BDAG defines as follows:

a hand-written document specifically a certificate of indebtedness, account, record of debts

Thayer is similar:

χειρόγραφον, 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) ...

Some try to make the handwritten note about the Mosaic law or perhaps the ceremonial law, but the context of V13 puts any doubt beyond question:

V13, 14 - When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses, having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross!

Any attempt to make this verse about the ceremonial law (which was fulfilled in Christ but that is not the subject of this verse) robs this verse, and the death of Christ, of its salvific value. The cross achieved atonement for sin and V13 & 14 celebrates that victory.

This is further reinforced by the fact that Paul is not just talking to Jews but primarily Gentiles in Colossae. Such gentiles would not have any such handwriting of Mosaic ordinances but the burden of the debt of sin.

Answer 3

I'm not terribly inclined to choose between two disparate translations of Colossians 2:14. The BEST rendition would be the one that sticks faithfully to the Greek text, without trying to sneak in a particular interpretation. However, I will answer the question, as asked.

The Greek text of that verse is not disputed, as stated in one answer. The difference between the two translations is based on the interpretation of the ESV which claims it was a "record of debt that stood against us" instead of "the handwriting of ordinances which was against us" as in the KJV. The question is "Where does this 'record of debt come from'?" and most of the answers have provided the rationale for the interpretation of the ESV. It has to be an interpretation, because there is no mention of 'debt' in the undisputed text.

Whereas it is good to consult authorities that provide us with the meaning of Greek words as understood in that century, it is not so good if any of them add meanings from Classical Greek. The word in the text is "decrees", not "debts". Everybody knows that a decree is not a debt. A decree is a declaration, a law that people are expected to abide by. The Greek means 'dogmata', so it is a dogmatic command. Nor was it merely a verbal command in this case. Paul clearly tells us that this dogmatic command was put down in writing - hand-writing, as there was no other way of enshrining laws in written format.

What is "on record" here, is not a debt, but a dogmatic command - from God himself. And God had that written down by Moses in detailed documentation centuries before Christ came to have all of that nailed to the cross, to be removed, because "it was against us". God's plan of salvation was the removal of the curse of the law that only ever condemned all those who could never keep it (because they were sinners.) The link between hand-writing and commandments is the dogmata of God's decrees.

The law had served its purpose in proving over the centuries that all it ever did for sinners was to condemn them. No salvation could be found in the law. No faith was required in the law. It was all "Do this, and don''t do that", which 'only' required obedience, not faith. The law condemned darkness but did not give inner light. That would only come centuries later with the logos, the light of the world coming into the sin-darkened world. The law could not give righteousness: it gave the knowledge of sin. Nor could the law give life: it cursed to death. It showed no grace: it revealed wrath. There was no mercy from the law: it demanded justice and judgment without mercy. It was the dogmatic rule of law, but man in darkness had neither strength nor life to keep its commandments.

Then, when the logos was made flesh, John stated, 'For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.' John 1:17 That was supremely achieved when Christ "blotted out the handwriting in the ordinances that is against us, that was contrary to us, and he hath taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." YLT

So, how is it that those who insist that our 'record of debt' (sins) was removed, are so keen to try to tack the law on to the gospel of grace? Don't they realize that if any degree of legalism is added to the gospel, our 'record of debt' (sins) will start to accumulate again?

This means that my answer to the question is that "the better rendering of Colossians 2:14" is the KJV.

Answer 4

The ESV is a good translation. The word “blotting” used in the KJV, ASV, YLT, Interlinear, and other translations is a good translation. It is Strong’s GR 1813, transliterated “exaleiphó” and means to wipe out, erase, obliterate. It is used as “I plaster, wash over; I wipe off, wipe out and obliterate.” (Source: Biblehub)

The word “handwriting” is Strong’s GR 5498, “cheirographon” and means a (handwritten) document, legal note, bond. (Source: Biblehub)

The word “ordinances” is from Strong’s GR 1378, “dogma” and means an opinion, (a public) decree, and is used as decree, edict, or ordinance. (Source: Biblehub)

The Interlinear at Col. 2:14 reads as:

having blotted out the against us handwriting in the decrees which was adverse to us…

The phrase “handwriting of ordinances” is an old fashioned legal term which simply means they wrote by hand a list of charges that were brought against a person and presented that list to a magistrate or judge. Today, we would say the “list of charges brought against us.” It means the same as the laws we broke.

Ellicott’s commentary boils it down to “…But God for Christ’s sake forgives our transgressions and cancels the bond..” (Source: Biblehub).

A charge was brought against us under the old Mosaic Law for those decrees that we broke. But under the new covenant of the gospel of Christ, He has wiped out that debt that we would have owed before Christ’s sacrifice. He paid that debt for us when He was nailed to the cross.

Better translations are:

He destroyed the record of the debt we owed, with its requirements that worked against us. He canceled it by nailing it to the cross. (CEB)

He wiped away the bill of charges against us. Because of the regulations, it stood as a testimony against us; but he removed it by nailing it to the execution-stake. (CJB)

God erased the record of our debt brought against us by his legal demands. This record stood against us, but he took it away by nailing it to the cross. (EHV)

He did this by erasing the charges that were brought against us by the written laws God had established. He took the charges away by nailing them to the cross. (GW)

having erased the charges that were brought against us, along with their obligations that were hostile to us. He took those charges away when he nailed them to the cross. (ISV)

He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. (NLT)

However, Christ told them that not one jot nor tittle would pass from the law until something happened.

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (Matt. 5:18. KJV)

34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. (Matt. 24:34-35, KJV)

Something else was about to happen in that generation that would take the old Mosaic Law completely out of the way. The phrase “heaven and earth” was a phrase God had used in the Hebrew scriptures for the Law. It was the creation of the contract, the bond, the agreement between God and Israel – ie. heaven and earth.

Deu. 4:26, “I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, …” and Deu 31:26, “Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.” (KJV)

The Jews used the phrase “heaven and earth” for the place where God met with man, the temple in Jerusalem. It was the temple in Jerusalem – heaven and earth – that had to fall before that old law would be completely annulled (Heb. 8:13).

Christ paid our debt for us, and nailed the charges against us to His cross. But, the entire law was still in effect until that temple fell in AD 70 when it was destroyed as Christ had prophesied by the Roman armies (Luke 21:20).

Are we still under the old Mosiac Law? Do we still have to offer animal sacrifices at a temple in Jerusalem which no longer stands? Emphatically, NO! Then, according to Christ’s own words, all of the Law passed away in that generation of the fist century AD when He said all things would be fulfilled. To say otherwise, that we are still waiting for Christ to do something else, that some future action is still to come, would mean that we would still be under that old law.

See the following posts:

Heaven and Earth Have Passed Away

Frequent Mistakes... Roses are Red, Violets are Blue

Frequent Mistakes... Where Was All the World?

Testing the Spirits - Part II: The End

Answer 5

It seems clear that Colossians 2:11 is best understood as put in The Message, "All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ’s cross." That was the function of the cross - to erase all our sins so that we can stand blameless before God.

Answer 6

Is God of the Bible an eccentric God, changing His mind and opinions in between?

Let us find out.

Before Christ (BC)

“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).

“Bind up the Testimony, seal the Law among My (Yahweh/Jesus*) disciples (the Apostles*) - Isaiah 8:16

[* This is surely referring to Jesus and His disciples. Compare Isaiah 8:14 which comes just before the above verse, with 1 Pet 2:8 and Rom 9:33. No sensible person can deny this absolute truth]

After Christ (AD)

“And the dragon was enraged over the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, those keeping the commandments of God, and having the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev 12:17).

[Centuries later – since the Revelation deals with end times – the true Christians still keep the Law of God, the Ten Commandments]

“Here is the patience of the saints; here are the ones keeping the commands of God, and the faith of Jesus” (Rev 14:12).

“Do we then make the law of none effect through faith? God forbid: nay, we establish the law” Rom 3:31).

Conclusion

Since Paul is establishing the law, that is, he is making the law binding on Christians through the faith of Jesus in total agreement with the Scriptures as shown above, he cannot blot out the same law in Colossians 2:14.

Never!

The law/commandment is spiritual (Rom 7:14), holy, just and good (Rom 7:12) according to Paul.

How can something that is spiritual, holy, just and good be bad, “contrary” and “against us”?

It can never be!

So, it is definitely not the law but a bill that was “against us” and “contrary to us” in Colossians 2:14.

Question: what is that bill?

Answer: Jesus died on the cross to "blot out our sins" (not to blot out the law that defined sin as per Rom 7:7). Our sins really were "against us" and "contrary to us".

Answer 7

First, many people want to change history. This causes significant problems, and correct information must be provided. The Jews are not Hebrews, and that is proven in (Gen 9:27), which emphatically states that Japheth would dwell in the tents of Shem. The Jews wrote themselves that they were not Hebrews. "A Brief History of the Terms for Jew" in the 1980 Jewish Almanac is the following: "STRICTLY SPEAKING IT IS INCORRECT TO CALL AN ANCIENT ISRAELITE A ‘JEW' OR TO CALL A CONTEMPORARY JEW AN ISRAELITE OR A HEBREW." (1980Jewish Almanac, p.3)

"Ashkenazim, the Ashkenazim are one of the two major divisions of the Jews, the other being the Sephardim." Academic American Encyclopedia (1985) “Ashkenazim, the Ashkenazim are the Jews whose ancestors lived in German lands...it was among Ashkenazi Jews that the idea of political Zionism emerged, leading ultimately to the establishment of the state of Israel. . .” Encyclopedia Americana (1985)

The Jews are the Greeks, the Turks, and mostly today, Germans and Russians who are Gentiles. Gentiles also stand only for Japheth’s children and not this mythical concept, which is a biased untruth—stating that everyone except the Hebrews is a Gentile. Gen 10:5 states very clearly that only Japheth and his children were the Gentiles.

“If world Jews were indeed a nation, what were the common elements in the ethnographic cultures of a Jew in Kiev and a Jew in Marrakech other than religious belief and certain practices of that belief? Perhaps, despite everything we have been told, Judaism was simply an appealing religion that spread widely until the triumphant rise of its rivals, Christianity and Islam, and then, despite humiliation and persecution, succeeded in surviving into the modern age. . .”

“It is difficult to formulate a new Jewish history while looking through the dense prism of Zionism—the light that traverses it keeps breaking into sharply ethnocentric colors. Please note: the present work, which proposes that the Jews have always comprised significant religious communities that appeared and settled in various parts of the world rather than an ethnos that shared a single origin and wandered in a permanent exile, does not deal directly with history.” THE INVENTION OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE p. 21, 22

Understand people accepted the Rabbinical belief that the Pharisees taught and not the original belief taught by the Amorites and Melchizedek to Abraham. (Gen 14:13, 17- 22; 15:16) We need to accept what was written by Moses and not change due to racial disparities. We need to realize specific facts; Paul wrote a book to his people, culturally, the Hebrews.

Secondly, Moses never made any laws; this Mosaic law is totally untrue. YAHWEH, THE SON, presented the Covenant to Moses, which is a contract agreement. Here is the truth: Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders saw YAHSHUA in HIS SPIRITUAL BODY along with Moses and Joshua. HE wrote with HIS OWN FINGERS and gave the tablets to Moses. (Ex 24:1-15; 31:18) also, John stated that YAHSHUA was also ELOHIYM, and YAHSHUA Said HE was before Abraham, and it was HIM that talked and ate with him. YAHSHUA Said no one has ever heard HIS FATHER’S VOICE or has seen HIS SHAPE! (John 1:1-3; 5:18, 37, 43; 8:58)

So, let’s be clear: the Adams broke the Covenant in the Garden of Eden.

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Gen 3:15

This Scripture needs to be noticed or understood. The Paleo Hebrew word 'êybâh means hostility has come upon the pair because they listen to the serpent, and they broke their agreement with their CREATORS. Let’s make this clear: the serpent or dragon was an intelligent creature of all animals, and you need to see that this creature could choose and was not created to have instinct. Look at all the myths about dragons, but are they all myths? They could fly, and they showed intellect. However, the myth is how they appeared. The serpent or dragon was beautiful, similar to a peacock initially, and he chose to listen to the enemy. That is why he crawls and will kill even if you care for them! That is the curse that was given to serpents. We all know that Satan is Lucifer, but many do not realize that this Spirit being had a problem. It is the same power that is presented today, wanting more power over others so much that you become hostile! You will rebel against laws that are just and fair but restrict you from gaining more power to harm others. THE CREATORS had enormous powers and knew how to channel THEIR POWER; Lucifer could not channel the powers he had and yet wanted more and rebel. He was allowed to prove that he was not what he said he was, looking out for others, and they all should be unrestrained and not restrained. He was permitted to challenge his views. But those who want to avoid adhering to rules that govern all the same use trickery. Knowing the intellect of the dragon, he worked on him first. The serpent/dragon wanted more powers than being satisfied with what he had. The Adams both were surprised, seeing the serpent now could speak. He not only could speak but was telling them they had been cheated of their powers and were supposed to be equal to their CREATORS! For whatever reason, the female Adam begins to have a discussion with the dragon. The male Adam never said anything but never did anything, either. They both wanted more power because they both ate the forbidden fruit. It was a requirement of love and respect, and they failed the test.

Paul was stating that THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF YAHWEH SR., was permitted to come and die to reestablish flesh beings what they lost. They were made in RESEMBLANCE and also had the CHARACTER of their CREATORS that they lost. The Covenant did not change; they broke it, and its requirement stated death if you failed to adhere. Because of what they did, other temporary requirements followed, and more were added to show what death is like. Death is not what is taught! You do not exist anymore unless life is given back to you by the Creators. Genesis 2:7 uses the Paleo Hebrew word twice, mûth, to enforce the meaning to die! Once again, created beings refuse to accept the law of death nor the Command given by YAHWEH! THE CREATORS are not only POWERFUL BEINGS; THEY are more intelligent than the beings THEY created. So, THEY provided us with an example of what dying means. Not ghosts or any afterlife that the trickster has mythically made up!

And Enoch walked with ELOHIYM: and he was not; ELOHIYM took him. Gen 5:24

So, Moses, the servant of Yahweh, died there in the land of Moab, according to the WORD of YAHWEH. And HE buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day. Deut 34:5,6

And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into Heaven. 2Ki 2:11

For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also, their love, hatred, and envy have now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun. Eccl 9:5,6

Yet MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, YAHWEH Rebuke thee. Jude 1:9

And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with HIM. Matt 17:3

And there appeared unto them EliYAH with Moses: and they were talking with YAHSHUA. Mark 9:4

And behold, there talked with HIM two men, which were Moses and Elias: Luke 9:30

And the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose Matt 27:52

Let’s deal with MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL first (Dan 10:13; 12:1, 1Th 4:15, and 16 Rev 12:7). All tell you who HE IS! HE IS YAHSHUA! Gabriel tells Daniel that he had a problem with the king of Persia. He said the king withstood him until THE FIRST HIGHEST ranking CLASS came to assist Gabriel. If we could understand that Lucifer was working on the king’s mind not to follow what was prophesied! If this is not completed, Michael will not come as THE MESSIAH to redeem us back to HIS FATHER! Again, this is about the requirements of the Covenant! Proving HE IS THE MESSIAH, Daniel sees HIM standing at the end of time for HIS PEOPLE, who are found in the Book of Life. YAHSHUA would come with THE VOICE of THE ARCHANGEL. This is HIS WARRIOR’S NAME when expelling Lucifer, the dragon, and his angels from Heaven! Now, everything else should be clear.

Paul was explaining to the Gentiles, the children of Japheth, and the racist Hebrews the difference between the universal Commandments and their requirements that even the angels in Heaven obey. Versus the temporary regulation that needed to be done to understand the horrible pain of death! These regulations were no longer required once he died on the stake to redeem all who wanted to accept the Covenant. By accepting the Covenant, we would not become hostile and know our place would be equal and fair by our CREATORS! The Scriptures are written to answer the questions themselves!