Handwriting of Death: χειρόγραφον (Strong’s G5498: cheirographon) Exposes Sin’s Debt

Strong’s G5498: A compound word combining “hand” (cheir) and “writing” (graphō), referring to a handwritten legal document or certificate of debt, particularly emphasizing a record of obligations or charges against someone. In biblical context, it specifically refers to the record of charges against humanity that the Messiah canceled through His sacrificial death.

U – Unveiling the Word

The term χειρόγραφον (cheirographon) carries profound theological significance as a legal and financial term that literally means “handwritten document.” In ancient times, it specifically referred to a certificate of debt handwritten by the debtor, acknowledging their financial obligation. In Colossians, Paul masterfully employs this term to illustrate how our sins created a debt before God that we could never repay. The imagery is powerful – just as a debtor would write out their own admission of debt, our sins stood as a written testimony against us. This document of debt was nailed to the cross with the Messiah, effectively canceling our spiritual debt through His sacrificial death.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: χειρόγραφον, cheirographon, /kheir-og’-raf-on/
• Pronunciation: khei (as in “height”) – ro (as in “row”) – gra (as in “graph”) – phon (as in “phone”)
• Part of Speech: Noun

Etymology:

• χείρ (cheir) – hand, prefix
• γράφω (graphō) – to write, root word
• -ον (-on) – neuter singular nominative/accusative ending

D – Defining Meanings

• A handwritten record, specifically a certificate of debt
• A legal document written in one’s own hand
• A bond or obligation of debt

For compound words:
χείρ (hand) emphasizes the personal nature of the document
γράφω (to write) indicates the action of recording
-ον signals its grammatical function as a neuter noun

Translation Options:

• Certificate of debt – captures the legal nature
• Written record – emphasizes the documentary aspect
• Handwritten ordinance – reflects both personal and legal elements

E – Exploring Similar Words

• γράμμα (gramma) /gram’-ma/ – a letter, writing – See G1121
• γραφή (graphē) /graf-ay’/ – scripture, writing – See G1124
• ἐπιγραφή (epigraphē) /ep-ig-raf-ay’/ – inscription, superscription – See G1923

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Noun Features:

• Case: Accusative
• Number: Singular
• Gender: Neuter
• Declension: Second

The word follows standard second declension patterns:
Nominative: χειρόγραφον
Genitive: χειρογράφου
Dative: χειρογράφῳ
Accusative: χειρόγραφον

Related words:

• χειρογραφέω (verb) – to write with one’s own hand
• χειρόγραφος (adjective) – handwritten

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

The comprehensive study of χειρόγραφον reveals its precise legal and financial significance in ancient contexts. BDAG emphasizes its use as a technical term for a certificate of indebtedness written in the debtor’s own hand. Thayer’s highlights its function in both sacred and secular literature as a legal bond. LSJ provides evidence of its widespread use in Hellenistic commercial documents. Moulton and Milligan’s papyrological research shows it was commonly used in financial transactions throughout the Mediterranean world. This term’s specific legal connotation makes Paul’s metaphorical usage in Colossians particularly powerful, as it would have resonated strongly with his original audience’s understanding of debt certificates.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Colossians 2:14 “Blotting out the handwriting [χειρόγραφον] of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross.”

Additional References:
This is the only occurrence of χειρόγραφον in the New Testament.

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

The χειρόγραφον represents a powerful metaphor in Paul’s theology of salvation. Just as a debtor would write out their own acknowledgment of debt, our sins created a record of debt before God. The beauty of the gospel message shines through in how the Messiah took this record of debt and nailed it to His cross, effectively canceling it through His sacrificial death. This legal term transformed into a profound picture of God’s grace, showing how completely our debt of sin has been canceled through the Messiah’s work on the cross. It reminds us that our salvation is not partial but complete – the debt has been fully paid.

D – Did You Know?

• The term χειρόγραφον was commonly used in ancient banking transactions and was considered legally binding evidence of debt
• It’s the only financial/legal term of its kind used metaphorically in the New Testament to describe sin’s cancellation
• Archaeological discoveries have uncovered numerous χειρόγραφον documents from ancient marketplaces

Strong’s G5498: A handwritten document, specifically a record of debt written in the debtor’s own hand, which became a powerful metaphor in Paul’s teaching to illustrate how the Messiah canceled the record of charges against humanity through His sacrificial death on the cross.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: debt, legal-terms, salvation, cross, Paul, Colossians, handwriting, ordinances, law, grace, forgiveness, financial-terms, metaphor, debt-cancellation​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​