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What the Bible says about Debt as Metaphor
(From Forerunner Commentary)

Matthew 6:9-13

It is interesting to note in this model prayer that sin is expressed through the image of debt, a true metaphor. Duty neglected, a debt to God, must be discharged by a penalty. All have sinned and the wages or penalty is death (Romans 3:23; 6:23). We are all under a peculiar form of indebtedness which we cannot pay and still have hope!

John W. Ritenbaugh
Passover, Obligation, and Love

Luke 7:36-50

The setting of the Parable of the Two Debtors is the house of Simon, a Pharisee, who had invited Jesus to eat with him. To show respect for Jesus, a woman stops in uninvited, but Simon calls her a sinner, one notoriously wicked, a prostitute (Luke 7:36-39). These three real people are reflected in the three fictitious characters of Jesus' parable (verses 41-42): a creditor, a debtor who owes 500 denarii, and another who owes 50.

The forgiving creditor represents Jesus Christ. The professedly righteous man owing 50 denarii represents Simon. The person in debt for 500 denarii represents the woman sinner.

Martin G. Collins
Parable of the Two Debtors

Romans 4:5-8

God simply accounts righteousness, the righteousness of Christ, where righteousness does not in reality exist. When we are justified, He looks upon us as though we were sinless like His Son. That is awesome! Do we deserve that? Have we earned it? It is incredible that He should deal with us as though we were righteous and without sin!

In "account," we are obviously dealing with an accounting term. The picture is as if a person were looking at a ledger, and every figure is in the debit column. He is hopelessly in debt; he cannot figure out how to bring things into balance. He could never earn enough because His income is not great enough. He has no real assets. Nothing can balance the account. In his despair, he cries out to God. Then he looks at his ledger, and suddenly a figure appears on the credit side that completely balances the account. The debt is gone!

Justification is not something that we can earn. God, for His own reasons, determines to favor us with it. As Paul puts it in Ephesians 2:8-9, it is by grace through faith, not of works.

John W. Ritenbaugh
Grace Upon Grace


 




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