“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;”
By canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross — cheirographon (record of debt, handwriting) is OT language for covenant violation. The 'record' stood 'against us' (hypenantios): it was our accusation. 'Set this aside' (exaleiphō, erase) and 'nailed to the cross' (prosēloō tō staurō) show Christ's cross erases the debt. Crucifixion is debt-cancellation: the price is paid.
Church Fathers on Colossians 2:13
“Having forgiven us all our trespasses; having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the Cross; having put off from himself the principalities and the powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” “Having forgiven us,” he says, “all our trespasses,” those which produced that deadness. What then? Did He allow them to remain? No, He even wiped them out;…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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