A debt is something one person owes to another person. A debt can involve something you can touch and see like land, belongings or money. According to the Bible, obedience is something we owe to YAHVEH. That is why the Bible talks about sin as being a debt. In Hebrew culture, debt was usually connected with “usury” (the business of lending money with interest). The Hebrew verbs describing usury picture a painful situation. One word for usury means “to bite,” a vivid image for the way high interest ate up any kind of business income so that borrowers never received the full value of the money. People could be ruined financially by having to pay so much interest (2 Kings 4:1-7). Another verb is usually translated as “increase” or “profit” (Leviticus 25:37), since lenders profited from others’ labour. Ancient Near Eastern interest rates on produce and goods might be as much as 30 percent of the loan per year; on money, as much as 20 percent. Clay tablets from Nuzi, an ancient town in north-eastern Mesopotamia, indicate interest rates as high as 50 percent.

THE LAW OF MOSES
The Laws of Moses given to Israel immediately after the exodus tried to eliminate unreasonably high interest from Hebrew life. YAHVEH’s revelation had many rules and restrictions relating to debt and credit in Israel.

PROTECTION FOR THE POOR
Portions of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) regulated the practice of lending in a way that protected the poor and secured each person’s right to earn a living and support a family. Many popular Hebrew proverbs dealt with that same theme. The goal of the biblical Laws was to ensure help for the financially needy, without interest. No personal profit was to be made at the expense of the poor (Exodus 22:25; Deuteronomy 23:19-20); YAHVEH was their special advocate. In that way, by lending without interest, the Israelites demonstrated their reverence for YAHVEH (Leviticus 25:35-37). That point was reemphasized forty years later when Moses renewed the covenant with Israel just before their entrance into the Promised Land. YAHVEH was the Landlord and His tenants were to respect His Word. YAHVEH promised the Israelites that if they would lend so as to alleviate human misery, they would be unusually blessed by our Adonai (Deuteronomy 15:6; 23:19-20; 28:12). Interest could be charged to a foreigner not living under the Mosaic Law. This was like a commercial treaty in the ancient Near East. In ancient Israel, financial ruin was frequently brought about by poor harvests. Often they were taken as an indication that the relationship between YAHVEH and His people was not right (Leviticus 26:14, 20). The wealthy were expected to help, not to add more burdens to those who suffered from poor harvests.

VIOLATION OF THE LAW
The Laws regarding debt were often violated. Eventually unreasonably high interest made being in debt a hopeless situation. Many of the fighting men who rallied around David early in his military career were outlaws because they were unable to repay their loans and interest (1 Samuel 22:2). The prophet Ezekiel scolded his people because they failed to obey YAHVEH’s Commands about usury (Ezekiel 18:5-18; 22:12). When Nehemiah returned from the exile to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, he brought charges against the government officials whose interest rates had made slaves out of the people (Nehemiah 5:6-13). The Wisdom Literature (including Job, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes) taught that people who acquired wealth by usury would not profit in the long run, because YAHVEH would give their profits to others who looked after the welfare of the poor ( for example, Proverbs 28:8). The prophet Amos gave a similar warning to corrupt merchants in Israel: “Because you trample upon the poor and take from him exactions of wheat . . . you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine” (Amos 5:11). In spite of such warnings, the Law was often ignored and even greater interest charges were laid on borrowers who were already poor.

PLEDGES AND SURETY
When it was necessary to borrow, the Law provided other choices to the unfair practice of usury. When taking out a loan, a borrower would offer some movable property as “collateral.” That property (or pledge or “surety”) was a guarantee that the borrower would repay the loan. Of course, there were rules and restrictions about what could be pledged and taken as surety. For example, a creditor could not take a widow’s clothes (Deuteronomy 24:17). Tools (such as millstones) or animals (such as oxen) were forbidden because they were necessary for daily life (24:6). Clothing that was necessary (for example, to keep warm) could be temporarily offered as a pledge, but had to be returned before nightfall (Exodus 22:26-27; Deuteronomy 24:10-13). In extreme circumstances, where there was no collateral, a borrower could pledge a son, daughter or slave. The value of the child’s or slave’s labour could then be credited against both interest and principal. An account in the Bible of a widow’s two sons about to go into slavery shows how cruel the custom could be (2 Kings 4:1-7). Pledging labour or their children’s labour was sometimes the only way slaves could pay off a debt. A borrower could also have a wealthy friend assume responsibility for the debt. The friend would “co-sign” on a loan. In this way the friend would become the pledge or surety. The book of Proverbs cautioned against being surety for others, especially for strangers (Proverbs 6:1-3; 11:15; 17:18; 22:26; 27:13).

SABBATICAL AND JUBILEE YEARS
There were two legal provisions meant to help people who were enslaved by long-standing debts: the sabbatical year and the jubilee year. The sabbatical year or “year of release,” took place every seventh year. At that time debts were cancelled and slates wiped clean (Deuteronomy 15:1-12). This Law could have tempted lenders to refuse loans on the sixth year, since they knew the debt would be cancelled in a year. But the Law forbade that happening. Jewish tradition held strict injunctions against a lender trying to collect on a loan that should have been forgiven in the sabbatical year. Every fifty years Israel had its Year of Jubilee. In that year land reverted to its original owner if it had not already been redeemed by some relative. That provision prevented the build-up of landed estates by the wealthy few while the many poor suffered in slavery (Leviticus 25:13-17). Although the Mosaic Law could not guarantee economic utopia, it sought to curb the greediness in human nature. It also aimed at providing everyone with an equal opportunity and a fresh start every fifty years.

DEBT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
The New Testament shows how various cultures handled the matter of loans and debts. There were Jewish people who adhered strictly to the Mosaic Law and refused to charge their fellow Jews high interest. Hellenistic and Roman legal practices however, penetrated parts of Jewish society.

YESHUA’S PARABLES
Yeshua alluded to non-Jewish economic practices in His parable of a servant who jailed a fellow slave for not repaying a loan (Matthew 18:23-35). The parable illustrates the ordinary Hellenistic and Roman custom of jailing or restraining such a person as surety. That practice forced a debtor to sell his property, to ask family and friends to cover the loss or to sell himself into slavery. The parable of the talents (25:14-28) and the parable of the pounds (Luke 19:12-24), speaking allegorically about the Kingdom of YAHVEH, mention earning interest on money invested with bankers.

ECONOMIC AND THEOLOGICAL INSTRUCTION
The apostle Paul instructed Christians to “owe nothing to anyone” (Romans 13:8), which means at the very least that Christians should make good on loans promptly. On the other hand, a Christian’s economic activity should be characterized by kindness toward those in need, generosity and willingness to help (Matthew 5:42; Luke 6:35). The New Testament also presents a number of lessons in doctrine based on a figurative use of “debts” and “debtors.” Yeshua once referred to sinners (Luke 13:2) with a word literally meaning “debtors” (13:4). In Adonai’s Prayer “debts” is paralleled with “sins” (Matthew 6:12; Luke 11:4). Sin is seen as an enslavement (John 8:34) and all men and women as debtors to YAHVEH. Redemption can be made only by YAHVEH, who “gave His only Son” to set people free (3:16-18). The writer to the Hebrews showed that Yeshua was made the surety of the New Covenant (Hebrews 7:22). The apostle Paul felt indebted to all people because of his own salvation, a debt he could pay by preaching the gospel (Romans 1:14-15). The New Testament teaches that all who receive the gospel are likewise in debt and therefore should devote themselves to serving others as a way of serving YAHVEH (compare 15:26-27).

WHAT DEBTS SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED ABOUT?

WE OWE HAMASHIACH A DEBT OF GRATEFUL OBEDIENCE.

“I have a great sense of obligation to people in our culture and to people in other cultures, to the educated and uneducated alike.” (Romans 1:14) By “people in our culture and people in other cultures” Paul meant the Greeks and non-Greeks. Paul also refers to “educated and uneducated” people. What was Paul’s obligation? After his experience with HaMashiach on the road to Damascus (Acts 9), his whole life was consumed with spreading the Good News of salvation. His first obligation was to HaMashiach for being his Saviour and his second was to the entire world. This is why he proclaimed HaMashiach’s salvation to all people; both Jews and Gentiles, across all cultural, social, racial and economic lines. We also are obligated to HaMashiach because he took on the punishment we deserve for our sin. Although we cannot repay HaMashiach for all He has done, we can demonstrate our gratitude by showing His love to others.

WE OWE A DEBT OF LOVE.
“Pay all your debts, except the debt of love for others. You can never finish paying that! If you love your neighbour, you will fulfil all the requirements of YAHVEH’s Law.” (Romans 13:8) Why is love for others called a debt? We are permanently in debt to HaMashiach for the lavish love He has poured out on us. The only way we can even begin to repay this debt is by loving others in turn. Because HaMashiach’s love is infinitely greater than ours, we will always have the obligation to love our neighbours.

HOW SHOULD WE REPAY OUR DEBTS?

THE WAY IN WHICH WE REPAY ANY KIND OF DEBT IS A MARK OF CHARACTER.
“Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them. If you can help your neighbour now, don’t say, ‘come back tomorrow and then I’ll help you.’” (Proverbs 3:27-28) To delay doing good is inconsiderate and unfair, whether it is repaying a loan, returning a tool or fulfilling a promise. Withholding destroys trust and creates a great inconvenience. Be as eager to do good as you are to have good done to you.

HOW DID YESHUA HAMASHIACH PAY THE DEBT FOR MY SINS?
Romans 3:25: “YAHVEH sent Yeshua to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy YAHVEH’s anger against us. We are made right with YAHVEH when we believe that Yeshua shed His blood, sacrificing His life for us.” Romans 5:9, 11: “Since we have been made right in YAHVEH’s sight by the blood of HaMashiach, He will certainly save us from YAHVEH’s judgment. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with YAHVEH; all because of what our Adonai Yeshua HaMashiach has done for us in making us friends of YAHVEH.” Our sins left us in debt to YAHVEH. But Yeshua HaMashiach paid that debt through His death on the cross, making us right with YAHVEH and pure in His sight.

WHAT SHOULD I OWE OTHERS?
Romans 13:7-8: “Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and import duties and give respect and honour to all to whom it is due. Pay all your debts, except the debt of love for others. You can never finish paying that!” We should pay our debts in a timely manner because it is important to honour our commitments. This isn’t saying we can never have home mortgage or car payment, but that when payments are due we must pay them respectfully and honourably.

WHAT IS THE DANGER OF BECOMING INVOLVED IN ANOTHER’S DEBT?
Proverbs 6:1-4: “My children, if you co-sign a loan for a friend or guarantee the debt of someone you hardly know. . . . You have placed yourself at your friend’s mercy.” Proverbs 17:18: “It is poor judgment to co-sign a friend’s note, to become responsible for a neighbour’s debts.” Proverbs 22:26-27: “Do not co-sign another person’s note or put up a guarantee for someone else’s loan. If you can’t pay it, even your bed will be snatched from under you.” If you co-sign a note, be absolutely sure you can repay the entire debt if your friend defaults on the loan. Otherwise, you will be putting yourself and your family at risk.

IN WHAT OTHER WAYS SHOULD I BE CAUTIOUS REGARDING DEBT?
Proverbs 22:7: “Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.” Be careful! Debt can cause us to be owned by those to whom we owe. Psalm 37:21: “The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers.” To owe and purposefully not pay is wrong; to give away what we do not owe pleases YAHVEH.