SOLD INTO BONDAGE PIPRASKO Πιπρασκω
In Rom. 7:14 the "wretched man" exclaims, "I am carnal, sold under sin." The Greek word used here for `sold' is piprasko, and when used with a person it means 'to sell into slavery'. In the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament it is used metaphorically, of selling oneself to sin: of Ahab in 1 Kings 21:20, 25; in 2 Kings 17:17; see also Isa. 50:1 and 52:3. So Paul may have had these in mind when he cried in desperation, "I am sold under sin." But this is not the experience of the apostle Paul only. It is the condition of us all, though we may discover it only when the light of the Gospel shines upon our fallen state.
The Lord uses the same word in His parable at the end of Matt. 18. The king reckons with his servants, and finds one owing the impossible sum of ten thousand talents (one talent is worth nearly two English hundred pounds). And he had nothing to pay. Exactly my condition! And the condemnation is just —let him be sold as a slave, and everything, whatsoever he has; and still it would hardly make a first payment on the debt.
What can be done? In the parable the guilty servant promises to pay all, and is released. But he has hardly gone out from the presence of the king before his wicked heart is manifested, and the wrath of the king falls upon him. He thought he would take advantage of the mercy of the king, but he must add his own works; he was not trusting to that mercy. It is no use for me to think I can deliver myself by making a part payment. I can never repay; it is no use making promises and seeking pardon on my merits. "By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight... but now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested... even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe." Rom. 3:20-22.
But how can God righteously forgive that debt? Again we may find the answer in our word. In Matt. 13 our Lord uses it in the parable of the Merchantman. The 'Merchantman' here is literally 'a man on a journey' —one who has come from afar. This Merchantman had come all the way from Heaven's highest Glory, down to seek pearls in the depths of the sea of the nations. There he found one pearl of great price, and he sold everything, whatever he had, to buy that pearl. This is not the word used of the man who sold all to buy the field in Verse 44. It is our word piprasko, 'to sell as a slave'. The Merchantman not only sold all, whatever he had, but He sold Himself as a slave. "He emptied Himself, taking a bondman's form," (Phil. 2:7 New Translation) and bought the pearl.
The word has been used three times: (1) of my lost condition, (2) of my rightful doom, (3) of my Savior's wonderful way of deliverance. It is used six times more in the New Testament: three times in the three Gospels of Mary's precious ointment which "might have been sold for much"; and three times in the Acts, of those who "sold their possessions and goods." Mary had her own private treasure, that pot of ointment. And each of us has some special treasure, some desire, some ambition. That treasure might have been sold for much if Mary had kept it for herself; but it would have been a selling into slavery. And if we withhold our treasure, if we refuse our best to God, we too are sold into slavery to that desire. It may not be a sin, but it is a 'weight' which we must drag round with us, a ball and chain of bondage to that desire, instead of walking in the full freedom of the sons of God. But if like Mary we pour out our treasure; if like those first Christians we surrender our possessions and goods, then it is the things which are in bondage, and we are free. Acts 4:34 says they sold the things. This is the ordinary word for sold —and they brought the price of the things 'sold into bondage'. It is a wonderful thing to be free from the bondage of things, to be their master, not the servant of house and lands, furniture, books, or any treasure. Then we can take joyfully the spoiling of our goods, knowing that "we have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance." The best reading here might be translated, "knowing that ye have yourselves as a better and enduring possession." We possess our souls in the perfect freedom of His service, no longer sold unto sin, or sold into bondage to things. We have the privilege of giving our little all, for the One who gave His unsearchable riches for, and to, us.
(HAEW)