Anchor

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

(figurative)*[Note: For anchor in the literal sense see art. Ship.]

In  Hebrews 6:19 the writer describes the hope set before the Christian, to which he has just referred in the preceding verse, as ‘an anchor of the soul.’ The use of an anchor as a figure of hope was not new, for it is found in pre-Christian Greek and Latin authors, and an anchor appears on ancient pagan medals as an emblem of hope. The figure would naturally suggest itself to any one who reflected on the nature and power of the faculty of hope. For it is of the essence of hope to reach into the future and lay hold of an invisible object, as an anchor drops into the sea and catches hold of the unseen bottom. Hope has power to keep the soul from wavering in times of storm and stress, just as an anchor by its firm grip keeps the ship from drifting with the winds and tides. But Christian hope reaching out towards the eternal world is something much greater than our familiar human hopes of blessings yet unrealized; and the use which this writer made of an anchor to represent the hope of the Christian soul at once transformed the figure (as the Catacombs bear witness) into one of the dearest symbols of the Christian religion.

Simple and beautiful as the figure is, however, some exegetical difficulties have to be faced in determining the extent of its application in the passage. These difficulties are reflected in the various renderings of Authorized Versionand Revised Version. In the original the word ‘hope’ of  Hebrews 6:18 is not repeated in  Hebrews 6:19. Strictly rendered, the verse runs, ‘which we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast and entering into that within the veil’-a statement which has been understood in two different ways. Authorized Version, by supplying ‘hope’ at the beginning of the verse, makes ‘sure and stedfast’ apply to the anchor, and by introducing a comma at this point leaves it doubtful whether the anchor is also to be thought of as entering within the veil. Revised Version, by inserting ‘a hope’ immediately after ‘soul,’ limits the figure to a declaration that hope is an anchor of the soul, and makes the three epithets ‘sure,’ ‘stedfast,’ and ‘entering’ apply to hope itself and not to its symbol the anchor. The most obvious construction of the Gr. vindicates Revised Versionin making the three epithets hang together as all relating to one subject. On the other hand, Authorized Versionis so far supported by the fact that ἀσφαλῆ and βεβαίαν (lit.[Note: literally, literature.]‘not failing’ and ‘firm’) suggest that the idea of an anchor was immediately in the writer’s mind. It is probably right, therefore, to conclude that he means to say that the anchor is sure, steadfast, and entering into that which is within the veil, viz. the Holy of Holies. This is really a mixture of metaphors-the metaphor of an anchor entering into the unseen world to which Christian hope clings, and another metaphor by which the Holy of Holies becomes a type of that world unseen. But, in view of what the writer says at a later stage about the Most Holy Place with its ark of the covenant and cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy-seat ( Hebrews 9:4 f.) as a pattern of heaven itself where Christ appears before God on our behalf ( Hebrews 9:24), the figurative faultiness of the language is more than atoned for by its rich suggestiveness as to the Christian’s grounds of hope with regard to the world to come. It is the appearance of our great High Priest ‘before the face of God for us,’ he means to say, that is the ultimate foundation of the Christian hope. Cf. John Knox on his death-bed calling to his wife, ‘Go read where I cast my first anchor!’ with reference to our Lord’s intercessory prayer in John 17. Cf. also his answer, when they asked him at the very end, ‘Have you hope?’ ‘He lifted his finger, “pointed upwards with his finger,” and so died’ (Carlyle, Heroes , 1872, p. 140).

Literature.-The Comm. on Hebrews, esp. A. B. Davidson’s; Expositor , 3rd ser. x. 45ff.

J. C. Lambert.

King James Dictionary

AN'CHOR, n. L. anchora Gr.

1. An iron instrument for holding a ship or other vessel at rest in water. It is a strong shank, with a ring at one end, to which a cable may be fastened and with two arms and flukes at the other end, forming a suitable angle with the shank to enter the ground.

In seamen's language, the anchor comes home, when it is dislodged from its bed, so as to drag by the violence of the wind, sea or current.

Foul anchor is when the anchor hooks or is entangled with another anchor, or with a wreck or cable, or when the slack cable is entangled.

The anchor a cock bill, is when it is suspended perpendicularly from the cat head, ready to be let go.

The anchor a peek, is when it is drawn in so tight as to bring the ship directly over it.

The anchor is a trip, or a weigh, when it is just drawn out of the ground, in a perpendicular direction, either by the cable or the buoy-rope.

To back an anchor is to lay down a small anchor ahead of that by which the ship rides, with the cable fastened to the crown of the latter to prevent its coming home.

At anchor is when a ship rides by her anchor. Hence, to lie or ride at anchor.

To cast anchor, or to anchor, is to let go an anchor, to keep a ship at rest.

To weigh anchor is to heave or raise the anchor out of the ground.

Anchors are of different sizes. The principal, and that on which most dependence is placed, is the sheet anchor. Then come the best bower, the small bower, the space anchor, the stream anchor, and the kedge anchor, which is the smallest.

2. In a figurative sense, that which gives stability or security that on which we place dependence for safety.

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast.  Hebrews 6 .

3. In architecture, anchors are carved work, somewhat resembling an anchor. It is commonly a part of the ornaments of the boultins of capitals in the Tuscan, Doric and Ionic orders, and on the moldings of cornices.

In heraldry, anchors are emblems of hope.

AN'CHOR,

1. To place at anchor to moor as to anchor a ship. 2. To fix or fasten on to fix in a stable condition

AN'CHOR,

1. To cast anchor to come to anchor as, our ship anchored off the isle of Wight. 2. To stop to fix or rest on.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): (n.) An anchoret.

(2): (n.) An emblem of hope.

(3): (n.) A metal tie holding adjoining parts of a building together.

(4): (n.) Carved work, somewhat resembling an anchor or arrowhead; - a part of the ornaments of certain moldings. It is seen in the echinus, or egg-and-anchor (called also egg-and-dart, egg-and-tongue) ornament.

(5): (n.) One of the anchor-shaped spicules of certain sponges; also, one of the calcareous spinules of certain Holothurians, as in species of Synapta.

(6): (n.) A iron instrument which is attached to a ship by a cable (rope or chain), and which, being cast overboard, lays hold of the earth by a fluke or hook and thus retains the ship in a particular station.

(7): (n.) Any instrument or contrivance serving a purpose like that of a ship's anchor, as an arrangement of timber to hold a dam fast; a contrivance to hold the end of a bridge cable, or other similar part; a contrivance used by founders to hold the core of a mold in place.

(8): (n.) Fig.: That which gives stability or security; that on which we place dependence for safety.

(9): (v. t.) To place at anchor; to secure by an anchor; as, to anchor a ship.

(10): (v. t.) To fix or fasten; to fix in a stable condition; as, to anchor the cables of a suspension bridge.

(11): (v. i.) To cast anchor; to come to anchor; as, our ship (or the captain) anchored in the stream.

(12): (v. i.) To stop; to fix or rest.

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

1: Ἄγκυρα (Strong'S #45 — Noun Feminine — ankura — ang'-koo-rah )

Eng., "anchor," was so called because of its curved form (ankos, "a curve"),  Acts 27:29,30,40;  Hebrews 6:19 . In  Acts 27:13 the verb airo, "to lift," signifies "to lift anchor" (the noun being understood), RV, "they weighed anchor" (AV, "loosing thence").

Morrish Bible Dictionary

The anchors used by the ancients were in shape somewhat like the modern ones, as may be seen on some of the coins. When Paul was on his way to Rome, four anchors were needed to hold the ship.  Acts 27:29,30,40 . The anchor is used metaphorically for the hope set before the Christian, it enters into that within the veil, and is sure and steadfast. It was a great thing for the Hebrew believers to have their eyes turned to heaven; the anchor of their hope was there; no matter what storms they might meet with, the realisation of their hope was certain if set on Christ.  Hebrews 6:19 .

Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types

 Hebrews 6:19 (a) This figure represents the firm hold that faith has in the Rock of Ages. This Rock is inside the veil with GOD. Our faith reaches through the waters of trouble, difficulty, darkness and despair to firmly grasp the Son of GOD and His Word. By this faith we are kept from being swept away in the storms of life.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Acts 27:29,30,40 Hebrews 6:19

"If you fear, Put all your trust in God: that anchor holds."

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Acts 27:29-30 27:40 Hebrews 6:19

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Anchor.  Acts 27:29.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Anchor . See Ships and Boats.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

( Ἄγκυρα ) , the instrument fastened in the bottom of the sea to hold a vessel firm during a storm ( Acts 27:29-30;  Acts 27:40); from which passage it appears that the vessels of Roman commerce had several anchors, and that they were attached to the stern as well as prow of the boat (see Conybeare and Howson, St. Paul, 2, 335). The anchors used by the Romans were for the most part made of iron, and their form resembled that of the modern anchor. The anchor as here represented, and as commonly used, was called Bidens, because it had two teeth or flukes. Sometimes it had one only. The following expressions were used for the three principal processes in managing the anchor: Ancoram Solvere, Ἄγκυραν Χαλᾶν , "to loose the anchor;" Ancoram jacere, Βάλλειν , Ῥίπτειν , "to cast anchor;" Ancoram Tollere, Αἴρειν , Ἀναιρεῖσθαι , Ἀνάσπασθαι , "to weigh anchor." The anchor usually lay on the deck, and was attached to a cable ( Funis ) , which passed through a hole in the prow, termed Oculus. In the heroic times of Greece we find large stones, called Εὐναί ( Sleepers ) , used instead of anchors (Hom. Iliad, 1, 436). See SHIP.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Anchor [SHIP]