Anchor
Summary
A device for securing ships, mentioned literally in Paul's shipwreck narrative and used metaphorically in Hebrews for the Christian's hope in Christ.
☩Literal Use
Anchors were used to hold vessels firm during storms, as described in the account of Paul's voyage to Rome. Ancient ships carried several anchors and could deploy them from both the stern and prow. The anchors used by the Romans were typically made of iron with a form resembling modern anchors, having two flukes. Four anchors were needed to hold Paul's ship during the storm at sea.
☩Symbolic Meaning
In Hebrews, the anchor becomes a powerful metaphor for the Christian's hope. The hope set before believers is described as "an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil." This figure, while common in pagan antiquity, was transformed by early Christians into one of the most beloved symbols of the faith. The anchor represented the hope by which the Church stood firm amid the storms of persecution, and it frequently appears in the catacombs and on early Christian monuments.
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Anchor," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. I (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Hastings (ed.), "Anchor," in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. I (T. & T. Clark, 1915–1918).
- 3.George Morrish, "Anchor," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).