Which we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm, and which entereth in even within the veil;

“"Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil." He shows, that while we are still in the world, and not yet departed from this life, we are already among the promises. For through hope we are already in heaven. He said, "Wait; for it shall surely be." Afterwards giving them full assurance, he says, "nay rather by hope." And he said not, "We are within," but "It hath entered within," which was more true and more persuasive. For as the anchor, dropped from the vessel, does not allow it to be carried about, even if ten thousand winds agitate it, but being depended upon makes it steady, so also does hope. And see how very suitable an image he has discovered: For he said not, Foundation; which was not suitable; but, "Anchor." For that which is on the tossing sea, and seems not to be very firmly fixed, stands on the water as upon land, and is shaken and yet is not shaken. For in regard to those who are very firm, and philosophic, Christ with good reason made that statement, saying, "Whosoever hath built his house on a rock." But in respect of those who are giving way, and who ought to be carried through by hope, Paul hath suitably set down this. For the surge and the great storm toss the boat; but hope suffers it not to be carried hither and thither, although winds innumerable agitate it: so that, unless we had this hope we should long ago have been sunk. Nor is it only in things spiritual, but also in the affairs of this life, that one may find the power of hope great. Whatever it may be, in merchandise, in husbandry, in a military expedition, unless one sets this before him, he would not even touch the work. But he said not simply "Anchor," but "sure and steadfast," that is not shaken. "Which entereth into that within the veil"; instead of "which reacheth through even to heaven."”

“Keep fast hold upon the hope that Christ cannot lie, according to Paul's counsel to us, "To lay hold of the hope which is promised to us; which we have as an anchor fixed in our soul that it may not be moved." For as the anchor which is cast down into the sea by its weight holdeth fast and restraineth the ship in the waves that it may not wander and drift away out of its proper course, so also is the hope which is promised to us in heaven, and which is the hidden anchor which is set above us, and is sunk and hidden from us in the heaven of heavens; let us make fast our minds to it, and let us fasten the ship of our soul thereto that it may not shift about and be disturbed by the storms and waves of the world which beat upon it, and drift out of its proper course. In spite of the things which thou hearest abide thou in thy simplicity, and let not those who speak against thee change thee and make thee to become like unto them.”

“Above, the Apostle showed the reason why he was confident concerning these things, and this was on account of the good things they had done; here he shows the same thing from the promise made to the fathers. Hence concerning this he does two things. For first he sets forth the promise; second he assigns the reason for what has been said, at the place, "For men." Concerning the first he does three things. For first he shows to whom the promise was made; second he shows that the manner of the promise is fitting, at the place, "since no one," etc.; third, the effect of the promise, at the place, "and so, with long patience." The promise was made to Abraham. Gal. 3:16: "To Abraham were the promises made," et cetera. And the reason for this is that through faith we cling to God, and therefore through faith we obtain the promises. For the first example of faith was in Abraham, and this because he was the first to withdraw from the company of unbelievers. Gen. 12:1: "Go forth from your land," et cetera. Second, because he was the first to believe something that was above nature. Rom. 4:18: "Who against hope believed in hope." Hence Gen. 15:6: "Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice." For he was the first to receive the seal of faith, namely circumcision, Rom. 4:11. The manner of the promise concerns two things: first, as to the oath interposed; second, as to the words of the promise, at the place, "unless blessing I shall bless you," et cetera. He says therefore: God, wishing to show his promise firm and stable, because he had no one greater than himself by whom he might swear — Ps. 112:4: "The Lord is high above all nations," etc. — swore by himself. Gen. 22:16: "By myself have I sworn, says the Lord," et cetera. In this you have an example that an oath is not of itself unlawful, because Scripture attributes nothing to God which is in itself a sin. For Scripture intends to order us and lead us to God. Eph. 5:1: "Be imitators of God as children," et cetera. Yet the frequency of swearing is forbidden. Ecclus. 23:9: "Let not your mouth be accustomed to swearing," et cetera. Likewise an oath in vain. Ex. 20:7: "You shall not take the name of your God in vain." Accordingly, when he says, "unless blessing," etc., he shows the manner of the promise; as if to say: let me not be believed, unless I bless you, so that the manner of swearing is, as it were, by execution. Now he says "blessing," which pertains to the conferring of goods. For the blessing of the Lord makes rich, as is said in Prov. 10:22. And "multiplying I shall multiply you," which also pertains to the numerousness of offspring. And both were promised to Abraham, as is clear from Gen. 14 and 25. Now he doubles the word, saying "blessing I shall bless," to designate temporal and spiritual goods, and the continuity of the blessing. Or, "blessing I shall bless" refers to the multitude of holy offspring, which in Gen. 15:5 is designated by the stars of heaven, where it is said, "Look up to heaven, and number the stars, if you can," et cetera. And "multiplying I shall multiply" refers to the numerousness of the evil and perverse offspring, which in the same place, namely chapter 22, is designated by the sand of the sea. The word "multitude" is also doubled, which is on account of the numerousness of the good or evil offspring; or on account of the continuity of the multitude. Or, "I shall bless" refers to the goods of grace, and "I shall multiply" to the goods of glory. Ps. 30:19: "How great is the multitude of your sweetness, O Lord," et cetera. The effect of the promise was that, bearing with long patience, he obtained the promise. Long patience consists not only in doing something great, but also in waiting for a long time. Now Abraham had the promise, and yet he never possessed a foot's pace of ground, as is said in Acts 7:5. And even into old age he did not receive offspring, and yet he did not fall from hope. James 5:10: "Take as an example, my brothers, the prophets of evil outcome, and of long patience, and of labor, and of patience," et cetera. Is. 51:2: "Look unto Abraham your father," et cetera. Then, when he says, "for men swear by one greater than themselves," he sets forth the reason for what has been said, and concerning this he does three things. For first he sets forth human custom; second he assigns the reason for the custom, at the place, "wherein more abundantly"; third he adds the fruit of the reasoning, at the place, "that by two immutable things." Now human custom is set forth as twofold: one as to that by which one swears; the other as to the effect of the oath, at the place, "and of all controversy." Now that by which one swears is something greater, and this reasonably. For to swear is nothing other than to confirm what is doubtful. Therefore, just as in the sciences nothing is confirmed except through that which is more known, so, because nothing is more certain among men than God, it is by him, as by what is greater and more certain, that one swears. But on the contrary: sometimes one swears by the Son, who is lesser, as when it is said, "by Christ." And sometimes by a creature, as Joseph swore by the health of Pharaoh, Gen. 42:15. I answer. It must be said that there is a twofold manner of swearing by God: in one way, by simple attestation, as when it is said absolutely, "By God it is so," as if to say: God is my witness that it is so, as I say. Rom. 1:9: "God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit." And sometimes by execration, which happens when something is bound over to the vengeance of God, if it be not so — for instance one's head, or soul, or something of this kind — as the Apostle swore. 2 Cor. 1:23: "I call God to witness upon my soul," as if to say: I bind over my soul for this testimony, for which I take up the very name of God. And this is most weighty. Now one swears by a creature not insofar as it is such a creature, but insofar as some token of divine power shines forth in it. For since all power is from God, Rom. 13:1, insofar as someone exercises power over some multitude: if one swears by him, one swears by God, whose power shines forth in him. And thus Joseph swore by the health of Pharaoh. This, then, is what he means when he says, "Men swear by one greater than themselves." Now it must be known that those who have already perjured themselves are to be excluded from an oath, because the greatest reverence must be shown to an oath, and from their past deeds it is presumed that they will not show the reverence due to an oath. Likewise, children before the years of puberty are not to be compelled to it, because they do not yet have the perfect use of reason by which they might know how to show the reverence due to an oath. Likewise persons of great dignity, because an oath is required from those concerning whose word or deed there is doubt; and it derogates from men of great authority that the truth of what they say should be doubted. Hence also in the Decretals, question 2, chapter 4, it is said that a priest ought not to swear for a slight cause. Now the causes for which it is lawful to swear are these: for the confirming of peace, as Laban swore, Gen. 31:44 and following; second, for the preserving of one's reputation; third, for keeping fidelity, as vassals swear to their lords; fourth, for fulfilling obedience, if something honorable is commanded by a superior; fifth, for making security; sixth, for attesting the truth. Thus the Apostle swore, Rom. 1:9: "God is my witness," et cetera. Then, when he says, "and of all controversy," etc., he sets forth the effect of the oath, which consists in this: that through an oath every controversy is ended. For just as in the sciences, when the analysis is resolved back to the first demonstrable principles, one comes to rest, so it has been introduced by divine law that when one arrives at the first truth there is a standing point, which happens when that truth itself is called to witness. Ex. 22:8: "He shall be brought to the gods, and shall swear," and thus every question and controversy is put to rest. Then, when he says, "wherein more abundantly," he sets forth the reason why God wished to swear, namely, to show the firmness of his promise. Hence he says "wherein," that is, by that very fact God interposed an oath, wishing more abundantly to show, et cetera. For it was abundant that he promised, but it was more abundant that he swore. Wishing, I say, to show to the heirs the promise, that is, of the thing promised. Rom. 9:8: "They who are the children of the promise are counted for the seed." To show, I say, the immutability. It must be known that in those things which proceed from God, two things are to be considered: namely, the process itself of things, and the counsel of God from which such a process is caused. The counsel of God is altogether immutable. Is. 46:10: "My counsel shall stand, and all my will shall be done." But the disposition is indeed mutable. For the Lord sometimes pronounces something according to what the order and process of things demands, as is clear, Is. 31: "Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live." For he had the course of his illness, from which he would die. And likewise Jonah 3:4: "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be destroyed," because it had deserved its own destruction. Jer. 18:7-8: "I will suddenly speak against a nation, and against a kingdom, to root it up, and to pull it down, and to destroy it. If that nation shall repent of its evil, which I have spoken against it, I also will repent of the evil that I had thought to do to it." And then the prophecy is one of threat. But sometimes something is pronounced insofar as it regards the eternal counsel of God, and concerning this God never repents, nor does he withdraw it. 1 Kings 15:29: "The triumpher in Israel will not spare, and will not be bent by repentance." Yet it must be known that whenever the Lord promises something under oath, it is a prophecy of predestination, which is disclosive of the divine counsel; and this promise is utterly immutable. Then, when he says, "that by two things," etc., he shows the fruit of the promise: and first he shows what that fruit is; second, who obtains this fruit, at the place, "which as an anchor." Now the fruit is that our hope should be certain: hence he says, "that we may have" a most strong, that is, most firm, comfort of hope, through two immutable things, in which it is impossible to lie — namely, through God, who promises, who does not lie, Num. 23:19: "God is not as the son of man, that he should lie," and through the oath, in which there is a greater confirmation of the truth. Now it must be known that just as sensible delight is from sense experience, and memory is of the past, so hope is of the future. 1 Mach. 2:61: "All that hope in him shall not be weakened." Is. 40:31: "They that hope in the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall take wings as eagles, they shall run and not labor," et cetera. "That we may have," I say, we who flee from evils, namely of the world, and from the assault of the enemy, so as to hold fast the hope set before us. Ps. 89:1: "Lord, you have been our refuge." Prov. 18:10: "The name of the Lord is a most strong tower; the just runs to it, and shall be exalted." Then, when he says, "which as an anchor," he shows that the faithful obtain this promise, and he makes use of a certain likeness. For he compares hope to an anchor, which, just as it holds a ship immovable at sea, so hope firms the soul in God in this world, which is, as it were, a certain sea. Ps. 103:25: "This sea, great and wide of hand." Yet this anchor must be secure, so that it does not fail. Hence it is made of iron. 2 Tim. 1:12: "For I know whom I have believed, and I am certain," et cetera. Likewise it must be firm, so that it is not quickly removed from the ship: thus a man must be bound to this hope, just as an anchor is bound to a ship. But there is a difference between an anchor and hope, because an anchor is fixed in the depth below; but hope is fixed on high, namely in God. For nothing in the present life is firm, where the soul could be made firm and rest. Hence Gen. 8:9 says that the dove did not find where its foot might rest. And therefore he says that it must go in as far as the inner side of the veil. For by the "holy places," which were in the tabernacle, the Apostle understands the present state of the Church; but by the "holy of holies," which was distinguished from the holy places by the veil, he understands the state of future glory. In that, therefore, he wishes the anchor of our hope to be fixed, which is now veiled from our eyes. Is. 64:4: "Eye has not seen, O God, besides you, what you have prepared for them that wait for you." Ps. 30:19: "How great is the multitude of your sweetness, O Lord, which you have hidden for them that fear you." This anchor our forerunner has fixed there, who has entered there. Hence Jn. 14:2: "I go to prepare a place for you." Micah 2:13: "He ascended, opening the way to them." And therefore he says that he, as a forerunner, entered for us into the inner side of the veil, and there fixed our hope, as is said in the collect, on the vigil, and on the day of the Ascension. Yet because it was not lawful to enter within the veil except for the high priest alone, Lev. 16:2, therefore he says that Jesus, who entered for us, was made a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. Behold how elegantly the Apostle returns to his purpose. For he had begun to speak of the priesthood, and yet had digressed a great deal; but now he returns to it, as is clear.”

“Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus,.... Christ was a runner; he had a race to run, which lay in going about to heal diseases, in preaching the Gospel, in obeying the law, and in suffering death for his people; which race was run by him with great swiftness, strength, and courage, with patience, cheerfulness, and joy, and is now ended; as appears from the accomplishment of salvation, from his entrance into heaven, and session at the right hand of God; from the glorification of his human nature, and its everlasting freedom from the dominion of death: and this race is run out, as a "forerunner"; Christ is the most excellent runner; there is none like him; there is none that can come up to him; he has out ran and exceeded all others; he has performed in the best manner; he has run out his race first, and has entered into heaven first by his own blood; and he has cleared the way thither, and opened the gates of heaven for his people; and is a guide and pattern for them to follow: and he is the forerunner for them, as well as entered for them; for he was born, and he lived, and died for them, for their good and service; and he is entered into heaven for them, as man and Mediator, and as their high priest; where he represents their persons, appears and intercedes for them, takes care of their affairs, and presents their services; prepares mansions of glory for them, and takes possession of heaven in their name, and opens the way for them to follow him thither; all which gives great encouragement to hope to enter now, where Jesus is: who is made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec; see Heb 5:6. This is repeated here, to lead on to what the apostle had to say concerning Melchizedek in the following chapter. Next: Hebrews Chapter 7”

“Which hope we have as an anchor - The apostle here changes the allusion; he represents the state of the followers of God in this lower world as resembling that of a vessel striving to perform her voyage through a troublesome, tempestuous, dangerous sea. At last she gets near the port; but the tempest continues, the water is shallow, broken, and dangerous, and she cannot get in: in order to prevent her being driven to sea again she heaves out her sheet anchor, which she has been able to get within the pier head by means of her boat, though she could not herself get in; then, swinging at the length of her cable, she rides out the storm in confidence, knowing that her anchor is sound, the ground good in which it is fastened, and the cable strong. Though agitated, she is safe; though buffeted by wind and tide, she does not drive; by and by the storm ceases, the tide flows in, her sailors take to the capstan, wear the ship against the anchor, which still keeps its bite or hold, and she gets safely into port. See on Heb 6:20 (note). The comparison of hope to an anchor is frequent among the ancient heathen writers, who supposed it to be as necessary to the support of a man in adversity, as the anchor is to the safety of the ship when about to be driven on a lee shore by a storm. "To ground hope on a false supposition," says Socrates, "is like trusting to a weak anchor." He said farther, ουτε ναυν εξ ἑνος αγκυριου, ουτε βιον εκ μιας ελπιδος ὁρμιστεον· a ship ought not to trust to one anchor, nor life to one hope. Stob., Serm. 109. The hope of eternal life is here represented as the soul's anchor; the world is the boisterous, dangerous sea; the Christian course, the voyage; the port, everlasting felicity; and the veil or inner road, the royal dock in which that anchor was cast. The storms of life continue but a short time; the anchor, hope, if fixed by faith in the eternal world, will infallibly prevent all shipwreck; the soul may be strongly tossed by various temptations, but will not drive, because the anchor is in sure ground, and itself is steadfast; it does not drag, and it does not break; faith, like the cable, is the connecting medium between the ship and the anchor, or the soul and its hope of heaven; faith sees the haven, hope desires and anticipates the rest; faith works, and hope holds fast; and, shortly, the soul enters into the haven of eternal repose.”

“Hope is found represented on coins by an anchor. sure and steadfast--sure in respect to us: steadfast, or "firm" [ALFORD], in itself. Not such an anchor as will not keep the vessel from tossing, or an anchor unsound or too light [THEOPHYLACT]. which entereth into that--that is the place within the veil--two images beautifully combined: (1) The soul is the ship: the world the sea: the bliss beyond the world, the distant coast; the hope resting on faith, the anchor which prevents the vessel being tossed to and fro; the encouraging consolation through the promise and oath of God, the cable connecting the ship and anchor. (2) The world is the fore-court: heaven, the Holy of Holies; Christ, the High Priest going before us, so as to enable us, after Him, and through Him, to enter within the veil. ESTIUS explains, As the anchor does not stay in the waters, but enters the ground hidden beneath the waters, and fastens itself in it, so hope, our anchor of the soul, is not satisfied with merely coming to the vestibule, that is, is not content with merely earthly and visible goods, but penetrates even to those which are within the veil, namely, to the Holy of Holies, where it lays hold on God Himself, and heavenly goods, and fastens on them. "Hope, entering within heaven, hath made us already to be in the things promised to us, even while we are still below, and have not yet received them; such strength hope has, as to make those that are earthly to become heavenly." "The soul clings, as one in fear of shipwreck to an anchor, and sees not whither the cable of the anchor runs--where it is fastened: but she knows that it is fastened behind the veil which hides the future glory." veil--Greek, "catapetasma": the second veil which shut in the Holiest Place. The outer veil was called by a distinct Greek term, calumma: "the second (that is, the inner) veil."”