The anchor was a popular symbol of the Christian faith in the early Church. It symbolized Hope for all believers, and the early church "latched on to it." Much like the cross, the anchor portrays our Hope in Christ. The catacombs in Rome are adorned with the anchor. In fact, it is reported that at least sixty-six anchors are inscribed on catacomb walls.

Believers buried their dead in the catacombs because, during times of persecution, they were not allowed to bury the Christian dead in regular cemeteries. Consequently, they went underground. As persecution intensified, the catacombs became not only a place of burial but a place of hiding. The depiction of anchors, which remain there today, served as a symbol of Hope—in persecution, in life, and in death.

Surprisingly, the anchor is mentioned only twice throughout Scripture. The first instance is in the book of Acts, in the story of Paul's shipwreck while sailing to Rome. It refers to literal anchors as the sailors cast them in a last-ditch effort to save the ship. Ultimately, they cut loose the anchors to run the ship aground. The anchors are incidental to the story and have no significant spiritual meaning.

The only other mention of an anchor in the Bible is found in Hebrews 6:19: "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil." This single reference to an anchor became the image of our Hope, comforting believers for centuries.  

Did this one verse, this one mention of the anchor as our Hope, become the inspiration for this early symbol of Christianity? Most likely, it did. The symbol is powerful. Early Christians held onto the anchor as a symbol of what secured their souls to heaven above.

If, as we assume, the Book of Hebrews was written to house churches in Rome during the days of early persecution, it is even more likely that this symbol of Hope was eagerly adopted by them and the next generation of Christians who were persecuted to the death.

Today, the anchor remains a solid symbol of the immovability of Christ, our only Hope for eternal life.

Hold on to the Anchor of Hope.

"This hope we have," the writer of Hebrews says. The Hope is ours right now. We are powerfully exhorted to "take hold of the hope set before us" (verse 18). It is set right before us in plain view. It is there for the taking and experiencing if we, by faith, persevere in holding on. This Hope is already provided for us and promised to us by God's unchangeable promise and oath. It is impossible that God could ever go back on His Word to us.

Our part? Hold on. This is the active perseverance of faith. Our perseverance is based on the unchangeable truth of God's promise to us, which He swore by His own immutable character. It is impossible for God not to fulfill His promise of heaven to you through His Son. This immovable Hope is what encourages us to persevere.

As the anchor of our souls, hope is “both sure and steadfast." Our Hope cannot be moved because of Christ's work, not because of our perseverance. The anchor of our souls "enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 6:19b- 20).

The veil of the temple was a barrier between sinful humans and the presence of a holy God. It was not open to everyone but accessible only by sacrifice once a year by the High Priest. Now, we have open and free access to God through Christ. Jesus has gone before us, breaking down the barrier and granting us free and open approach to God's Holy presence.

Matthew describes the death of Christ on the cross, "And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split" (Matthew 27:50-51). Through Christ's death, the veil was torn in two, so that our Hope—Christ Himself—entered for us into the presence of God. Access to God is now made available to anyone who, by faith, lays hold of the promise of Christ.

The Anchor of Hope Holds on to You.

We must hold onto this anchor of hope, but we should also recognize the other side: The Anchor holds onto us. As we grasp the hope of eternal life through the completed work of Christ, Hope holds onto us.

A large ship drops anchor, and the anchor does its work; the vessel is held fast. The ship is immovable and held in place by the work of the anchor. Yes, the ship is secured to the anchor, but the anchor secures the ship.

Our anchor of Hope is the assurance of our salvation in Jesus Christ. This grounds us to the certainty of our future with Him. Since He has entered the presence of God on our behalf, and because our souls are anchored in Him—where He has gone, we go. Where He is, we will be. As certain as He is there, we will certainly be there as well, for He holds on to us. In fact, if He did not hold on to us, we could not hold on to Him.

Christ is, indeed, "our sure and steady anchor." Since He is sure and steady, so is our security in Christ. But the direction of our anchor is important. A ship's anchor is downward to the bottom of the sea. It anchors the ship to the earth. Our anchor is upward, reaching to the highest of heavens, above the earth, to the Holy Place of God. Christian, this is your Hope, your present position in Christ, your ultimate destination of safe harbor when life on this earth ends. 

The anchor is an apt symbol of hope. For Christians who inscribed anchors in the catacombs, it meant hope beyond this life. It means the same for us. Regardless of your circumstances, whatever you face today, hold on, for He holds on to you.