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Heb_6:19. Description of the absolute certainty of this Christian hope.
ἥν ] sc. ἐλπίδα . The referring back to παράκλησιν (Grotius and others) is possible only in connection with the erroneous interpretation of this word as “solatium,” whereas, with the right apprehension of Heb_6:18, παράκλησιν ἔχωμεν serves for the mere introduction of κρατῆσαι τῆς προκειμένης ἐλπίδος ; ἥν thus most naturally links itself with ἐλπίδος as the last preceding leading thought. To this must be added the consideration that frequently also elsewhere in antiquity—though nowhere else in Holy Scripture—the anchor is already employed as a figure of hope, and appears also upon coins as a symbol thereof. See Wetstein, Kypke, and Kuinoel ad loc.
ἣν ὡς ἄγκυραν ἔχομεν τῆς ψυχῆς ] which we possess even as an anchor of the soul, i.e. in which we possess, as it were, an anchor of the soul, which affords it support and protection against the storms and perils of the earthly life.
There exists no good reason for making ἔχειν equivalent to κατέχειν (Abresch, Dindorf, Bloomfield, and others).
ἀσφαλῆ τε καὶ βεβαίαν καὶ εἰσερχομένην κ . τ . λ .] which (sc. anchor) is sure and firm, and reaches into the interior of the veil. Wrongly does Carpzov (and so also Reuss) construe all these words with ἥν (sc. ἐλπίδα ). For, in order to render this possible, ἔχομεν must have received its place only after τῆς ψυχῆς , in such wise that ὡς ἄγκυραν τῆς ψυχῆς should admit of being separated by commas from that which precedes and follows. Equally inadmissible is it, however, when Abresch, Böhme, Bleek, Bloomfield, and others take only ἀσφαλῆ τε καὶ βεβαίαν along with ἄγκυραν , and then refer back εἰσερχομένην εἰς τὸ ἐσώτερον τοῦ καταπετάσματος to ἥν (sc. ἐλπίδα ). For although the figure of an anchor reaching on high, instead of penetrating into the depths, is an incongruous one, yet metaphors are never to be pressed, and in our passage the choice of the expression εἰσέρχεσθαι εἰς τὸ ἐσώτερον points to the retention of the figure of the anchor, as well as the closely uniting τε … καὶ … καί to the intimate coherence of the three characteristics.
καταπέτασμα ] with the LXX. usually (Exo_26:31-35; Exo_27:21; Lev_21:23; Lev_24:3; Num_4:5, al.), in the N. T. always (Heb_10:20; Mat_27:51; Mar_15:38; Luk_23:45) of the second (Heb_9:3), or innermost curtain of the temple, the curtain before the Most Holy Place ( äÇôÌÈøÉëÆú ). Comp. also Philo, de vita Mosis, iii. p. 669 B (with Mangey, II. p. 150): ἐν δὲ τῷ μεθορίῳ τῶν τεττάρων καὶ πέντε κιόνων , ὅπερ ἐστὶ κυρίως εἰπεῖν πρόναον , εἰργόμενον δυσὶν ὑφάσμασι , τὸ μὲν ἔνδον ὂν καλεῖται καταπέτασμα , τὸ δʼ ἐκτὸς προσαγορεύεται κάλυμμα . Ibid. p. 667 C (II. p. 148): ἐκ δὲ τῶν αὐτῶν τό τε καταπέτασμα καὶ τὸ λεγόμενον κάλυμμα κατεσκευάζετο · τὸ μὲν εἴσω κατὰ τοὺς τέσσαρας κίονας , ἵνʼ ἐπικρύπτηηται τὸ ἄδυτον · τὸ δʼ ἔξω κατὰ τοὺς πέντε κ . τ . λ .
τὸ ἐσώτερον τοῦ καταπετεάσματος ] the interior of the veil, i.e. that which is the interior with respect to the veil, or exists within the same, thus behind it. Designation of the Most Holy Place. Comp. Exo_26:33; Lev_16:2; Lev_16:12; Lev_16:15. The Most Holy Place is spoken of as a symbol of heaven, where God is enthroned in His glory, and at His right hand is enthroned the exalted Christ.