Dear Lee,
In a message dated 97-08-25 17:13:39 EDT, you write:
<< Observe these three tranlations:
KJV Hebrews 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure
and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
NAB 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,
NRS Hebrews 6:19 We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the
soul, a hope that enters the inner shrine behind the curtain,
I'm concerned with the adjectives "sure" asphalh, "steadfast" bebaion,
and the adj. ptc. "entering" eiserchomenhn. Do they modify "hope"
(picked up from v.15) or "anchor"? The KJV leaves the question open;
the NAB attaches them to "hope;" and the NRS applies "sure" and
"steadfast" to "anchor," but applies "entering" to "hope."
Both "elpis" "agkura" are feminine, so there is no help there.
IMO, "sure and steadfast" definitely apply to "anchor." They fit
semantically as well as positionally in the sentence. Further, I see no
reason to carry the ptc. all the way back to v. 15. I would suggest
that the anchor is sure, steadfast, and secured within the inner
shrine. As a real anchor enters the water and attaches to the bottom,
our hope is an anchor which enters through the veil and attaches to God
himself.
What do you think? >>
Hebrews is characterized by illustrations, analogies, metaphors and similies.
The author uses the concrete and familiar to teach new perspectives. One of
the strands that receives extensive and concentric development is the triad
of faith, love and hope. Three times in the book of Hebrews, the readers are
exhorted:
DEI . . . PROSECEIN hHMAS TOIS AKOUSQEISIN (2:1)
We must pay closer attention to what we have heard (or else we may
drift away from it)
KRATWMEN THS OMOLOGIAS (4:14)
Let's hold on to (grasp) your confession
KATECWMEN THN hOMOLOGIAN THS ELPIDOS (10:23)
Let's hold on to (grasp) the confession of our hope
The statement in 6:18 is: PARAKLHSIN ECWMEN ... KRATHSAI THS
...ELPIDOS. We have confidence to hold on to (grasp) hope.
The similie in 6:19 amplies the concept of "having/holding onto hope."
Definitely the modifiers in 6:19: (ASFALH, BEBAIAN, and EISERCOMENHN) are
parallel and modify AGKURON.
The word picture is anticipated in 6:18 by PROKEIMENHS: THS PROKEIMENHS
EPLIDOS. This is literally "the lying-before-(you) hope." Already, the
abstract concept of hope is given a spatial and visual quality, as well as a
tactile quality because it can be grasped.
I agree with you that the simile should not be obscured in the translation.
That hope is like an anchor that is sure and steadfast and enters inside the
veil. Of course, the simile modies "hope," so it is correct to say that
"hope" enters inside the veil. However, the word picture of hope as an
anchor builds a concrete picture of an abstract concept--an anchor can be
seen, touched, and even moves spatially.
The concept of "attachment" in regards to the anchor is probably more
immediately in relation to the readers rather than to God (or the presence of
God) inside the veil. The hope is attached to the believer IF they grasp it,
hold on to it, pay attention to the things they have heard (the confession).
Hope operates as a anchor that prevents the readers from drifting away.
But, as amplified in 6:19, if the believers stay attached to their anchor,
it will move them from wherever they are into the very presence of God.
Cindy Westfall
In academic transition
Denver