Heb 6: 19-20 - Christ - Our Anchor Behind The Veil

Heb 6: 19-20 - Christ - Our Anchor Behind The Veil


Heb 6:19-20 we have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.


The writer has already brought up the subject of Melchizedek, but he left off before developing the thought in order to scold those who had failed to pursue the deeper things of Christ by preferring, instead, to dwell mainly on those great, but simple, truths they had believed when they first professed faith. {see Heb 5:9-12}

Then, he went on to warn them that not going on to maturity through pursuing a deeper understanding exposed them to the danger of shrivelling on the vine, and falling away altogether. The Bible contains truth that will equip Christians for the harsh realities of life in a hostile world. Some of these truths go a little bit deeper than "Jesus loves me, this I know..." and go into the meat of HOW Jesus love his people, including discipline, chastisement and sharing in or "filling up" the sufferings of Christ.

Now the writer is ready to return to the topic of Melchizedek in order to bring deeper understanding of the nature of Christ which he believes they already ought to have reached by now.

So we come to this metaphor of a ship’s anchor, by which great vessels are kept fast against the storm. God himself, in the giving of his grace and in the making of his promises, hands us an anchor against the storms of this present life. {Ps 23:4-5} These promises are all "Yea" and "Amen" in Jesus Christ. Grace and Truth come not only from him, but in Him and through Him. Christ, our captain, has gone on ahead into the Holy of Holies (behind the curtain of the inner temple) as our federal representative - as fully human - as both the propitiator of our sin and the justifier of our souls. His righteousness is now our righteousness and, in Him, we are fully acceptable in the burning brightness of the presence of the thrice Holy God.

Note that it clearly says that Jesus has gone into the most holy place on our behalf. We could never and shall never go in on our own behalf. We can’t pay, nor can we afford the ticket for that ride. God Himself has paid it. So, as we make our way there to be with Him, we learn that God not only bought it, but also wrought it for us to walk in. He takes us by the hand and leads us in paths of righteousness, for his Own Name’s sake. {Ps 23:1-3}

And so now, the Hebrew listeners are reminded of Melchizedek and what he represented, even in Abraham’s time. Though not a Jew (he was probably a Canaanite) he was a priest of the Most High God with certain special characteristics that will be explained in the following chapter.