Topical Bible: Ship: Masts

◄ Ship: Masts ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

In biblical times, ships were an essential means of transportation and trade, particularly in the Mediterranean region. The construction and operation of ships are mentioned in various contexts throughout the Bible, reflecting the maritime culture of ancient civilizations. One of the critical components of a ship is the mast, which supports the sails and allows the vessel to harness the wind for navigation.

Biblical References:

The Bible makes several references to ships and their components, including masts, though not always explicitly. In Ezekiel 27, the prophet Ezekiel delivers a lamentation over the city of Tyre, a prominent maritime power. This chapter provides a detailed description of Tyre's trading ships, highlighting their craftsmanship and the materials used in their construction. Ezekiel 27:5-6 states, "They made all your timbers of juniper from Senir; they took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you." This passage indicates the use of high-quality materials, such as cedar, for constructing masts, underscoring the importance of durability and strength in shipbuilding.

Symbolism and Imagery:

Masts, as part of a ship's structure, can also carry symbolic meaning in biblical literature. Ships are often used metaphorically to represent human life, journeys, and the church. The mast, as a central and towering part of the ship, can symbolize guidance, direction, and the ability to navigate through life's challenges with divine assistance. The imagery of a ship's mast reaching toward the heavens may also evoke thoughts of spiritual aspiration and reliance on God's providence.

Historical and Cultural Context:

In the ancient Near East, shipbuilding was a sophisticated craft, and the construction of masts required skilled labor and knowledge of materials. The use of cedar from Lebanon, as mentioned in Ezekiel, reflects the high value placed on this wood for its strength and resistance to decay. The Phoenicians, renowned for their seafaring abilities, were likely among the most advanced shipbuilders of the time, and their influence is evident in the biblical descriptions of maritime trade and navigation.

Theological Insights:

From a theological perspective, the mention of ships and their masts in the Bible can serve as a reminder of God's sovereignty over creation, including the seas and all that is in them. The ability to construct and navigate ships is a testament to human ingenuity, a gift from God that enables exploration, trade, and cultural exchange. Moreover, the reliance on masts and sails to harness the wind can be seen as an allegory for the believer's dependence on the Holy Spirit to guide and empower their journey of faith.

In summary, while the Bible does not extensively detail the technical aspects of ship masts, the references that do exist provide insight into the maritime practices of the ancient world and offer rich symbolic and theological meanings for believers.

Nave's Topical Index

Isaiah 33:23
Your tacklings are loosed; they could not well strengthen their mast, they could not spread the sail: then is the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame take the prey.
Nave's Topical Index

Ezekiel 27:5
They have made all your ship boards of fir trees of Senir: they have taken cedars from Lebanon to make masts for you.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Memorable Atlantic Storms
... Sunday, February 1.--- We spoke with a ship of Carolina; and Wednesday, 4, came
within soundings. About noon, the trees were visible from the masts and in the ...
/.../wesley/the journal of john wesley/memorable atlantic storms.htm

Call to China and Voyage Hence
... voyage which Mr. Talmage kept faithfully every day, we find that the ship had made ...
as the sailors termed them, were seen upon the tops of the masts, and also ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/fagg/forty years in south china/ii call to china and.htm

Daily Bread
... of the wind in the great pine-tops; the gracious, infinite sky revealing itself
through their tracery; the columnar trunks swaying now like a ship's masts. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/merriam/the chief end of man/v daily bread.htm

Epistle Xlii. To Eulogius, Patriarch of Alexandria.
... I wrote to you, further, that I had got ready large pieces of timber for making
masts and rudders, but that the small ship which had come could not carry them ...
/.../the epistles of saint gregory the great/epistle xlii to eulogius patriarch.htm

To Three Italian Cardinals
... of Holy Church; you were flowers planted to breathe forth the fragrance of virtue
in that garden; you were placed as masts to strengthen this ship, and the ...
/.../benincasa/letters of catherine benincasa/to three italian cardinals.htm

When Diamond Went Home to Breakfast, He Found his Father and ...
... How could the boat swim when the ship couldn't ... The straining of the masts, the creaking
of the boom, the singing of the ropes, the banging of the blocks as they ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 9 when diamond went.htm

(And Last): Homeward Bound
... Soon we began to sight ship after ship, and found ourselves on the great south ... on
their walls, with the twin harbours and their forests of masts, winding away ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter xvii and last homeward.htm

The Changed Life
... There were five hundred able-bodied men on board the ship. Do you think if we had
gathered together and pushed against the masts we could have pushed it on? ...
/.../the greatest thing in the world and other addresses/the changed life.htm

The Blood-Shedding
... The storm is raging, the ship is flying impetuous before the gale, the dark scud
moves swiftly over head, the masts are creaking, the sails are rent to rags ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/the blood-shedding.htm

"Pull for the Shore, Sailor. "
... a friend, "did you expect it had brought some tools to repair your old ship?" "Oh,
no," was the response; "she was a total wreck. Two of her masts were gone ...
/.../moody/moodys anecdotes and illustrations/pull for the shore sailor.htm