The Greek noun anthos means flower or blossom. Occurring 4 times in the NT (James 1:10–11; 1 Peter 1:24), it is used in poetic, metaphorical contexts drawn from Isaiah 40:6–8 — the grass withers and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Anthos in the NT is a symbol of human transience. James applies it to the rich man who will 'fade away' like a flower in the heat — wealth is beautiful but perishable (James 1:10–11). Peter uses the same Isaiah passage to anchor hope: human life (anthos) is fleeting, but 'the word of the Lord endures forever' (1 Peter 1:24–25). This is the theological logic of Scripture's authority: it stands when everything human wilts. The beauty of anthos highlights both the goodness of creation and the wisdom of anchoring life in what is eternal.