I quess it means just simply that power that Gandalf received from Valar when he came to Middle-earth. You are right that Anor is a sun and the that it would be Flame of the Sun. And then if we look this from another view, there is a clear fight between the powers, good and evil. The power/fire/good that Gandalf possessed and the black fire/power/evil of Balrog, a servant of evil.

'You cannot pass,' he said. The orcs stood still, and a dead silence fell. ' I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn. Go back to the shadow! You cannot pass.'

I just wanted to add that the source of these powers were different. The Balrogs were spirits of fire and had this power from their beginnings. Olorin however studied the fire magic and that is how he came to master the flames. Also it is speculated that the fact he possesed Narya, the Ring of Fire also had something to do with his powers.
But of course Gandalf did study a lot befoe he cameto master that power.

No, I am quite sure that it was fire magic in that case. Look at this quote from UT, The Istari:
"Warm and eager was his spirit (and it was enhanced by the ring Narya), for he was the enemy of Sauron, opposing the fire that devours and wastes with the fire that kindles, and succours in wanhope and distress; but his joy, and his swift wrath, were veiled in garments grey as ash, so that only those that knew him well glimpsed the flame that was within. "
As we see here Gandalf is clearly presented as a spirit of fire and that controls fire magic.
Also another quote, same source:
"For they deemed him (though in error, as has been said) to be of Elven-kind, since he would at times works wonders among them, loving especially the beauty of fire; and yet such marvels he wrought mostly for mirth and delight, and desired not that any should hold him in awe or take his counsels out of fear."
Also from Lotr:
"That was Gandalf’s mark, of course, and the old man was Gandalf the Wizard, whose fame in the Shire was due mainly to his skill with fires, smokes, and lights. "
As we see also the term light appears here, but again associated with the fire.
There might be other quotes associating Gandalf with fire, but I didn't look.

Maybe you could provide some quotes for you statement, glorfindel...
And I have to disagree with you, the fire magic doesn't belong to light magic, considering the fact it also belongs to dark magic as we see in the quotes above.
there was fire coming from light (what Gandalf used), and fire coming from darkness (in the case of Balrogs). So we could divide fire magic into these 2 categories.

I'd have to just point out one thing here, going back to the start, Gandalf is a servant of the secret 'Fire' that being the fire which Eru set to burn at the heart of Ea and within the Fae of all his creations this would imply that it is not the Fire which is part of Light Magic or Dark magic but rather light is part of Fire Magic, and as for the Dark Fire it is written that Melkor could not create life for himself for he had not power over the secret fire therefore he made as he does a mockery of it and made the dark fire which again would have been done by corrupting Fire Magic.
Though the technical meaning of light can often be interchanged with that of fire as fire brings light and light is born from fire.

Just call me Olorin the translator.

After reading through all of the answers to the initial question, the best I could come up with was my own simplistic view.

"I am a servant of the secret Fire, weilder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udun. Go baack to the shadow! You cannot pass."

Gandalf appears to be saying: I serve the Flame Imperishable, wielding the Ring of Fire. You cannot pass. Your dark power will not avail you, servant of Morgoth. Go back to the shadow! You cannot pass.

Im pretty sure of my first and last substitution, but the two in the middle are open to debate.

-- Edited by Celethil at 04:59, 2006-08-07

So it appears to be:

"I am a servant of the Flame Imperishable, weilder of the Flame of the Sun. The Darkness will not avail you Dark power of Utumno...."

-- Edited by mouth of sauron at 10:35, 2006-08-07

Just putting it all together...

I don't think its a metaphor at all. It was one of the Maiar stating fact directly to another. The only thing I find a little mystical is the mention of the flame of the sun. Gandalf certainly would have had access to the flame of the sun while in Valinor, so I guess it makes sense.

Because of the nature of the Ainur, I won't join in a debate about 'fire magic' or 'light magic' since I think that would only amuse any Elves or Maiar reading this.

The Might wrote:

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sounds more like a Heroes of M&M discussion, doesn't it?
anyway, perhaps you are right, maybe Gandalf could wield the flame of Anor
I remember that Legolas tried to go find the sun while the fellowship was up on Caradhras...

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I think Legolas was just looking for a break in the storm when he said that.

that makes sense to me, it is my view on this subject as well

I am a bit skeptical about Anor = Valinor, as the former is simply a Sindarin word for "Sun" coming from an intensified version (ANÁR) of the Eldarin root for "fire" (NAR). Can anyone provide the citation or reference that this bit of information comes from?

Very true Arwenlegolas. However I do not think Gandalf defeated the Balrog as he himself died. It was a K.O. but I know what your getting at.

I thought that the Balrog died not because of wounds inflicted by Gandalf, but because of his fall from the mountaintop of Zirakzigil after their fight?

I'll take a look at some of the Vinyar Tengwar I have somewhere in my house Tyrhael. Or I could email the Elvish Linguistic Fellowship and ask Karl Hostetter. He should have something on that.

The Might - when two forces are eliminated in battle its really a KO not a victory and defeat.

Tyrhael wrote:

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I am a bit skeptical about Anor = Valinor, as the former is simply a Sindarin word for "Sun" coming from an intensified version (ANÁR) of the Eldarin root for "fire" (NAR). Can anyone provide the citation or reference that this bit of information comes from?

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This one Tyrhael.

Of course Narya in ways unknown enhanced Gandalf's power, but as you might notice by reading through the thread he already possesed this power when he was sent to Middle-earth, so he must have learned this in Valinor.
Alsol, the word "servant" would not fit, as Narya unlike the One Ring never takes control of the bearer.