But this one thing I do: Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I keep pursuing the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly call in the Messiah Jesus.
Phil 3:12-14
I left you with these phrases from the previous Gem to keep them before you. There remain two of them we still need to explore before we can put all the sporting pieces together. These are important words to study:-
- [διώκω] – I pursue
- [ἐπιλανθανόμενος] – forgetting
- [ἐπεκτεινόμενος] – stretching out or straining forward
- τὰ μὲν ὀπίσω – the behind things
- τοῖς δὲ ἔμπροσθεν – the before things
- σκοπὸν – goal
- βραβεῖον – prize
The two we have yet to look at are the goal (σκοπὸν) and the prize (βραβεῖον). The commentators have spent a great deal of time discussing the nuances of these words. That is especially true when Paul has not made specific exactly the nature of the prize. I have told you I think that it is deliberate. Remember in earlier Gems I highlighted perfection1 in gold but then used strikethrough over the letters. A number of translations use “perfection” or “being made perfect” as the prize. I am not convinced that is what Paul intended. I will lay out my thoughts on this matter below and then leave you to ponder the matter before I share my conclusion. Take note of the fact that Paul doesn’t use the word “perfection” at this point, but rather makes three veiled references to the prize as:
- “that for which Christ laid hold of me”
- “I have not achieved it“.
- “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize . . .”
I also told you that there was debate among the experts as to the meaning of the goal and the prize. Despite the fact that Paul used two very distinctly different words – [skopos] “goal” and [brabeion] “prize” in the text. H. A. A. Kennedy in the Expositor’s Greek Testament commentary (EGT) wrote:
It is needless to distinguish between [skopes] “goal” and [brabeion] “prize” in the Apostle’s thought. Both really point to that unbroken and complete fellowship with Christ. . . . The purified life in heaven. . .
H A A Kennedy
I told you in Gem 1972 that I strongly disagreed. These two terms in my mind are not referring to the same thing; that the goal is the prize and the prize is the goal. I think Paul was too good a wordsmith to do that. He chose his words well. I have already told you of the background to the All Greek Games (PanHellenic) which lie behind this text and others. In that same Gem (above) I gave you a table contrasting the four Game events of the PanHellenic Games. I don’t know if you paid careful attention to the table I gave you. Or perhaps you are the kind of person who doesn’t pay too much attention to tables. They are summary tools after all. Oh yes. I have got the gist of it Ian. No no, I gave you that fourth column of the table to draw attention to one thing.
Isn’t there a significant difference between the goal of the race and the prize for the race? Do the athletes simply compete to be the best and cross the line first? That is the goal, isn’t it? But what lies beyond the finishing line? Isn’t that the prize? In the modern Olympics the prize is the gold medal. Or the silver or bronze and after that there are no more prizes. There is only “I came fourth in the Tokyo Olympics 100 Metres Sprint.” Sorry no medals, no accolade, no nothing! There is a world of difference between the goal and the prize. That was especially true of the PanHellenic Games. I have told you already that the prize for the Stadion Dash (192 Metres) and being crowned the Champion of Olympia was an assortment of flowers on a garland of olive leaves. The Delphic Champion won a garland of flowers on apple leaves. The Champion of Nemaea won a garland of flowers on parsley leaves. The Champion of Isthmia won a garland of flowers on pine leaves. If you bothered to look at what I wrote in Gem 390 you would have read these words:
Come on, it is farcical isn’t it? You read the list of the garlands. Did you wonder why that would motivate anyone? A garland of parsley! Or olive leaves or pine or a laurel of whatever other green leaves you can think of? Why would anyone want to stick to a strict diet, denying oneself wine and pleasant food, enduring cold, heat, and heavy bodily discipline for a bunch of leaves? Hours of endless practice, self denial and lots of other self-restrictive disciplines for something so trite?
What sort of motivation is that? I thought at the time of writing the Gems on 1 Corinthians 9 back in November 2010, I think I would rather be Champion of Nemaea. At least then I could eat the leaves that are in my garland as a garnish. If you read what I wrote in Gem 389, after the garland of leaves and flowers was placed on the one who was crowned Champion – “everyone thronged to see and congratulate them, lifting them on their shoulders to show them to the crowd, and held them up to the applauses of the onlookers, who strewed handfuls of flowers over them.” On their return home, they rode in a triumphal chariot; the walls of the city were broken down to give them entrance; and in many cities payment was given them out of the public treasury, and they were exempted from taxes.”
Oh look at that, not much has changed, has it? It is not necessarily the applause, the cup or the medal that is the goal. Firstly it is the honour of being crowned the Champ. Then it may be the memorabilia of your cups and trophies. I used to have some for tennis but not of the kind related to a Grand Slam tennis tournament or an Olympic Gold Medal. But beyond the applause and the trophies there is more. I recall when I first read the nature of the garlands for the PanHellenic Games I thought, “What? That is what they were striving to win? A garland which might last a week? You mean that’s it? That’s the prize? Then I read the champion was given the keys of city, riches from the public coffers and tax breaks. Oh ok, now it’s starting to make sense.
I am sure you see the comparison between then and now. The Greek Champion was given the keys of the city, riches from the public coffers and tax breaks. Modern champions, once they are crowned with Olympic Gold Medal glory receive similar perks. Federer, Nadal and Djokovic earn more from sponsorship and endorsements than their winnings from tournaments. Now that Medvedev and runners, boxers and any other athlete has been crowned Olympic Champion (the so called Golden Slam for Djokovic hoped for) the world appears to be their oyster.
Does your mind turn in the direction mine does as I think back to what Paul wrote in the verses before these ones we are analysing? I can’t wait for the day I can talk with Paul. I will one day and you can join me if you wish to. I have a hunch that Paul’s thoughts were more connected than we think. Consider this: he has talked about how all of his efforts in Judaism and keeping the law, persecuting Christians with zeal were like a pile of dung. I am sure Paul knew of the details related to the PanHellenic Games. He must have known of the garlands given out and their value or lack thereof. What, you work hard at achieving this accolade only to have your prize wither and die after a few days? Isn’t there are huge touch of irony to this? Think on the fact that Paul has talked about his human endeavour being worthless. Nothing more than a pile of dung when everything is evaluated. What must Paul have thought of athletes who deprive themselves of fine food and give up culinary delights, train long hours and push their bodies to the limit to win a garland of olives leaves and some flowers which will be gone in a few days?
As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades.
1 Peter 1:24
I am convinced that Paul had exactly that in mind when he wrote these words. The way he has balanced so many of his themes and motifs and brought them along cumulatively in his thought process makes me think this all goes together. The PanHellenic Champions’ garlands are not much better than the pile of dung. All of it when seen in the light of eternity is worthless and temporary. Does that make you think like me of:
That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!
2 Cor 4:16-17
So this has to make you wonder what the Prize is. Oh we haven’t finished yet. There is more to come.
- Don’t forget the ledger.
- Don’t lose sight of the goal.
- Don’t neglect the one thing.
- Don’t let the goal of having the mind of Christ in you fade.
Do you wish to gain the prize at the Olympic games? – Consider the requisite preparations and the consequences: you must observe a strict regimen; must live on food which you dislike; you must abstain from all delicacies; must exercise yourself at the necessary and prescribed times both in heat and in cold; you must drink nothing cooling; take no wine as formerly. . .
Epictetus
Gold medals aren’t really made of gold. They’re made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts.
Dan Gable
We are God’s trophy and prize. Remember this when you experience difficulty because God is polishing you, His cherished prize.
Lavonia Grabau
When you listen and read one thinker, you become a clone… two thinkers, you become confused… ten thinkers, you’ll begin developing your own voice… two or three hundred thinkers you become wise and develop your voice.
Timothy J Keller
Loved this……thanks Ian! Yep, I think I think you nailed it!!!!
Thanks Lloyd for you comment. I think so and there is more to come in following Gems. Some time we will have to have a face to face meeting. When Covid levels are sufficient for that then let’s make it happen. In the meantime I will keep producing the Gems and Nuggets and teaching Deeper Bible. I am delighted that tomorrow at 10.30 am the first US based class of Deeper Bible 101 will be run by Mark Spencer in Massachusetts (6.30 pm their time). a significant moment for Berean Insights and Deeper Bible. I am still waiting for when we can begin DB 701 here in Auckland and Online. It has been delayed a couple of times already due to Covid lockdown levels. But it will start one way or another on Oct 18th.
Loved it. I did think that the leaves were pretty feeble.
Would it be fair to say that all who finish achieve the goal but only 3 receive the prize.
Yes, when I first understood that the ancient prize for all four Pan Greek Games were garlands of leaves and flowers I thought how lame. Who would go to all that effort to win a wreath of olive leaves. Phooey. But of course it’s the accolade and applause and riches beyond that are enticing. But hand on a moment, how do they really stack up in the grand scheme of things? Not well, dung, leaves, flowers, riches. It all fades.
Oh yes we haven’t finished yet. as I said in a recent Gem – Gold, Silver, Bronze and “I came fourth” . . . Mmm bears thinking about. and we will.
It’s not hard to tell you’re enjoying the exegesis of Philippians and writing your Gems, Ian! Thanks for all you’re doing! Keep ’em comin’, my dear Bro!
You are right Bruce. I love getting into the Word of God at this depth; a spinoff from Deeper Bible. I delight in working my way through a book of the Bible and applying all my skills to digging deeper into the text before me at a level I have not previously done before . Of course I delight sharing it with all and sundry as well to show them the amazing depth of the Bible and to exemplify what I teach in Deeper Bible. I will indeed keep them coming Bruce as long as you and others keep reading them.