2 Timothy 2:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What does "unless lawfully" mean? It is not enough for him to enter the contest, anoint himself, or meet the opponent. Unless he observes all the laws of wrestling concerning food, self-control, purity, the very place of combat, and in general everything proper to combatants, he will not receive the crown. See Paul's wisdom. He reminds Timothy of wrestling and soldiers both so that he may be ready for death, slaughter, and bloodshed, and so that he may instill firmness in him, that he may endure everything courageously and always remain in the struggle.

That is, it is not enough to enter the contest, or to anoint oneself, or to meet the opponent, if a man does not observe the laws of the contest regarding food, drink, self-control, and the very manner of wrestling. For one is not left free to compete however he wishes. There are laws concerning this, the laws of the games. See Paul's wisdom. He reminds Timothy of the soldier to show that he must be ready for wounds and death. He reminds him of the wrestler to strengthen him for everything and to keep him constantly in the struggle.

If you entrust yourself to a man adorned with many virtues, you will become heir to the good things in him and will be most blessed before God and men. But if, sparing your body, you seek out a teacher indulgent to your passions, or rather one who falls with you, then you entered the struggle of renunciation of the world in vain. You have given yourself over to a passionate life, taken a blind guide for yourself, and are drawing near to the pit.

There can be no lawful struggle if there is no opponent. Therefore, if there were no adversary, there would be no crown. Victory does not exist by itself if there is no one being overcome. Cf. 2 Tim 2:5.

Having the gifts of the Spirit, receive also the Spirit, so that you may not only strive, but strive lawfully. From Him, as a reward for life, may this crown also be given to you: to confess the Spirit perfectly, and with us and before us to preach Him worthily.

The wrestler, or athlete, who enters the contest cannot receive a crown unless he competes according to the law of the contest. That is, he must win the struggle according to the rules of the games and in the established way. Likewise those who confess the Gospel teaching cannot receive the crown of victory unless, having entered the struggle with hidden sorrows, they gain the victory and are found worthy through the open persecutions raised against them. Beloved, listen: the wrestler in the contest closes his mouth. You also close your mouth to everything superfluous, and you will have hope.

The wrestler of Christ is not crowned if he struggles unlawfully, if he does not receive blows, if his face is not bruised, and if he keeps it from much blood. Bruises deserve the crown. Pain deserves glory.

Receive also another point: what is the world if not a contest filled with struggles? Hence in the Apocalypse the Lord says: “To the one who overcomes I will give the crown of life” (Rev 2:10).

And Paul says: “I have fought the good fight” (2 Tim 4:7). Elsewhere he says: “If anyone competes, he is not crowned unless he competes lawfully.”

Therefore, does not the one who arranges contests in this age prepare everything necessary for the struggle? When the sacred bands of the rewards are ready, he calls the athletes to fight for the crown.

This is so that the future victor may not wait, but depart after receiving the reward.

Therefore man’s rewards are the fruits of the earth and the lights of heaven. The former are for use in the present life, the latter for the hope of eternal life.

Ascetic struggle also has certain laws according to which ascetics must strive. Whoever does not wage the struggle according to these laws does not receive crowns. Thus the Apostle showed that a valiant soldier is free from other cares, and that a courageous ascetic strives lawfully and is crowned when he strives lawfully. Then he presented another image, in which benefit is joined to labor.

Even if someone has prepared for combat, and even entered the struggle, and has already met the opponent, if he has not fulfilled everything required of combatants, if he wrestles contrary to the rules of combat, and if he prevails in an unlawful manner, he will not receive the crown. The soldier and the athlete were needed here as examples: the first as an encourager in dangers, and the second as one who teaches courageous endurance of the assaults of temptations in difficult circumstances.

Whoever desires to suppress the natural desires of the flesh must first hasten to conquer the vices that lie outside our nature. For if we wish to experience the force of the apostolic saying, we must first learn the laws and rules of worldly athletic struggle. Then, by comparison with them, we may understand what the holy Apostle wished to teach us by this example, as we strive in the spiritual arena.

One must know that the Apostle is speaking precisely about ascetic contest in the arena (cf. 1 Cor 9:24-27).

The Apostle’s thought is this. A wrestler, or athlete, on the spectacle arena receives the reward and is crowned only when he competes according to all the rules of the contest.

He must begin, continue, and finish the struggle exactly as was agreed and prescribed concerning it.

So also the laborer of the Church, for the work of his Gospel and pastorship, cannot expect to receive a worthy reward merely because he begins his activity with zeal and courage.

He may expect it when he continues and finishes it in the same manner. To begin well is characteristic even of many people, but a good end belongs to very few.

The second example is to look at the one who enters a contest in the arena. Here is the second aspect of pastoral zeal.

By the example of the soldier, it was suggested: having left everything, give yourself wholly to zealous pastorship. By this example of the athlete entering struggle and contest, it is suggested: be zealous with your whole soul for pastorship, but be zealous lawfully, properly, and reasonably.

Unreasonable zeal for pastorship, which goes beyond limits, brings no benefit and deserves no reward. It is like a combatant who is not crowned because he does not conduct the struggle as he should and does not keep the laws appointed for it.