“And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.”
And as an athlete, one is not crowned unless one competes according to the rules — the athletic metaphor: victory requires both striving (agōnizomai) and rule-observance (nomos). Lawful struggle alone earns the stephanos (wreath).
Church Fathers on 2 Timothy 2:5
The young sailor at sea is inspired with great confidence, if the Master of the ship has been preserved in a shipwreck. For he will not consider that it is from his inexperience that he is exposed to the storm, but from the nature of things; and this has no little effect upon his mind. In war also the Captain, who sees his General wounded and recovered again, is much encouraged. And thus it produces some consolation to the faithful, that the Apostle should have been exposed…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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