The Message of Athletic Images Contained in St. Paul’s Epistles
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21906/rbl.255Keywords:
St. Paul, sport, athletic competitions, agonisticsAbstract
In his epistles, St. Paul frequently makes use of athletic imagery, both in relation to sport in general and to specific athletic disciplines (running, boxing, wrestling, gymnastics). However, the use of athletic themes is not an aim in and of itself for St. Paul, but rather it is intended to give specific guidelines to his audience. An exegetic analysis shows that the Apostle to the Nations compares his life and that of other Christians to athletic competitions. The field of these competitions is the way of faith in Jesus in which there are numerous difficulties and obstacles. Hence, the Christian as an athlete who wants to experience eternal life should be persistent, ascetic, practice virtues and prayer, and, most important, his or her task is to have a close relationship with God and the community of believers.
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