One commentator cuts the Gordian knot by asserting simply that the word "wrestling"

must mean in this one instance "fighting". Such a method cannot, however, be allowed.

Truth will not be served by twisting the meaning of words to suit our conception of what

is right and fitting, but by humbly bowing to the Divine choice of word and type,

and patiently seeking a scriptural reason for the apparent difficulty. We therefore leave

Eph. 6: for the moment to gather information elsewhere in the epistles of Paul.

Let us look again at II Tim. 2:  The apostle passes easily from the figure of the

"soldier" to the "athlete". The word translated "strive for masteries" is athleo, and is

found only in this chapter. The great "fight of afflictions" of Heb. 10: 32 is athlesis, and

the context is entirely devoted to the alternatives of "going on unto perfection" or of

"drawing back unto waste" (for this translation see Matt. 26: 8). Sunathleo is found

only in Phil. 1: 27 and 4: 3 where it is translated "striving together for the faith of the

gospel" and, "laboured with me in the gospel". Now II Timothy is the epistle of the

"crown", Philippians the epistle of the "prize", and Hebrews the epistle concerning those

who, like Caleb and Joshua, being over 20 years of age, nevertheless "ran with patience

the race set before them".

The only features which the apostle brings forward in II Timothy as characteristic of

the "good soldier" equally characterize the "athlete", the "wrestler", and the "runner".

With this fact evident before us, are we not compelled to admit that this self-same

limitation is intended in Eph. 6:, and that we must there, as elsewhere, see the contender

in the games, the wrestler, and the overcomer?

Perhaps the word that sums up the idea more clearly than any other is "endure". It

comes in two forms in II Tim. 2: "Endure hardness" and "Suffer trouble" of verses 3

and 9 are translations of kakopatheo, which recurs in 4: 5 and links the ministry of the

evangelist with the service of the soldier and the endurance of the athlete. In chapter 4:

is a very definite wielding of the sword of the Spirit which required all the courage of the

soldier and the endurance of the athlete.

The other word for endure in chapter 2: is found in verses 10 and 12: "I endure" and

"If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him." This Greek word is hupomeno, literally "to

remain under": as the noun hupomone it is translated "patience". Patiently enduring evil

is apparently one of the last thoughts of those militant wagers of prayer warfare, whose

demands and assertions in "prayer" have to be heard to be believed possible. Note the

contrast between the fervid and well-nigh frenzied language used at one of these

meetings (when the air is being cleansed of satanic powers, or the deliverance of a dupe

of the devil is afoot) with the "bearing up under evil" and the "gentleness" and

"meekness" which is the scriptural requirement of II Tim. 2: 24-26.

In II Tim. 4: 7 the apostle says: "I have fought a good fight." The word "fight" is

agon, and "to fight" is agonizomai. The same is true of I Tim. 6: 12: "Fight the good

fight of faith", where agon and agonizomai are used. Heb. 12: 1 uses the same word

agon, where it is translated "race": "Let us run with patience the race that is set before