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reserved for military or pugilistic combat, as "Ye fight and war" (James 4: 2) machomai,
"Michael and his angels fought" (Rev. 12: 7) polemeo, "So fight I, not as one that
beateth the air" (I Cor. 9: 26) pulteuo.
The word used to translate agonizomai must be wide enough to include wrestling, and
racing as well as other forms of athletic contest. "To contest" is as good as any that we
know. The word occurs in seven different verbal forms and combinations in the N.T. and
it will be useful to become acquainted with them, as the subject with which it deals lies
very near to the heart of the epistle to the Philippians with its "out resurrection" and its
prize.
(1)
Agon. Six occurrences, all in the epistles of Paul. "Conflict" (Phil. 1: 30; Col. 2: 1);
"Contention" (I Thess. 2: 2); "Fight" (I Tim. 6: 12; II Tim. 4: 7); "Race"
(Heb. 12: 1).
(2)
Agonia. "Agony" (Luke 22: 44).
(3)
Agonizomai. Seven occurrences. Two in Gospels, Five in Paul's Epistles: "Strive"
(Luke 13: 24; I Cor. 9: 25; Col. 1: 29); "Labour fervently" (Col. 4: 12);
"Fight" (John 18: 36; I Tim. 6: 12; II Tim. 4: 7).
(4)
Antagonizomai. "Striving against" (Heb. 12: 4).
(5)
Epagonizomai. "Earnestly contend for" (Jude 3).
(6)
Katagonizomai. "Subdued" (Heb. 11: 33).
(7)
Sunagonizomai. "Strive together" (Rom. 15: 30).
In Heb. 12: 1 we observe the word agon is translated "race", and that in the fourth
verse we have the word antagonizomai "striving against". Let us read the passage:
"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses
(Gk. martus), let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and
let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and
finisher of faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising
the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that
endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in
your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin" (Heb. 12: 1-4).
Here is a conflict, associated with a race, and an endurance even "unto blood". We
think of the "agony" and "bloody sweat" of Luke 22: 44, and are sent back to
Hebrews, chapter 5:, where the conflict and triumph of Gethsemane is used to encourage
the believer to "go on unto perfection" (Heb. 5: 7-9; 6: 1), remembering that the word
"finisher" in Heb. 12: 2 is teleiotes "perfecter" and belonging to the same family as "I
have finished" (teleo). The "crown" of II Tim. 4: and the "joy" and "the seat at the
right hand" of Heb. 12: carry the subject forward, while the relation of "perfecting",
"pressing to a goal" and "prize" of Phil. 3: shows how much this theme is interwoven
in the epistles of Paul. When we turn to I Cor. 9: 25, where agonizomai is translated
strive, we are in the atmosphere of the Greek games. "The prize" is "a crown"
(I Cor. 9: 24, 25) even as "the prize" in view in Phil. 3: and "the crown" in view in
II Tim. 4:, are the same.
In no passage where we read of contest, conflict, race, crown or prize is salvation or
dispensational position in view. Salvation can neither be won nor lost. Membership of