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The O.T. provides us with many instances of the figurative use of a crown. In
Job 31: 36, Job appears to gather up his rectitude and to declare that in spite of all that
may be said against him he would wear it as his crown. The book of Proverbs speaks of a
virtuous woman being a crown to her husband, and children's children being the crown
of old men. A head of white hair is said to be a crown of glory, if it be found in the way
of righteousness.
Crowns were associated with festivals and weddings and the apocrypha speaks of a
crown of rosebuds, and a crown of rejoicing: "He that resisteth pleasures crowneth his
life" (Ecclus. 19:5). The words of Shakespeare in Henry VIII: "No day without a deed
to crown it", are suggestive of the meaning of this crown of life, this crown of
righteousness. It seems fitting that Paul's crown should be a crown of righteousness, for
Paul is the exponent of righteousness in the New Testament.
Dikaiosune, "righteousness" receives its fullest exposition in his epistles. The apostle
who alone used the glorious words "the just shall live by faith", who fought against any
attempt to attain righteousness by works of the law and the flesh, nevertheless urged the
believer to adorn the doctrine of God his Saviour, agonized over the believer that his faith
might be perfected, that he should go on unto perfection, that his manner of life should
correspond with his doctrine, and that his walk should be worthy of his calling. It is
fitting therefore that this apostle should look forward to "the crown of righteousness".
This crown, the apostle looked to received "at that day". This fact does not prove that
the apostle Paul did not go straight to glory upon his death, but the analogy of the faith is
all in favour of the doctrine which applies equally to rewards as to resurrection itself,
namely:
"That they without us should not be made perfect" (Heb. 11: 40).
The saints of the Pentecostal dispensation were taught explicitly that they:
"Which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not go before them
which are asleep . . . . . the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them" (I Thess. 4: 15-17).
In the manner of reward, the analogy of the O.T. is in favour of the doctrine that Paul,
with others, will await that day and not receive a reward before others of the same
calling. Caleb and Joshua earned the reward of the inheritance, but they waited
nevertheless the whole forty years of Israel's wandering before they entered into it.
"That day." The apostle had the day of Jesus Christ before him throughout his
ministry, and "that day" would not necessarily suffer a change because a new
dispensation had come into "this day".
"The
day
shall declare it" (I Cor. 3: 13).
"The
day
of the Lord Jesus" (I Cor. 5: 5).
"The
day
of the Lord Jesus" (II Cor. 1: 14).
"The
day
Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1: 6).
"The
day
of Christ" (Phil. 1: 10; 2: 16).