The Isthmian Games

Elite athletes have my deepest respect. They pay a high price for being at the pinnacle of their chosen field.

Going for gold demands sacrifice, years of rigorous training, early morning starts, strict diets (yuck), punishing routines (double yuck), random drug tests (requiring fantastic aim), and a whittled down social life.

But, even if athletes never set foot on the dais, at least they’re rewarded with perfectly sculpted, Instagram worthy bodies. Except for clay pigeon sharpshooters, hammer throwers and shot putters. They can afford to be a bit on the chunky side. It might even be advantageous to some degree.

Watching the 2020 Olympics, televised this year in July ’21 was a welcome distraction during lockdown. At night, my family kept vigil by our lounge room telly.

Late one evening we tuned into the Women’s High Jump final. Naturally, our hearts were gunning for our gal in the green and gold—Nicola McDermott. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi.

Our 6 foot 2 inch contender screeched like a banshee whenever she cleared the bar and we matched her wild screams in pitch and volume. Then she’d saunter off to scribble in a notebook. Odd, right?

When she did it the first time, I immediately took a shine to her. Anyone with a journal and pen on hand has my vote. We writers need to stick together.

Of course, such unusual behavior begged the question. What was Nicola McDermott writing in her journal? Metaphysical poetry? A grocery list? A break out novel? As it turned out, she was rating herself on different aspects of each jump like the take-off or the run-up.

Then she chose one area to hone in on for her next jump—a psychological strategy that helped her focus.

I think I unclogged my sinuses from cheering, swaying and thigh slapping elation. Especially when McDermott cleared 2.02 metres; something no other Aussie woman has jumped before. Onya, Nicola.

In the end, she won the silver in a dazzling performance.

So, we’d backed an Olympic champion, and later I discovered much to my delight, a devoted Christian as well. (Duh! She was wearing a gold cross on a chain the whole time she competed).

Like most believers, Nicola reads the Bible of a morning for inspiration and peace. And for further encouragement with her jumps, she’d write a short bible verse on her wrist.

Identity in Jesus

I applaud McDermott. She’s made some profound discoveries for one so young. Consider her insight. “I pursued sport so hard until I was 20 that I thought that was what would make me happy – once I was an Olympian, once I reached something, then I’d be happy.

I got to a level where I had everything I ever dreamed of, but I was still dissatisfied – I realised I had put my identity into performance and achievement.

Faith for me was realising that I am loved regardless of performance – high jumping is simply a way to connect me to God.”   (Pender 2021; para 17)

Nice one, Nicola.

Paul and the Isthmian Games

Let’s wind the clock back to the spring of AD 51. The apostle Paul was smack bang in the middle of Corinth, a city abuzz with another set of games. Hordes of people from all over Greece and Rome converged in Isthmia, (located right next door to Corinth), for the Isthmian games.

These games were second only to the Olympic Games, and held on alternate summers in a venue complete with a main stadium, theatre and hippodrome.

For the majority of spectators and athletes, sturdy tents planted on surrounding fields were the norm for temporary accommodation. Skilled in leatherwork, Paul produced and sold his tents to those attending the games, And in this hotspot of great national activity, he seized the opportunities to preach the gospel.

Athletes competed in foot races, wrestling, long jump, boxing, discus and javelin. Later, additional events were included such as horseracing, chariot racing, poetry reading, drama, singing, heralding, playing instruments and painting.

Qualifications, training and discipline

Slaves could not compete, only freemen could register. Competitors had to prove to appointed officers that they had undergone the ten months of preliminary training to qualify. Even then, prospective candidates had to attend the exercises at the gymnasium for 30 days prior to the contests.

In a culture obsessed with athletic competition, Paul took advantage of using sports analogies in his teaching and writing.

I therefore so run, not as uncertainly, so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.   1 Cor 9:26 & 27

We are to run our race with focus and with our eyes on the prize. We can’t afford to be distracted. Looking to the left or the right of us during a race could prove costly.

Running a race requires sacrificing time and energy through arduous training. The spiritual race we run is no different. What are we prepared to do in order to win at life?

We need to be self-controlled in our personal lives to be victorious. There’s no room for unfocussed, half-committed, lazy believers.

If you’re not stirred by that analogy, perhaps a more violent one will do the trick. The second image Paul paints is that of the competitive boxer, not a shadow boxer that ducks and weaves at nothing but air.

The expression ‘I keep under my body’ means ‘I discipline my body’. It contains the harsh ideas of buffeting, bruising or giving a black eye.

In the Isthmian games, boxers wore gloves or wrapped their knuckles with ox-hide straps knotted with nails, lead and iron. To prepare for brutal boxing events, a boxer conditioned himself to endure all forms of physical abuse.

Athletes boxed for up to 4 hours until one competitor was knocked out, or one boxer signaled defeat by raising his index finger.

The Christian life can often be as brutal as fighting in a boxing match.

It requires discipline, fortitude and toughness. We have to train ourselves to lead lives of godliness. Follow Paul’s example. He fought himself so that his own body was subject to his will. He made his own body his slave and told it what to do.

Castaway

lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.          1 Cor 9:27b

Castaway means disqualified.

As in any competition there are prizes to be won, competitors must abide by the rules or face the shame of disqualification.

For the Isthmian games, athletes gathered in the underground cave of the Palaimon. There, athletes took a solemn oath to follow the rules and not to cheat.

For our own spiritual race, we too have rules and guidelines which we follow—God’s Holy Word—the Bible, until we cross the finish line of life.

Motivation – To win the crown – a symbol of glory and honour

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.   1 Cor 9:24,25

In the Isthmian games, the highly sought after prize was a crown. The crown consisted of green leaves or sprigs of pine or celery. Therefore, over days or weeks, it would eventually shrivel and degrade.

To serve as inspiration, the crown was set on a pillar in plain view of the competitors. Sometimes, it was placed at the end of the racetrack so runners could keep their eyes on the prize.

According to Plutarch, when the victor returned to his own town, he would enter through a breach in the city walls. This symbolized that for a town that was honoured with such a notable citizen, no walls of defence were needed.

Great poets would immortalize his fame in verse, and in all future festivals, he would be given the best seats.

Incorruptible Crown

What is the prize that we strive for in our lives? A crown that will not wilt or fade away.

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith;

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.        2 Timothy  4:6-8

Can you see Jesus at the finish line, cheering you on, clasping an eternal crown for you?

So let’s live every day with the zeal of an Olympic athlete in anticipation of the words we desire to hear.

Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.    Matthew 25:23

Bibliography

Author unspecified. 2021, ‘1 Corinthians 9:24’, Bible Ref. Retrieved 22 September 2021 from

https://www.bibleref.com/1-Corinthians/9/1-Corinthians-9-24.html

Ellicott. 2021, Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers, ‘1 Corinthians 9’, Bible Hub. Retrieved 22 September 2021 from

https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/1_corinthians/9.htm

Gleeson, M. 2021(Updated August 8 2021), ‘Leaping into history: Nicola McDermott wins high jump silver’, The Sydney Morning Herald online. Retrieved 22 September 2021 from

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/athletics/leaping-into-history-nicola-mcdermott-wins-high-jump-silver-20210807-p58grs.html

Gordon, F. 2012, ‘Going for the Gold: The Apostle Paul and the Isthmian Games’, Bible Archaelogy.org. Retrieved 22 September 2021 from

https://biblearchaeology.org/research/contemporary-issues/3009-going-for-the-gold-the-apostle-paul-and-the-isthmian-games

Pender, K. 2021, ‘I do sport, but it’s not who I am’: Nicola McDermott jumping for gold and God in Tokyo’, The Guardian Australia online. Retrieved 22 September 2021 from

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/mar/20/i-do-sport-but-its-not-who-i-am-nicola-mcdermott-jumping-for-gold-and-god-in-tokyo