What prize did winners receive in the athletic games of Paul's day?
In Paul's day, winners of athletic games received a wreath made of plant leaves, not a gold or silver medal. This crown was corruptible and quickly withered, contrasting with the incorruptible reward that believers pursue. That wreath had no lasting value; it died.
Les explains that in Paul's day, athletes competed in foot races and disciplined their bodies, maintaining a balance of rest and food, but the prize was only a corruptible crown. They received no gold or silver medal, only a wreath made of plant leaves. By the time they returned home, it had withered and was good only for pressing between book pages. In contrast, believers run for an incorruptible reward, an eternal prize. Les reflects that if people could glimpse eternity, 70 years would seem as nothing.