Was Paul a fan of the Olympics?
Yes, the context indicates Paul was a fan of the Olympics because he refers to them often in his writings as illustrations. He draws on Olympic and Isthmian races, athletes, prizes, and training to teach spiritual truths about running for reward and practicing temperance.
Les explains that Paul must have been a fan of the Olympics because he refers to them so often in his writings for analyses and so forth. In Corinth, the games were the Isthmian Games, the second greatest in the Roman world after the Athenian Games, the Olympics. Les teaches that Paul uses this athletic imagery to say believers should run their spiritual race to win, not merely for fun. They run not to obtain salvation—since the carnal Corinthians are addressed as believers and brethren—but to gain reward. Paul also points to the athletes’ training and temperance, showing that temperance means maintaining balance in every area of life, not only avoiding alcohol.