SPECIAL TOPIC: CROWNS FOR BELIEVERS IN THE NT

"Crown" refers to an athletic victor's laurel wreath. We get the English name "Stephen" from this Greek word.

A. There are several crowns assigned to believers in the NT:

1. an imperishable crown (1 Cor. 9:25)

2. a crown of righteousness (2 Tim. 4:8)

3. a crown of life (James 1:12; Rev. 2:10; 3:11)

4. a crown of glory (1 Peter 5:4)

5. a crown of gold (Rev. 4:4)

B. There are two crowns assigned to the Messiah.

1. a crown of thorns (cf. Matt. 27:29; Mark 15:17; John 19:2,5)

2. a golden crown (cf. Rev. 14:14)

3. the "crown" mentioned in Rev. 6:2, given to the one who rides on a white house, does not refer to Christ but is connected to the colored horses of judgment

C. Another image using "crown" is Paul's use of churches he founded as effective crown of service

1. Phillipi, Phil. 4:1

2. Thessalonica, 1 thess. 2:19