In Paris, France, over the last 2½ weeks, on tracks and trampolines, on wrestling mats and around the velodrome, in swimming pools and along stretches of the River Siene, the world’s best athletes competed against each other, taking part in a tradition that spans millenniums.

The Olympic Games began in the eighth century b.c. Ever since, they have captured the attention of sports enthusiasts and most anyone else who has watched them.

The modern Olympics transcend typical sports markets and captivate worldwide attention as little else can. That is partly because they give spectators a feeling of being connected with a global community. It is partly because they offer a riveting microcosmic view of national rivalries. But the main reason so many tune in so enthusiastically is simply to see the unmatched athletic excellence showcased.

In ancient Greece, many Olympians strove to emulate the traits of Homeric warriors. Many of these early participants lived during times of peace, but they were inspired by stories about the strength of Ajax, the speed of Achilles, the vigor of Ulysses, and the arete—which means “excellence” and “character”—of men like Diomedes. The desire of the ancient Greeks to demonstrate such warrior ideals, even during peacetime, drove many to compete in the Olympics. Through dazzling feats and competitions, they pursued glory on the field of athletics instead of the field of battle.

In our modern era of technology, athletes are striving to eclipse records against the stopwatch and measuring tape. And they’re still pursuing precise, exacting excellence. Their quest pits them against not only their contemporary competitors but also every athlete who has lived and set records before them. This ambitious pursuit cannot be undertaken without great quantities of arete.

This pursuit of elite-level athleticism is inspiring to see, and the Bible draws on this inspiration to teach Christians profound lessons. In the first century a.d., when the Apostle Paul was writing his epistles, the Olympic Games were enormously popular. Paul’s familiarity with various competitive sports spawned a few of his most effective analogies.

Every four years, a set of games called the Isthmian Games were held in the narrow part of the Isthmus of Corinth. These were exactly like the Olympic Games in all points except location. The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary points out that Paul’s sports analogies would have especially impacted Church members in Corinth because of these Isthmian Games: “[The Isthmian games] were to the Greeks rather a passion than a mere amusement: hence their suitableness as an image of Christian earnestness. [These competitions were] a subject of patriotic pride to the Corinthians, who lived in the immediate neighborhood.”

The Apostle Paul was clearly aware of the games and their enormous popularity, and he told Church members in Corinth that the life of a Christian must be similar to these athletes’ quest for victory. In 1 Corinthians 9:24, he wrote: “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.”

Paul also pointed out that the stakes for an aspiring Christian are far, far higher than those of an athlete. “… Now they [these Olympic athletes] do it [push themselves] to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.”

He stressed that the Olympians are working hard to receive an award that will eventually turn to dust—but a Christian is striving for real life that lasts forever.

Paul went on to explain that he exerted himself to the utmost so that he would not fail to secure that incorruptible crown of eternal life. “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” (verses 26-27).

This passage is just one of several where the Apostle Paul pointed his Christian brothers to the finest athletes of their day. It was an analogy he often employed because these athletes, like today’s contenders in Paris, were brimming with passion, zeal and a deep-rooted drive to demonstrate arete in their sport—real excellence and character—even though it required them to bring their bodies into subjection with the most arduous training regimens and self-discipline.

The Bible makes plain that zeal is fundamental to the life of a Christian (e.g. Isaiah 59:17). And self-discipline is an absolute necessity for someone who’s striving to live like Christ (e.g. Proverbs 25:28). The Bible also reveals, in passages like Colossians 3:23, that Christians must struggle to invest their hearts deeply into all that they do. And it shows in places like Matthew 5:48 that they must strive to become perfect. Philippians 4:4 shows that a Christian must do all this with joy.

It is true that Olympic competitions can often become a microcosm of the rivalries between nations and bring out the selfishness and aggression of athletes. But this world-class athleticism can also occasion the noblest zeal and passion—and it can showcase the heights that the human spirit is capable of achieving.

The next time you join the hundreds of millions who watch the Olympic Games, consider the self-discipline required for these elite athletes to have achieved such mastery over themselves—and remember the spiritual parallels.