2 Timothy 4:8

Ver. 8. Henceforth (λοιπὸν, quod reliquum est, Beza) there is laid up (or aside, ἀπόκειταί, reserved) for me the crown of righteousness; not a crown merely, but the crown that which is associated with righteousness, either as its proper object or its destined possession. A return is made to the figure of the contest; and as the victor in each particular species of game wrestling, running, etc. got the crown appropriated to it, so the apostle designates his reward as the crown of righteousness: therefore the righteous crown, or the crown which by divine appointment belongs to it, which is (prospectively) its own. In plain words, it is that kind and measure of bliss which the wrestler in righteousness alone is either entitled or prepared to enjoy the destiny, as it is put in Revelation 3:21, to share in Christ's throne, as having previously shared in His triumph over sin. It is reserved, therefore, till this triumph is completed; and then, in that day, the terminating point of the believer's struggles and exertions, it shall be awarded by the Lord as the judge the righteous judge or arbiter of the contest. Considered in the light of a recompense, the future inheritance of bliss and glory is fitly connected with the Lord's righteousness or justice as it is also elsewhere (2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 3:6; Ephesians 6:8, etc.) because the bestowal of it shall be in accordance with the just and holy principles on which the divine government is conducted toward men. Yet grace is not hereby superseded or made of no account. On the contrary, it is regarded as the basis on which the whole administration of reward proceeds in the kingdom of Christ. It is an economical arrangement, made by God in Christ for carrying out the purposes of His salvation; but as the salvation itself, so the bestowal of reward connected with it, is all of grace to be thankfully received, but never to be claimed as a debt. For without the Spirit of grace working both to will and to do in them that believe, there could be neither righteousness nor reward; and so, while those who, as partakers of grace, have faithfully done their part here, shall all, like the apostle, in the great day receive their crowns from the Lord, they shall again lay them at His feet, in lowly and grateful acknowledgment of the source whence they have been derived, ascribing to Him, as alone worthy, the honour and the glory (Revelation 4:10; Revelation 5:9-10). (Comp. Delitzsch on Hebrews 6:10.)

The apostle gracefully concludes by noticing this participation of others with him in the anticipated good: the crown which the Lord the righteous judge shall award, he says, not only to me, indeed, but to all those that love His appearing ἠγαπηκόσι τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν αὐτοῦ, the second appearing, doubtless, as the connection requires; and the action of the loving being put in the perfect, betokens it as a thing commenced in the past, but continuing on till the proper completion is reached: who have fixed their love on His appearing, and so still love (Winer, Gr. § 40:4, b). A remarkable characteristic! How rarely is it possessed by believers as it ought to be! If they might justly be represented as loving Christ, yet how seldom should we think of describing them as loving precisely His appearing when He shall come to wind up the affairs of His administration, and distribute to every one as his case may be! To love Him in this particular aspect bespeaks not only faith, but such a full assurance of faith and hope in Him as casts out fear, and carries with it the confidence that, when He appears, we shall also appear with Him in glory. Why should the followers of Christ fail of this peaceful and loving anticipation, when even Old Testament believers hailed the prospect of the Lord's appearing to judgment with songs of joy and hope? (Psalms 94:11; Psalms 94:13; Psalms 98:9)