Stephanie Adcox’s Name
Stephanie’s name is Stephanie for the following reasons. (1) We like the name. (2) In the New Testament we read several times about the crown awarded to the victor. In 1 Cor. 9.25 it is the reward for victory in the ancient Greek athletic contests. That crown was actually a wreath made of various leafy branches. Some of you may remember the winners in the 2004 Olympic Games wearing such a crown of victory as they stood on the winners’ platform. All the uses of this crown of victory are based on this wreath awarded to athletes, or to anyone to be honored. Sometimes this wreath was made of gold.
In Phil. 4.1, Paul calls his readers his beloved brothers, his joy and crown. They would be his crown of victory before the Lord at the end of this age. In the same vein Paul asks in 1 Thess. 2.19, “Who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting. Is it not even you, before our Lord Jesus at his coming?” He writes in 2 Tim. 4.8 that there is a crown of righteousness laid up for him and for all who have loved the appearing of the Lord Jesus. James adds in his epistle that there is a crown of life for those who persevere and are approved and who love God (1.12). Peter’s addition comes in 1 Pt. 5.4 in the statement that when the Chief Shepherd appears, the elders who have served well will receive an unfading crown of glory. Finally, the Lord Jesus himself says in Rev. 2.10 that to those who are faithful unto death he will give the crown of life. He adds in Rev. 3.11 that the crown can be lost: “Hold fast what you have, that no one take your crown.”
This crown that plays so prominent a role in the New Testament’s encouragements to be faithful to the Lord to the end is that wreath of victory. The Greek word for this wreath or crown is stephanos, from which we get the names Stephen and Stephanie. We gave this name to our baby daughter with the declaration that she is our beloved, our joy, and our crown, and with the prayer that she may one day receive the crown of victory, of righteousness, of life, of glory from the hands of our Lord Jesus, and God give us grace to receive it with her.
