300. And a crown was given to him. This symbolizes a token of their combat.

A crown symbolizes a token of combat because in ancient times kings wore crowns into battle, as can be seen from historical accounts, and to some degree from 2 Samuel 1:10, where we read that a man said to David concerning Saul, that when Saul was about to die in battle, he took the crown upon his head and the armlets upon his arms. And from what is related about the king in Rabbah and David in 2 Samuel 12:29-30.

Moreover, because trials or temptations are the kind of spiritual battles which the martyrs endured, therefore they were given crowns as tokens of their combat (no. 103).

It is apparent from this that a crown here symbolizes a token of their combat, on which account the statement also follows, "and he went out conquering and to conquer."

103. "'And I will give you the crown of life.'" This symbolically means that they will then have eternal life, their reward for overcoming.

Because the subject is temptations or trials until death, they are told that they will be given the crown of life, such as was given to martyrs who were faithful until death. Moreover, because the martyrs hoped for it, they were therefore given crowns after their death, which was a symbolic reward for their overcoming. They appear still with their crowns in heaven, as I have been granted to see.