Therefore, 4:9-4:13 shows through illustrative metaphor and figurative language what Paul’s vision of discipleship is, and what sort of imitation (mimesis) he is calling the Corinthians to live out. Castelli argues Paul’s mimesis and father language in 4:14-21 is used to maintain hierarchy and social order. However, Paul’s description of apostolic suffering for the sake of Christ is actually opposite the sort of world view metropolitan city Corinth held at the time.
Dale Martin argues it is this portrait of lowly, suffering apostolic life in 4:9-13 that sets up Paul’s claim to fatherhood and mimesis in 4:14-21. The former section advocates for a position of “low status”, which is what Paul uses his role as an authoritative figure to ask them to imitate. Paul does use patriarchal rhetoric, which Castelli rightly focuses on, but Paul …show more content…
However, while Paul does send Timothy to the Corinthians to “remind you of my ways in Christ Jesus, as I teach them everywhere in every church” (4:17) the goal isn’t to make Pauline clones for the sake of Paul’s glory, but to model embodied discipleship. The way this verse is translated can obscure this point, however. Thiselton argues the phrase “my ways in Christ Jesus” is better translated “the patterns of life which I live in Christ Jesus.” Furthermore, “hodos” which gets translated as “ways” primarily means “road” or “journey”. This understanding of hodos sets it as an equivalent to “halakhah”, a rabbinic word meaning “walking”. “Walking” in Hebrew-Christian background does not merely refer to physical action, but a deeper more continuous lifestyle or pattern of life which has an element of moral rightness; to “walk” in the ways of righteousness combines right thought and right action. This Hebrew background to the phrase emphasizes the link between talking and living, both which are required to be faithful (pistos) followers of
Dale Martin argues it is this portrait of lowly, suffering apostolic life in 4:9-13 that sets up Paul’s claim to fatherhood and mimesis in 4:14-21. The former section advocates for a position of “low status”, which is what Paul uses his role as an authoritative figure to ask them to imitate. Paul does use patriarchal rhetoric, which Castelli rightly focuses on, but Paul …show more content…
However, while Paul does send Timothy to the Corinthians to “remind you of my ways in Christ Jesus, as I teach them everywhere in every church” (4:17) the goal isn’t to make Pauline clones for the sake of Paul’s glory, but to model embodied discipleship. The way this verse is translated can obscure this point, however. Thiselton argues the phrase “my ways in Christ Jesus” is better translated “the patterns of life which I live in Christ Jesus.” Furthermore, “hodos” which gets translated as “ways” primarily means “road” or “journey”. This understanding of hodos sets it as an equivalent to “halakhah”, a rabbinic word meaning “walking”. “Walking” in Hebrew-Christian background does not merely refer to physical action, but a deeper more continuous lifestyle or pattern of life which has an element of moral rightness; to “walk” in the ways of righteousness combines right thought and right action. This Hebrew background to the phrase emphasizes the link between talking and living, both which are required to be faithful (pistos) followers of