The Imitation of Paul in the Greco-Roman World

Abstract

The interpretation of Paul’s command to imitate him in the New Testament has been widely and variously understood. This work uses close attention to the Hellenistic Jewish context of imitation in Paul’s world and the Latin and Greek epigraphic evidence to demonstrate that imitation was a practical strategy to unite the farflung churches of the early Christian movement. It did not establish Paul as a powerful figure over every church but was limited to those churches personally acquainted with Paul that could know how to conduct themselves by observing Paul’s example.