Paul wants them to be imitators of him in these things, so that just as he has endured many hardships from unbelievers for their salvation and is still doing so as long as he preaches the free gift of God’s grace day and night, so they too ought to remain in his faith and doctrine and not accept the evil teachings of false apostles. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
5. I beseech you, be imitators of me, as I also am of Christ. κάθως κὰγὼ Χριστοῦ, omitted in our version: the Vulgate has it, see 1 Corinthians 11:1 Astonishing! How great is our teacher's boldness of speech! How highly finished the image, when he can even exhort others hereunto! Not that in self-exaltation he does so, but implying that virtue is an easy thing. As if he had said, Tell me not, 'I am not able to imitate you. You are a Teacher, and a great one.' For the difference between me and you is not so great as between Christ and me: and yet I have imitated Him.
On the other hand, writing to the Ephesians, he interposes no mention of himself, but leads them all straight to the one point, Be imitators of God, is his word. Ephesians 5:1 But in this place, since his discourse was addressed to weak persons, he puts himself in by the way.
And besides, too, he signifies that it is possible even thus to imitate Christ. For he who copies the perfect impression of the seal, copies the...
Consider here also, I entreat, the noble soul, the soul more glowing and keener than fire: how he was indeed especially desirous to be present himself with the Corinthians, thus distempered and broken into parties. For he knew well what a help to the disciples his presence was and what a mischief his absence. And the former he declared in the Epistle to the Philippians, saying, Philippians 2:12. καὶ[] om. in rec. text Not as in my presence only, but also now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. The latter he signifies in this Epistle, saying, 78 18 Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you; but I will come. He was urgent, it seems, and desirous to be present himself. But as this was not possible for a time, he corrects them by the promise of his appearance; and not this only, but also by the sending of his disciple. For this, he says, I have sent unto you Timothy. For this cause: how is that? Because I care for you as for childr...
Paul’s real aim was that the Corinthians should imitate Christ. But because of their weakness, he presents himself as an intermediate model to follow. It is only because he imitates Christ that he exhorts the people to imitate him.
