1 Corinthians 11:1-10: a reflection

1Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ. 2Now I praise you, brothers, that you remember me in all things, and hold firm the traditions, even as I delivered them to you. 3But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 4Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. 5But every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered dishonors her head. For it is one and the same thing as if she were shaved. 6For if a woman is not covered, let her hair also be cut off. But if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or be shaved, let her be covered. 7For a man indeed ought not to have his head covered, because he is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man. 8For man is not from woman, but woman from man; 9for man wasn’t created for the woman, but woman for the man. 10For this cause the woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.

Paul opens with a striking invitation: to imitate him as he imitates Christ, following the example of one who follows Christ, and so learning to imitate Christ himself. Be imitators of me, Paul writes, even as I also am of Christ. Paul does not simply set himself up as an example to follow; he sets himself up as an example only insofar as he follows Christ. Imitate me, he says, as I imitate Christ. The aim is not finally to imitate Paul, but to imitate Christ; and one way we learn to do so is by following the example of those who themselves follow Christ. This shows the call to imitate Christ, following the example of those who follow him. Imitate Christ, following the example of those who follow him. Follow good examples only insofar as they follow Christ. The aim is to imitate Christ himself, the pattern for our lives. Learn to follow Christ by watching those who follow him.

Notice the careful shape of Paul's invitation. He does not simply say, imitate me, as though he were the final pattern; he says, imitate me as I imitate Christ. Paul offers himself as an example only insofar as he himself follows Christ; the final pattern is not Paul, but Christ, and Paul is worth imitating only where he imitates him. This holds wisdom about examples and about our aim. On the one hand, it is good and helpful to follow the example of others who follow Christ; we learn much about following Christ by watching those who do it well, imitating their faith, their love, their obedience. Good examples help us; we do well to find and follow them. On the other hand, we follow them only insofar as they follow Christ; the final pattern for our lives is not any human example, however good, but Christ himself. We imitate others where they imitate Christ, and our aim in all of it is to become like Christ. This keeps us from either despising good examples or making idols of them: we follow those who follow Christ, in order to follow Christ. We do well to learn from the example of those who follow Christ, and so to grow in imitating Christ himself, our final pattern. Imitate Christ, learning from the example of those who follow him. Follow good examples insofar as they follow Christ, who is the pattern. Do not make idols of examples, nor despise them; use them to follow Christ. Your aim in all things is to become like Christ himself.

That is worth taking to heart, for we are to imitate Christ, learning from the example of those who follow him, as Paul invited others to imitate him only as he imitated Christ. We can either despise good examples or make idols of them; but Paul offered himself as an example only insofar as he followed Christ. Christ is the pattern. Learn from the example of those who follow Christ, but follow them only as they follow him, with your aim always to become like Christ himself. Imitate Christ, learning from the example of those who follow him but following them only insofar as they follow Christ, with your aim always to become like Christ himself, as Paul opened with a striking invitation, to imitate him even as he imitated Christ, offering himself as an example only insofar as he followed Christ; for Paul does not simply set himself up as an example to follow but sets himself up as an example only insofar as he follows Christ, saying imitate me as I imitate Christ, so that the aim is not finally to imitate Paul but to imitate Christ, and one way we learn to do so is by following the example of those who themselves follow Christ, which holds wisdom about examples and about our aim, since on the one hand it is good and helpful to follow the example of others who follow Christ, learning much about following Christ by watching those who do it well and imitating their faith, love, and obedience, so that good examples help us and we do well to find and follow them, and on the other hand we follow them only insofar as they follow Christ, since the final pattern for our lives is not any human example however good but Christ himself, so that we imitate others where they imitate Christ and our aim in all of it is to become like Christ, which keeps us from either despising good examples or making idols of them, so that we do well to learn from the example of those who follow Christ and grow in imitating Christ himself.

Lord, Paul opens with a striking invitation: to imitate him as he imitates Christ, following the example of one who follows you, and so learning to imitate you yourself. Be imitators of me, Paul writes, even as I also am of Christ. Paul does not simply set himself up as an example to follow; he sets himself up as an example only insofar as he follows you. Imitate me, he says, as I imitate Christ. The aim is not finally to imitate Paul, but to imitate you; and one way I learn to do so is by following the example of those who themselves follow you. Show me the careful shape of Paul's invitation. He does not simply say, imitate me, as though he were the final pattern; he says, imitate me as I imitate Christ. He offers himself as an example only insofar as he himself follows you; the final pattern is not Paul, but you, and Paul is worth imitating only where he imitates you. This holds wisdom about examples and about my aim. On the one hand, it is good and helpful to follow the example of others who follow you; I learn much about following you by watching those who do it well, imitating their faith, their love, their obedience. Good examples help me. On the other hand, I follow them only insofar as they follow you; the final pattern for my life is not any human example, however good, but you yourself. I imitate others where they imitate you, and my aim in all of it is to become like you. This keeps me from either despising good examples or making idols of them. Take that to my heart. Help me learn from the example of those who follow you, Lord, following them only insofar as they follow you, with my aim always to become like you yourself, the final pattern for my life, so that in all things I grow in imitating you.