«Follow God’s example»
The Role of the Mímesis of Eph 5:1-2 in the paraenetic Part of the Reading
Abstract
Eph 5:1-2 marks the beginning of a new section of the reading, not the conclusion of the previous passage. The exhortation to «Follow God’s example», unique in the whole of scripture, introduces a mimetic dynamic which is opposed to the anti-mimetic argumentation of Eph 4: 17-31 («no longer live as the Gentiles do»). From here three variations on the theme of imitation are developed: towards God (5:1-2), in the sponsal relation modeled on Christ and the Church (5:22-33), and in the spiritual battle, where the believer, clothed with divine armor (6:10-20), participates in the strength and the virtues of God.