(I Cor 11:1, Mt 4:19) How was Paul's call similar or different from Jesus' call?

When, say, the Grandmaster Bobby Fischer says to his student-followers: "imitate me, as I imitate the goddess of chess - Caissa". Now, Caissa herself cannot be inspired by any chess-player, for she is the source of inspiration of all chess grandmasters, while herself is not a grandmaster, but the grandmaster-maker. Bobby Fischer is both the inspired one, by Caissa, and also inspirer of other chess talents, but in a secondary manner, as a transmitter to his followers of the features of Caissa which he has gathered and cultivated in himself.

Similarly, Paul will never say, as does the Lord: "If you want to be perfect, sell your possessions, give money to the poor, then follow Me" (Matthew 19:21), but maximum Paul would dare say would be: "If you want to be perfect, take example from me and take the same yoke that I have taken on myself, which is to imitate our Lord Jesus Christ, the only one who can make me and you perfect".

Thus, the distinction is between a) the Source of perfection and goodness (the Lord), and b) the aspirant of becoming as perfect as Father and Him (cf. Matthew 5:49; Ephesians 4:13), but aspirant will never fully exhaust the Lord, and that's why there is infinite growth in Him, infinite rise "from power to power" (Psalm 84:7), infinite reaching forward towards not-yet achieved (Philippians 3:13). While the Lord Jesus Christ is not reaching forward towards anything not-yet achieved and higher, for He is "eternally perfected" (Hebrews 7:28), which means that His perfection is not acquired, but intrinsic and essential.

Context is everything here. There is also a major issue of translation.

• Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

This is Jesus' call to two specific people, Simon Peter and his brother Andrew. In Matthew, it comes right after Jesus has heard the news that John the Baptist has been imprisoned. One can read into this a sense of urgency: Now that John is gone from the scene, Jesus must recruit his own followers to "prepare the way." He invites Peter and Andrew (whom he has already met at John's camp in the Fourth Gospel) to quit their profession and follow him in his ministry to "fish for men." He goes on to give them various instructions as to how they should do this, but does not provide much theological instruction. In Matthew (unlike with Paul's teaching) he tells his disciples to exceed the Pharisees in righteousness before the Law (Mt. 5) They are to witness only to Jews and not even enter a gentile area or Samaritan town. (10:5) There is no mention of his identification as the Messiah until much later. (16:16) This is also the moment when Matthew reports Jesus telling his closest disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and die there.

This passage may also be interpreted as a call to all Christians to become "fishers of men" by witnessing to them. That is an excellent interpretation, but it is quite different from what Paul asks in 1 Cor 11. As we will see, Paul is not talking about following him as an evangelist but imitating his example of balancing freedom in Christ with respect for the sensibilities of those who think they are bound by certain requirements of the Law.

• Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

The word μιμηταί is better translated as "imitators." This is closer to the literal meaning (people who copy), while "follow me" (Δεῦτε ὀπίσω - literally "come after") is correct in Matthew because that is exactly what they did - they put down their nets and followed after him. (Mt. 4:20) Paul invites us to do as he does, rather than to actually follow him in his journey as Christ did with Peter and Andrew.

Paul's context is the issue of freedom from the Law. (see 1 Cor. 10) Paul taught that Christ's death liberated believers from the Law. But Peter still considered himself to be operating under the Jewish dietary Law in Acts 10. Indeed, many Christians still considered themselves bound be certain parts of the law, such as not eating food offered to idols. This is what Paul is talking about in 1 Cor. 10-11. In that context, we should read Paul's invitation as the ending of his previous discourse, rather than the opening of a new chapter or a stand-alone call to discipleship. It concludes his thoughts about freedom and the Law, in which he makes the famous declaration: “Everything is lawful,” but not everything is beneficial" (10:23)

"31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. 32 Avoid giving offense, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in every way, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, that they may be saved. [ch. 11.1] Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Conclusion: In Matthew 4, Jesus called Peter and Andrew to leave their nets and follow him to "fish for men" - bring new people into discipleship. In 1 Cor. 11:1, Paul called people to imitate his example of freedom from the Law without a license to offend those who still live under it.

The audience of Christ's ministry, while living on earth, compared to the audience of His heavenly post-cross ministry (to Paul) is a distinction:

Concerning Christ and his earthly ministry to Israel ("the Little Flock"):

Matthew 10:5-6

These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:

6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Matthew 15:24

But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

John 4:22

Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

Acts 11:19

Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.

Concerning Paul and his apostleship to the church ("the body of Christ"):

Romans 15:8

Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

Galatians 2:7-9

But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; 8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) 9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

Romans 11:13

For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

Colossians 1:24-27

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: 25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Ephesians 3:6

That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

God’s plan was that Israel would bring the world (Gentiles) to God as His “kingdom of priests” (Ex 19:6). The “mystery” was not simply that Gentiles could be blessed, but that Gentiles would be fellowheirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ (Eph 3:6).

Paul says his stewardship was given “to fulfil the word of God… even the mystery… hid from ages… now made manifest” (Col 1:25–27)—not through Israel functioning as the prophesied national mediating channel, but by a now-revealed administration in Christ; “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col 1:27), part of that previously hidden “mystery,” but now made known (Eph 3:3–6).

The result of Israel’s stumbling is Gentile salvation presently offered on an individual basis as God’s free gift by grace through faith (Eph 2:8–9), “until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Rom 11:25).

Romans 11:11

I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

Romans 11:25

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Ephesians 3:1-9

For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: 3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: 7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

While Christ’s earthly ministry was “to confirm the promises made unto the fathers” (Rom 15:8), Paul was appointed to make known the “mystery", previously hidden, but now "made manifest” (Col 1:25–27; Eph 3:3–6). This is the stewardship given to Paul (Eph 3:2; Col 1:25), in which Gentiles are “fellowheirs… and of the same body” in Christ (Eph 3:6), a truth not previously made known “as it is now revealed” (Eph 3:5).