29 PLEASING GOD PLEASING PEOPLE ? OR It is unlikely that mirror reading as a general principle will ultimately be overthrown since any writer may respond to a charge without stating it. In the absence of irrefutable proof against mirror reading in general, it should be noted first that two important proposals of mirror reading in Galatians have been disproven; second, that because of the number of possible causes for a particular statement Paul makes, an accusation cannot simply be assumed ; and third, that Paul’s lack of reticence makes a string of unstated charges extremely unlikely. III. View 3: Paul as Paradigm Proponents of the paradigm view read Gal 1,13–2,21 as Paul’s appeal to the Galatians to imitate him. Lyons describes this view when he says that in 1,13 “Paul is establishing his divinely determined ethos, not defending his person or official credentials” and that in the verses following, Paul “is a paradigm of the gospel he proclaims” and “serves as the paradigm of the behavior he persuades his readers to imitate” 13. Lyons maintains that Paul’s call in 4,12 to be as he is “would be scarcely intelligible” apart from the autobiographical narrative in chaps. 1–2. Conversely, Beverly Gaventa notes that Paul’s self- disclosure in this letter is without parallel in his other writings and should signal his paradigmatic purpose 14. This view is gaining popularity. James Hester looks to rhetorical criticism to argue that Galatians 1–2 is epideictic and therefore educational. Epideictic proofs consist primarily of examples that amplify the author’s point, LYONS, Pauline Autobiography, 133, 134, and 136, resp. This view is 13 gaining followers, e.g. C.B. COUSAR, Reading Galatians, Philippians, and 1 Thessalonians. A Literary and Theological Commentary (ed. C.H. TALBERT) (Reading the New Testament Series; Macon, GA 2001) 12; P.M. SPRINKLE, Law and Life. The Interpretation of Leviticus 18:5 in Early Judaism and in Paul (ed. J. FREY) (WUNT 241; Tübingen 2008) 154. Cp. A. ASANO, Community- Identity Construction in Galatians. Exegetical, Social-Anthropological and Socio-Historical Studies (JSNTSS 285; London; New York 2005) 114-116. LYONS, Pauline Autobiography, 165. B.R. GAVENTA, “Galatians 1 and 2: 14 Autobiography as Paradigm”, NT 28 (1986) 312-313. However, if 4,12-20 is “ scarcely intelligible” without 1,13–2,21, what becomes of Paul’s appeals to follow him in 1 Cor 11,1; Phil 3,17; and 1 Thess 1,6 where he uses relatively little self-disclosure?