Note 7 at 1 Cor. 4:16: In Paul's arguments for unity among the Corinthian believers, he had rebuked them for being followers of men (see note 8 at 1 Cor. 1:13, p. 861; see note 8 at 1 Cor. 3:7, p. 872). Now he begs them to be followers of him! Is he contradicting himself? Certainly not!

Paul always pointed men to faith in Christ and not in Paul. Yet, Paul was so confident that he was correctly following the Lord that he could say "follow me" and he knew they would be following Christ.

Paul is expressing the same thought that Jesus did when He said, "I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things" (Jn. 8:28). Just as Jesus was totally dependent on the Father, and therefore worthy to be imitated (Jn. 5:19-20; 8:28-29; 12:49; 14:9-10), so Paul was totally dependent on Christ and worthy to be imitated (see ref. a at this verse).

In the next verse, Paul says Timothy will bring them into remembrance of his ways "which be in Christ" (see note 8 at v. 17, this page). This is clarifying that he is not speaking about blindly following him. They were to follow him to the degree that he followed Christ.

Jesus Christ should always be our example, but immature believers have a hard time perceiving the Lord's leading clearly. They need some physical believer to help disciple them (see ref. e at v. 17, above) until they can follow the Lord on their own.