Mathetes and mimetes

Abstract

"The precise relationship between mimhthvÍ and maqhthvÍ has been the source of scholarly debate for some time. The two major proposals of how to understand their relationship do not offer decisive evidence for their positions. In order to get beyond this impasse, this article looks at two sets of texts from the Common Era: texts where mimhthvÍ occurs alone and texts in which both mimhthvÍ and maqhthvÍ occur. The contexts of both sets of texts are examined to discern if they reveal anything about the relationship between these terms in order to see which of these proposals (if any) are supported. Based on this data, preliminary conclusions about how to understand the relationship between these terms are offered. Key Words: mimhthvÍ, maqhthvÍ, imitation, disciple"