Calling to mind that faith which is in thee unfeigned, which also dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and in thy mother Eunice, and I am certain that in thee also.

“Here begins the epistolary narrative, in which he first fortifies him against present persecutions; secondly, against future dangers to the Church, in chapter III, where *but know this*. Again, first he leads him to persist in preaching, which was then the cause and occasion of persecution; secondly he exhorts him to endure tribulations for the sake of Christ, at *do you therefore*, etc., chapter II. Again, first he recalls the good qualities of Timothy himself; secondly he exhorts him to the use of these good qualities through persistence in preaching, at *through which*, etc.; thirdly he sets himself forward as an example, at *in which I have been appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher*, etc. Again, first he sets forth the affection which he had for Timothy; secondly he sets forth the good qualities of Timothy, which called forth in him an affection of this kind, at *mindful*. The affection is shown through two things, namely through prayer and through desire. And so he gives thanks to God for the affection which he has for Timothy, because it is of charity, and charity is the chief gift; as if he were to say: I reckon that I have obtained grace, in that I have such a sincere affection for you. And he says *to my God*, whom, in a special way, *I serve from my forefathers*, not from carnal parents, since 1 Tim. 1: *Christ came to save sinners, of whom I am the first*; but by a service handed down from my forefathers, namely the patriarchs and prophets, who served God sincerely. And he says, *from my forefathers*, because children more easily imitate paternal perfection, both because they are instructed by them, as Tobias was, and also because they more easily imitate friends. And how do I serve him? *In a pure conscience*; because, as we have in Habakkuk 1, v. 13, *your eyes are pure, O Lord, that they should not see evil, and you cannot look upon iniquity*; 2 Cor. 1, 12: *this is our glory, the testimony of our conscience*. He gives thanks for this, because *without ceasing*, whether by day in prosperity, or by night in adversity, I pray for you. Likewise from desire; so he says *desiring to see you*, namely for the consolation of both. Rom. 1, 11: *for I desire to see you*, etc. Then when he says *mindful*, he shows the good qualities which were in Timothy. And first he recalls his affection toward himself; secondly his faith toward God, at *the remembrance*. He says therefore *mindful of tears*, namely which Timothy shed when he departed from him at Ephesus, ready for martyrdom. Or the tears which he shed in prayers. And this *that I may be filled with joy*, that is, this memory fills me with joy. Phil. 2, 2: *fulfill my joy*, etc. Likewise mindful of faith toward God. He first recalls his faith; secondly he shows that it was handed down from his parents, and not newly acquired. He says therefore *the remembrance*, etc. Faith is necessary for a prelate, who is the guardian of the faith. Heb. 11, 6: *without faith it is impossible to please God*. And he says *unfeigned*, for true faith is through good works. James 2, 18: *show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith from my works*. 1 Tim. 1, 5: *the end of the commandment is charity*, etc. Wis. 1, 5: *it will flee from what is feigned*, etc. And this is not new, but *it dwelt first in your grandmother Lois*, etc. Acts 16, 1 it is said that he was the son of a Jewish woman. *And I am certain*, either by revelation, or by indications, *that in you also*.”

“When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee,.... This caused him to give thanks to God for it, whose gift it is and made him the more desirous of seeing one, who was a true believer, and an Israelite indeed. This is to be understood of the grace of faith, which was implanted in the heart of Timothy by the Spirit of God, and was genuine and sincere; he believed with the heart unto righteousness; his faith worked by love to God, and Christ, and to his people, and was attended with good works; which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois: who was his grandmother, not by his father's side, who was a Greek, but by his mother's side; and so the Syriac version renders it, "thy mother's mother"; who, though she might not know that the Messiah was come in the flesh, and that Jesus of Nazareth was he, yet believed in the Messiah to come, and died in the faith of it, and in a dependence upon righteousness and salvation by him; and so her faith was of the same kind with Timothy's; and which dwelt in her, and continued with her to the last: and thy mother Eunice: who was a Jewess, and a believer in Christ, Act 16:1 though her name is a Greek one, and so is her mother's name; hers signifies "good victory", and is the name of one of the Nereides, the daughters of Oceanus (a); and her mother's signifies "better", or "more excellent". She lived, it seems, if her mother did not, to know that Christ was come, and that Jesus, the son of Mary, was he; and she believed in him for righteousness, life, and salvation; and in her this faith dwelt and abode to the end. And I am persuaded that in thee also; not only that faith was in him, and that that was unfeigned, but that it also dwelt, remained, and would continue with him to the end of life; for true faith is an abiding grace, it is a gift of God, that is irrevocable, and without repentance; Christ is the author and finisher of it, and prays that it fail not, whose prayers are always heard; it is begun, carried on, and performed by the power of God, and has salvation inseparably connected with it. Now when the same faith is said to dwell, first in his grandmother, and in his mother, and in him, this is not to be understood as if this grace was conveyed from one to another by natural generation; for grace comes not that way, only sin; men are not born of blood, but of God; but the sense is, that the same like precious faith was obtained by one, as by another. This was a rich family mercy, and deserved special notice, as being a thing uncommon, and required a particular thanksgiving; and is designed as a motive and encouragement to stir up Timothy to the exercise of that grace, and every other gift God had bestowed upon him, as in the following verse. (a) Hesiod. Theogonia, Apollodorus de Deor. Orig. l. 1. p. 5. Vid. Theocrit. Idyll. 13.”

“The unfeigned faith that is in thee - Timothy had given the fullest proof of the sincerity of his conversion, and of the purity of his faith. Which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois - In Act 16:1, we are informed that Paul came to Derbe and Lystra; and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, who was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek. Luke, the historian, it appears, was not particularly acquainted with the family; Paul evidently was. Luke mentions the same circumstance which the apostle mentions here; but in the apostle's account there are particulars which argue an intimate acquaintance with the family and its history. Luke says Timothy's father was a Greek, consequently we may believe him to have been then in his heathen state; Paul, in mentioning the grandmother, mother, and son, passes by the father in silence; which intimates that either the father remained in his unconverted state, or was now dead. Lois and Eunice are both Grecian, and indeed heathen names; hence we are led to conclude that, although Timothy's mother was a Jewess according to St. Luke, yet she was a Grecian or Hellenist by birth. Lois, the grandmother, appears to have been the first convert to Christianity: she instructed her daughter Eunice, and both brought up Timothy in the Christian faith; so that he had a general knowledge of it before he met with St. Paul at Lystra. There, it appears the apostle was the instrument of the conversion of his heart to God; for a man may be well instructed in Divine things, have a very orthodox creed, and yet his heart not be changed. Instruction precedes conversion; conversion should follow it. To be brought up in the fear of God is a great blessing; and a truly religious education is an advantage of infinite worth.”

“Thy grandmother, Lois. The principal intention St. Paul seems to have had in writing this second epistle to Timothy, was, to comfort him under the many hardships under which he laboured for the faith of Christ. To this end he endeavours first to strengthen his faith, by calling to his mind the example given him in his grandmother, as also in his mother, Eunice. Some likewise think St. Paul is here exhorting Timothy to a desire of martyrdom, in the perfect discharge of his ministry, by his own example; as the same writers think it most probable that he was confined in prison at Rome, or at Laodicea, at the time he wrote this epistle. (Denis the Carthusian) — Certain [1] that in thee also. (Witham)”

“When I call to remembrance--This increased his "desire to see" Timothy. The oldest manuscripts read, "When I called to remembrance"; implying that some recent incident (perhaps the contrasted cowardice of the hypocrite Demas, who forsook him) had reminded him of the sincerity of Timothy's faith. faith that is in thee--ALFORD translates, "that was in thee." He remembers Timothy's faith in the past as a fact; its present existence in him is only matter of his confident persuasion or hope. which--Greek, "such as." dwelt--"made its dwelling" or abode (Joh 14:23). The past tense implies they were now dead. first--before it dwelt in thee. She was the furthest back of the progenitors of Timothy whom Paul knew. mother Eunice--a believing Jewess; but his father was a Greek, that is, a heathen (Act 16:1). The faith of the one parent sanctified the child (Ti2 3:15; Co1 7:14). She was probably converted at Paul's first visit to Lystra (Act 14:6). It is an undesigned coincidence, and so a mark of truth, that in Act 16:1 the belief of the mother alone is mentioned, just as here praise is bestowed on the faith of the mother, while no notice is taken of the father [PALEY, HorÃ&brvbr PaulinÃ&brvbr]. and--Greek, "but," that is, notwithstanding appearances [ALFORD]. persuaded that--it dwells, or it shall dwell "in thee also." The mention of the faith of his mother and grandmother is designed as an incentive to stir up his faith.”