2 Timothy 1:5

When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee.—It is for the “unfeigned faith” which he was confident dwelt still in his dearest and best loved companion, whom he had intrusted with the care of the Ephesian church, that he thanked God. (See 2Timothy 1:3.)

It is more than probable that some special instance of this unfeigned faith on the part of the chief pastor of Ephesus had come to the Apostle’s knowledge, and cheered that great loving heart of his while he languished in prison.

Which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice . . .—We know, in the course of his second missionary journey (Acts 16:1-3) St. Paul was brought into contact with this pious family at Lystra. It has been suggested that Lois, Eunice, and Timothy were kinsfolk of St. Paul, hence his intimacy with the family, and his knowledge of their faith; hence, too, perhaps, his devoted and unbroken friendship for Timothy. We are told (Acts 16:1) that this Eunice was a Jewess, married to a Greek. Lystra is no great distance from Tarsus—whence St. Paul came. The supposition is just possible; but it is only an ingenious thought, there being no data to support it. Of the names—Lois is the same with the more familiar Lais; Eunice is an equivalent of the Latin Victoria.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

1:1-5 The promise of eternal life to believers in Christ Jesus, is the leading subject of ministers who are employed according to the will of God. The blessings here named, are the best we can ask for our beloved friends, that they may have peace with God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Whatever good we do, God must have the glory. True believers have in every age the same religion as to substance. Their faith is unfeigned; it will stand the trial, and it dwells in them as a living principle. Thus pious women may take encouragement from the success of Lois and Eunice with Timothy, who proved so excellent and useful a minister. Some of the most worthy and valuable ministers the church of Christ has been favoured with, have had to bless God for early religious impressions made upon their minds by the teaching of their mothers or other female relatives.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee; - notes, 1 Timothy 1:5. On the faith of Timothy, see the notes at 1 Timothy 4:6.

Which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois - That is, the same faith dwelt in her; or, she was a sincere believer in Christ. It would seem probable, from this, that she was the first of the family who had been converted. In the Acts of the Apostles Act 16:1, we have an account of the family of Timothy: - "Then came he to Derbe and Lystra; and behold a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek." In this account no mention is made of the grandmother Lois, but there is no improbability in supposing that Paul was better acquainted with the family than Luke. There is, at any rate, no contradiction between the two accounts; but the one confirms the other, and the "undesigned coincidence" furnishes an argument for the authenticity of both. See Paley's Horae Paulinae, in loc. As the mother of Timothy was a Hebrew, it is clear that his grandmother was also. Nothing more is known of her than is mentioned here.

And in thy mother Eunice - In Acts 16:1, it is said that the mother of Timothy was "a Jewess, and believed;" but her name is not mentioned. This shows that Paul was acquainted with the family, and that the statement in the Epistle to Timothy was not forged from the account in the Acts . Here is another "undesigned coincidence." In the history in the Acts , nothing is said of the father, except that he was "a Greek," but it is implied that he was not a believer. In the Epistle before us, nothing whatever is said of him. But the piety of his mother alone is commended, and it is fairly implied that his father was not a believer. This is one of those coincidences on which Paley has constructed his beautiful argument in the Horae Paulinae in favor of the genuineness of the New Testament.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

5. 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 (Ac 16:1). The faith of the one parent sanctified the child (2Ti 3:15; 1Co 7:14). She was probably converted at Paul's first visit to Lystra (Ac 14:6). It is an undesigned coincidence, and so a mark of truth, that in Ac 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, Horæ Paulinæ].

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.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The apostle expresseth another cause of his affection to Timothy, viz. his sincere owning and adhering to the profession of the gospel; as his

grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice had done before him (he saith nothing of his father, for he was a Jew proselyted, or a heathen, Acts 16:1); and though he could not infallibly determine, yet he was verily persuaded of his sincerity also.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

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, Acts 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.

Geneva Study Bible

When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

2 Timothy 1:5. Ὑπόμνησιν λαβὼν τῆς κ.τ.λ.] This participial clause is to be taken neither with μωμνημένος nor with ἐπιποθῶν (de Wette, Leo); the sense forbids us to subordinate it to one of these ideas, and the want of the copula καί to co-ordinate it with them. Otto joins it with ἵνα χαρᾶς πληρωθῶ: “that I may be filled with joy, as I (sc. by thy personal presence in Rome) receive a renewal of my remembrance of thy unfeigned faith.” Against this construction, however, there are the following reasons:—(1) That to supply “by thy presence” is not only arbitrary, but does not suit with the idea ὑπόμνησιν λαμβάνειν, since the impression made on us by anything before the eyes cannot be described as reminding us of that thing. (2) That, if the remembrance of Timothy’s constancy in the faith is so unceasing with the apostle that he thanks God for it, it is quite inconceivable how he could still wish to receive a ὑπόμνησις of it. (3) That we see ourselves forced by it to prefer the reading λαμβάνων (which Tisch. adopted) to λαβών.

The only remaining course is to connect ὑπομν. λαβ. with χάριν ἔχω τῷ Θεῷ (so Wiesinger, Plitt, and others). It does stand at some distance from it, but that cannot be considered a good reason against the construction. The construction in Php 1:3-5 is similar. Nor can we make objection that “Paul according to this view would not thank God because Timothy stands in such faith, but because he has been brought to his recollection” (Hofmann), for the participial clause does not give the reason of the thanksgiving directly, but only hints at it. It is the same here as at Ephesians 1:15 and Colossians 1:3, where, too, the subject of thanksgiving is not the ἀκούειν, but that which the apostle had heard.

ὑπόμνησιν λαβών is not equivalent to “recordans, as I remember” (de Wette: “retaining the remembrance”), for ὑπόμνησις in the N. T. (comp. 2 Peter 1:13; 2 Peter 3:1; also Sir 16:11; 2Ma 6:17) has an active signification; it is equivalent, therefore, to “since I have received remembrance,” i.e. “since I have been reminded” (Wiesinger, van Oosterzee, Hofmann). It is not said what had reminded the apostle of Timothy’s faith. Bengel supposes that it was externa quaedam occasio, or a nuntius a Timotheo; Wiesinger, that it was Onesimus. But it suits better with the context to regard the tears just mentioned as causing the recollection, inasmuch as they were to the apostle a proof of his unfeigned faith. It is unnecessary to derive the ὑπόμνησις from some inner working of the apostle’s soul (so formerly in this commentary); there is no hint of any such thing. The present λαμβάνων is not against this interpretation, since these tears came so vividly before the apostle’s soul that he was thereby reminded more and more of Timothy’s faith.

τῆς ἐν σοὶ ἀνυποκρίτου πίστεως] see 1 Timothy 1:5; this, now, is the subject of the thanksgiving.

As Paul is conscious that the God whom he serves was the God also of his ancestors, he can remind Timothy of the fact that the faith which dwells in him was before the possession of his grandmother and mother.[5]

ἥτις ἐνῴκησε πρῶτον] ἐνοικεῖν as in 2 Timothy 1:14; Romans 8:11; 2 Corinthians 6:16. The word is chosen here “to denote faith on its objective side as a possession coming from God” (Wiesinger), and it declares that “it has not become a merely transient feeling, but an abiding principle of life dwelling in them” (van Oosterzee).

ΠΡῶΤΟΝ is not, with Luther, to be translated by “before,” but to be taken in its proper meaning, in reference to the ΠΡΌΓΟΝΟΙ of Timothy. The point brought out is, that Timothy was not the first of his family to be a believer, but we cannot press the point so far as to suppose that a distinction is drawn between the apostle whose ancestors served God as Jews, while Timothy’s ancestors were heathen (so Hofmann).

ἘΝ Τῇ ΜΆΜΜῌ ΣΟΝ Κ.Τ.Λ.] Regarding ΜΆΜΜΗ, see Wahl on the passage.

This grandmother of Timothy is not mentioned elsewhere. Of the mother, it is said in Acts 16:1 ff. that she was a ΓΥΝΉ ἸΟΥΔΑΊΑ ΠΙΣΤΉ; her name is given only here. The mention of the two is not to be regarded as a superfluous—or even surprising—afterthought. Paul might repose in Timothy all the greater confidence, that he, brought up by a pious mother, had before him her example and that of his grandmother.

This confidence the apostle expresses still more definitely in the next words: ΠΈΠΕΙΣΜΑΙ ΔῈ, ὍΤΙ ΚΑῚ ἘΝ ΣΟΊ, with which Heydenreich wrongly supplies ἘΝΟΙΚΉΣΕΙ instead of ἘΝΟΙΚΕῖ.

[5] Since Timothy’s ἀνυπόκριτος πίστις is Christian faith, faith in Jesus Christ, it is manifestly wrong to regard the πίστις of the grandmother and mother as only faith in the O. T. promise (Otto); the relative ἥτις shows that the two are identical. From Paul’s ascription to himself of a λατρεύειν ἀπὸ προγόνων, we cannot infer, with Otto, that the “matter of faith on the part of Timothy’s πρόγονοι cannot be taken further than on the part of the apostle’s πρόγονοι.” The apostle does not at all boast of the πίστις of his ancestors, but says merely that he serves the same God as they had served. Timothy’s faith could only mean something to him, if it was not only faith in the promise, but also faith in Him who had appeared according to the promise.

Expositor's Greek Testament

2 Timothy 1:5. ὑπόμνησιν λαβών: Having been reminded. Not to be connected with the clause immediately preceding, as R.V.m. ὑπόμνησις, a reminder, i.e., an act of recollection specially excited by a particular person or thing, thus differs from ἀνάμνησις, which is self-originated (so Ammonius Grammaticus, quoted by Bengel). Ell. compares for the thought Ephesians 1:15. For this use of λαμβάνω, cf. Romans 7:8; Romans 7:11 (ἀφορμὴν λ.), Hebrews 2:3 (ἀρχὴν λ.), Hebrews 11:29; Hebrews 11:36 (πεῖραν λ.), 2 Peter 1:9 (λήθην λ.). The fact that St. Paul received this reminder of Timothy’s faith suggests that there were other aspects of his conduct—possibly as an administrator—which were not wholly satisfactory. His unfeigned faith made up for much.

ἥτις ἐνῴκησεν κ.τ.λ.: ἐνοικέω is used in Romans 8:11 and 2 Timothy 1:14 of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit; and in Colossians 3:16 of the Word of Christ. In 2 Corinthians 6:16, ἐνοικήσω is added in the quotation from Leviticus 26:12 to ἐνπεριπατήσω. Tisch. and W.H. read ἐνοικοῦσα for οἰκοῦσα in Romans 7:17. Timothy’s faith was hereditary as St. Paul’s was. πρῶτον does not mean that Lois was the first of her family to have faith, but that it dwelt in her, to St. Paul’s knowledge, before it dwelt in Timothy. It is to be observed that it is implied that the faith of God’s people before Christ came is not different in kind from faith after Christ has come.

μάμμῃ: an infantile equivalent in early Greek for μήτηρ, is used in later Greek for τήθη, grandmother. It occurs, e.g., in 4Ma 16:9, οὐκ ὄψομαι ὑμῶν τέκνα, οὐδὲ μάμμη κληθεῖσα μακαρισθήσομαι. See also Moulton and Milligan, Expositor, vii., vii. 561.

Λωίδι: Since Timothy’s father was a Greek, and his mother a Jewess (Acts 16:1), we may conclude that Lois was the mother of Eunice (see art. in Hastings’ D. B.).

Εὐνίκῃ: See art. in Hastings’ D. B., where Lock notes that the curious reading of cursive 25 in Acts 16:1, υἱὸς γυναικός τινος Ἰουδαίας χήρας, and the substitution of χήρας for Ἰουδαίας in Gig., fuld[306] “may embody a tradition of her widowhood”.

[306]uld. Cod. Fuldensis

πέπεισμαι: The other examples of St. Paul’s use of this word (see reff.) give no support to the notion of Thdrt. (followed by Alf.) that πέπεισμαι here has the force of our I am sure, I am certain, when we wish to hint gently that we desire reassurance on the point about which we express our certainty. In all the places in which St. Paul uses πέπεισμαι he is anxious to leave no doubt as to his own certitude. Nevertheless, in this case, it was quite possible for him to be perfectly certain that unfeigned faith animated Timothy, and at the same time to have misgivings (2 Timothy 1:7) as to Timothy’s moral courage in dealing with men. We supply ἐνοικεῖ after σοί.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5. remembrance] The noun occurs only 2 Peter 1:13; 2 Peter 3:1, besides in N. T.; the verb Titus 3:1, where see note, 2 Peter 1:12, &c.

the unfeigned faith that is in thee] ‘Unfeigned,’ ‘true and trusty.’ Contrasted with that of Phygelus and Hermogenes and Demas, 2 Timothy 1:15, 2 Timothy 4:9. The word is applied to ‘love,’ Romans 12:9, and to ‘wisdom,’ James 3:17. It has been used with ‘faith,’ 1 Timothy 1:5.

which dwelt first] The pronoun may be rendered a faith such as, ‘the which faith,’ as it is rendered 1 Timothy 1:4. Cf. also 1 Timothy 3:15. ‘Dwell in,’ the verb, is used (in quotation) in 2 Corinthians 6:16 of the indwelling of the Almighty, in Romans 8:11, 2 Timothy 1:14 of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, in Colossians 3:16 of the indwelling of ‘the word of Christ,’ the nearest passage to this; where however Bp Lightfoot explains it of ‘the presence of Christ in the heart as an inward monitor’; as Dr Westcott explains 1 John 2:14 ‘ye are strong and the word (of God) abideth in you,’ ‘the natural endowment of energetic vigour is consecrated to a divine end by a divine voice.’ Here too, then, ‘faith’ is personified. Like ‘Heavenly Wisdom’ she ‘dwelt in’ these pious Jewesses from the first, in their early hold of the promises made to Israel, before ‘the glad news’ of Jesus Christ the ‘glory of his people Israel.’ Then, in a larger room, a clearer light within them, the Faith of their fathers in a pure conscience was ‘transfigured’ into the Unclouded Faith of Christ Jesus their Saviour and dwelt within them, and the light and love from that pure presence there passed over into the breast of son and grandson.

thy grandmother Lois] The non-Attic word is used. Eunice is referred to Acts 16:1 as ‘a Jewess which believed.’

and I am persuaded that in thee also] A.V. following the Greek idiom of ellipse; R.V. ‘and, I am persuaded, in thee also,’ following the English idiom of ellipse.

Prof. Reynolds quotes here ‘the celebrated mothers of Augustine, of Chrysostom, of Basil, whose life sincerity and constancy became vicariously a glorious heritage of the universal Church.’ We may add the mother of the Wesleys.

Bengel's Gnomen

2 Timothy 1:5. Ὑπόμνησιν λαμβάνων, receiving a remembrance) [a reminiscence reminding me] Some external occasion, or a message from Timothy, had brought his faith to Paul’s remembrance [not as Engl. Vers. “When I call to remembrance”]. Ammonius says, “ἀνάμνησις is, when a man comes to the remembrance of things past—ὑπόμνησις, when they are suggested to him by another [whether person, or thing].—πίστεως, of faith) Among all the virtues of Timothy, faith is most to the purpose which Paul has in view.—ἐνῴκησε, dwelt in) This word conveys the idea of continuance [had its fixed dwelling in].—πρῶτον) first, perhaps before the birth of Timothy. So far the remembrance of Paul reaches. What the condition of the parents of Lois was, is not mentioned.—μάμμῃ, grandmother) The remembrance of the dead is pleasant to intimate friends, especially to those whose death is at hand, and to the posterity of the dead.—μητρὶ, mother) She had married a Greek.—Εὐνείκῃ, Eunice) That name is found in Hesiod’s Theogony. Lois seems to have been the mother of Eunice, and both were dead.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 5. - Having been reminded of for when I call to remembrance, A.V.; in thee for that in thee, A.V. Unfeigned (ἀνυποκρίτου); as 1 Timothy 1:5 (see also Romans 12:9; 2 Corinthians 6:6; 1 Peter 1:22; James 3:17). Having been reminded, etc. (see preceding note). Thy grandmother Lois. Μάμμη properly corresponds exactly to our word "mamma." In 4 Macc. 16:9, Οὐ μάμμη κληθεῖσα μακαρισθήσομαι, "I shall never be called a happy grandmother," and here (the only place where it is found in the New Testament) it has the sense of "grandmother." It is hardly a real word, and has no place in Stephens' 'Thes.,' except incidentally by comparison with πάππα. It has, however, a classical usage. The proper word for a "grandmother" is τήθη. Lois; a name not found elsewhere, possibly meaning "good," or "excellent," from the same root as λωί'τερος and λώι'στος. This and the following Eunice are examples of the frequent use of Greek or Latin names by Jews. Eunice, we know from Acts 16:1, was a Jewess and a Christian, as it would seem her mother Lois was before her. 2 Timothy 1:5

Vincent's Word Studies

When I call to remembrance (ὑπόμνησιν λαβὼν)

The object of χάριν ἔχω, 2 Timothy 1:3. Lit. having received a reminding. The phrases N.T.o. Ὑπόμνησις reminding (but sometimes intransitive, remembrance), only here, 2 Peter 1:13; 2 Peter 3:1. In lxx three times. As distinguished from ἀνάμνησις remembrance (1 Corinthians 11:24, 1 Corinthians 11:25) it signifies a reminding or being reminded by another; while ἀνάμνησις is a recalling by one's self.

Unfeigned faith that is in thee (τῆς ἐν σοὶ ἀνυποκρίτου πίστεως)

See on 1 Timothy 1:5. For the peculiar collocation of the Greek words, comp. Acts 17:28; Romans 1:12; Ephesians 1:15. The writer's thought is probably not confined to Christian faith, but has in view the continuity of Judaism and Christianity. In 2 Timothy 1:3 he speaks of serving God from his forefathers. In Acts 24:14 Paul is represented as saying that even as a Christian he serves the God of his fathers, believing all things contained in the law and the prophets.

Dwelt (ἐνῴκησεν)

Paul uses the verb with sin, the divine Spirit, God, the word of Christ, but nowhere with faith. The phrase faith dwells in, N.T.o. According to Paul, Christians are or stand in faith; but faith is not represented as dwelling in them. Christ dwells in the heart through faith (Ephesians 3:17).

First (πρῶτον)

With reference to Timothy, and with a comparative sense, as Matthew 5:24; Matthew 7:5; Mark 3:27; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, etc. This is shown by the last clause of the verse. The writer merely means that faith had already dwelt in Timothy's grandmother and mother before it did in him. How much farther back his believing ancestry went he does not say. Comp. Acts 16:1.

Grandmother (μάμμῃ)

N.T. Once in lxx, 4 Macc. 16:9. Later Greek. The correct classical word is τήθη. See Aristoph. Ach. 49; Plato, Repub. 461 D. From the emphasis upon Timothy's receiving his training from his Jewish mother, it has been inferred that his father died early. That he was the child of a mixed marriage appears from Acts 16:1

I am persuaded (πέπεισμαι)

The verb in Pastorals only here and 2 Timothy 1:12. Often in Paul.