Cassiodorus : When writing to Timothy he put at the head of the letter, "To my dearly beloved son," for he had begotten him, not in body but in faith. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 101.29 John Chrysostom : "To Timothy, my dearly beloved son." Not merely his "son," but, "dearly beloved"; since it is possible for sons not to be beloved. Not such, he means, art thou; I call thee not merely a son, but a "dearly beloved son." As he calls the Galatians his children, but at the same time complains of them; "My little children," he says, "of whom I travail in birth again." (Gal. iv. 19.) And he bears particular testimony to his virtue by calling him "beloved." For where love does not arise from nature, it must arise from the merit of the object. Those who are born of us, are loved not only on account of their virtue, but from the force of nature; but when those who are of the faith are beloved, it is on account of nothing but their merit, for what else can it be? And this especially in the case of Paul, who never acted from partiality. And further, he shows by calling him his "beloved son," that it was not because he was offended with him, or despised him, or condemned him; that he did not come to him. "Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and Christ Jesus our Lord." These things which he before prayed for, he again invokes upon him. And observe how, at the very beginning, he excuses himself for not having come to him, nor seen him. For his words, "Till I come," and, "Hoping to come to thee shortly," had led Timothy to expect his coming soon. For this he excuses himself, but he does not immediately mention the cause of his not coming, lest he should grieve him mightily. For he was detained in prison by the emperor. But when at the end of the Epistle he invited him to come to him, then he informed him of it. He does not at the outset plunge him into sorrow, but encourages the hope that he shall see him. "Greatly desiring to see thee," and "Do thy diligence to come unto me shortly." (2 Tim. i. 4, and iv. 9.) Immediately therefore he raises him up, and proceeds to praise him. — Homily on 2 Timothy 1 Oecumenius : To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. my beloved child. For Timothy is indeed a child, and certainly beloved. If he were not very virtuous, he would not be both a child, beloved, and especially of Paul. Grace, mercy. Which even before, he prays these things for himself now as well. The praise of Timothy's faith, and appeal to patience, according to what grace requires, in which he also says that he himself is led by enduring. — COMMENTARY ON 2 TIMOTHY Theodoret of Cyrus : Timothy's sonship to Paul is that of the soul, not that generated by nature, and is based on the spiritual promise of life. — INTERPRETATION OF THE SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY