Apostolic Constitutions : Now concerning those bishops which have been ordained in our lifetime, we let you know that they are these: ... Of Ephesus, Timotheus, ordained by Paul; and John, by me John. Of Smyrna, Aristo the first; after whom Strataeas the son of Lois; and the third Aristo. — Constitutions of the Holy Apostles Book 7 John Chrysostom : Great was the grace of Timothy. When Barnabas departed, he finds another, equivalent to him. Of him he saith, "Remembering thy tears and thy unfeigned faith, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and in thy mother Eunice." His father continued to be a Gentile, and therefore it was that Timothy was not circumcised. Observe the Law already broken. He was about to make him a bishop, and it was not meet that he should be uncircumcised. — Homily on the Acts of the Apostles 34 John Chrysostom : "When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee." This is another commendation, that Timothy came not of Gentiles, nor of unbelievers, but of a family that served Christ from the first. (Acts xvi. 1, Acts xvi. 3.) "Which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice." For Timothy, it says, "was the son of a certain woman which was a Jewess, and believed." How a Jewess? how believing? Because she was not of the Gentiles, "but on account of his father, who was a Greek, and of the Jews that were in those quarters, he took and circumcised him." Thus, as these mixtures of Jews and Gentiles took place, the Law began gradually to be dissolved. And mark in how many ways he shows that he did not despise him. "I serve God," he says, "I have a true conscience" for my part, and thou hast thy "tears," and not thy tears only, but for "thy faith," because thou art a laborer for the Truth, because there is no deceit in thee. As therefore thou showest thyself worthy of love, being so affectionate, so genuine a disciple of Christ; and as I am not one of those who are devoid of affection, but of those who earnestly pursue the Truth; what hindered me from coming to thee? "And I am persuaded that in thee also." From the beginning, he means, thou hast had this excellency. Thou receivedst from thy forefathers the faith unfeigned. For the praises of our ancestors, when we share in them, redound also to us. Otherwise they avail nothing, but rather condemn us; wherefore he has said, "I am persuaded that in thee also." It is not a conjecture, he means, it is my persuasion; I am fully assured of it. If therefore from no human motive thou hast embraced it, nothing will be able to shake thy faith. — Homily on 2 Timothy 1 Oecumenius : Taking reminder of the sincere faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that it is also in you. reminder of the sincere faith. I remembered you, Paul says, in my prayers, recalling both your tears and your sincere faith. first in your grandmother. Another praise: that the lineage on the grandmother's side was not from Greeks, but from Jews who believed in Christ. And his father, being a Greek, was circumcised because of the fear of the Jews. and your mother. The praises of our ancestors, when we also partake in them, come to our glory: but if we are alienated from them, they condemn us more: however, this one was a partaker. and I am persuaded that it is also in you. Therefore, you rightly have this as sincere, since it is established from above and cannot be shaken. — COMMENTARY ON 2 TIMOTHY Theodoret of Cyrus : Commenting on Timothy's Jewish background, Paul mentions Timothy's parentage in order to confirm Timothy in faith. Nothing helps so much as a domestic example. — INTERPRETATION OF THE SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY