Deeper Reflection
The Apostle Paul was a great mentor and discipled Timothy with love and wisdom. However, there were two other very important persons in Timothy’s life as he was growing up from a little boy into a youth and young adult. Consider Paul’s words in his second letter to Timothy: “…knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings…” (vv.14-15). From whom did Timothy learn the Old Testament Scriptures since his early childhood? Paul was referring to Timothy’s grandmother Lois and mother Eunice (2 Tim 1:5).Paul probably first encountered Lois and Eunice during his first missionary journey to Lystra between AD 46-47.72 When the apostle taught the people there that Jesus was Israel’s Messiah, Lois and Eunice believed and were converted. Thereafter they grew a “sincere faith” in Jesus (2 Tim 1:5). Theirs was an authentic discipleship! When Paul first encountered Timothy, the young man was already a disciple of Christ and showing much potential (Acts 16:1-2). Prior to Paul, who discipled Timothy? We can safely assume that they were his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois. Through their care and instruction at home, they ensured that from childhood Timothy knew the Old Testament Scriptures. After their conversion, Eunice and Lois would have taught the young adult Timothy how the Scriptures pointed to Jesus Christ, with the result that Timothy believed and grew in his knowledge of the Lord. The work of intentional disciplemaking!Timothy himself exemplified authentic discipleship (2 Tim 3:10-11a) and was to persevere in intentional disciplemaking by faithfully preaching and accurately teaching God’s Word in Ephesus (2 Tim 4:1-5).

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⁷² See Acts 14:1-7 cf. 16:1; https://www.esv.org/resources/esv-global-study-bible/chart-44-06/