Have you ever heard the saying, “Behind every great man is a great woman”? In this case, “Behind every great man is two great women” Timothy in the Bible was raised and encouraged by two wonderful women. Today we are going to investigate who Lois and Eunice are in the Bible.
Sincere Faith
There is only one Bible verse in all of Scripture that mentions these two women. However, with only one verse, they appear to be very significant individuals. In Paul’s letter to Timothy, he gives a special mention of Timothy’s grandmother Lois and mother Eunice.
2 Timothy 1:5, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.”
I love that this letter points out the quality of sincere faith in Timothy, Eunice, and Lois. Timothy was known for his genuine confidence and trust in the Lord. What I love is that who we live with at home, we see the good and the ugly. However, in the midst of being sinful women, what we know is that Eunice and Lois passed on their faith to Timothy.
Bible Study Tools Library teaches, “It is evident that Eunice was converted to Christ on Paul's 1st missionary journey to Derbe and Lystra, because, when he next visited these cities, she is spoken of as ‘a Jewess who believed’ (Acts 16:1)."
Spiritual Parenting
Timothy’s father was a Greek, but his mother was a Jew. This is partly why it is so special that Paul calls Timothy his son in the faith at the start of this letter.
“This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I have been sent out to tell others about the life he has promised through faith in Christ Jesus. I am writing to Timothy, my dear son. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace.” (2 Timothy 1:1-2)
Maybe you relate to this? Perhaps you do not have a living parent or a parent who shares your faith in Christ? This is the perfect reminder that God provides spiritual parents and grandparents to us in this life. Or maybe you are a single parent or single grandparent raising the next generation. Your efforts could lead to the next Timothy, a young man or a young woman growing up and developing a sincere faith because of your faithfulness being modeled to him or her each day.
A Spiritual Legacy through Timothy
Although we are only provided with one Bible verse about Eunice and Lois, Timothy tells their story through his own life. We are provided a lot of information about the impact and the service of Timothy. He was Eunice’s and Lois’ legacy. Timothy was so important to the apostle Paul that he remembered him in his prayers night and day. (2 Timothy 1:3)
In the first book of Timothy, one of the most well-known passages in 1 Timothy 4:12 encouraged Timothy not to let others look down on him because of his age, but to be an example to believers. This tells us that when Timothy was a younger man, he already had influence. Timothy became a leader in the church. 2 Timothy was written by Paul to encourage Timothy to be faithful. At this time Paul was in Rome closer to his death. This was Paul’s opportunity to speak of his great love for Timothy as a beloved spiritual son and ministry partner.
Dan Grave from Christianity.com shares that Timothy lived in Lystra, traveled with Paul on his 2nd missionary journey in 51 or 52 AD, and he traveled with Paul on his 3rd missionary journey. During their travels, Paul would often leave Timothy at a location to share the gospel and teach truth. Timothy impacted places such as Berea, Athens, Thessalonica, Corinth and Macedonia.
Dan points out that Paul puts Timothy’s name with his own in the introduction to his second letter to the Corinthians. Dan shares that Timothy even became the first Bishop of Ephesus in 64 AD. He says that Timothy was martyred for speaking up against idolatry. “They immediately fell upon him, and, with their clubs, beat him in so unmerciful a manner that he soon died.”
Some fun facts about Timothy shared by Dan Lioy from Disciplr include:
- Timothy was of mixed race. His mother was Jewish and his father was Greek. (Acts 16:1-3)
- Timothy understood both cultures, so he was able to minister more effectively to both audiences.
- Timothy had the calling of a pastor
- Eunice and Lois taught Timothy the Holy Scriptures.
2 Timothy 3:15 says, “And how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
The Power of Scripture for a Child
Here again, was see the spiritual impact on Timothy’s life because of their dedication to point him to the Lord. Eunice and Lois taught Timothy God’s Word from infancy. There is power in investing spiritual truths to infants and above. The sooner we encourage them by reading, memorizing, and singing Scripture, the longer they will have to hear the gospel. Having this solid foundation from these two women eventually led to Timothy’s salvation in Jesus.
Influence in the Home
When we read about all of the amazing missions and people who Timothy impacted directly, this would not have been nearly as effective without the foundation from Eunice and Lois. Their role as mentors and family helped create a solid start for Timothy’s life. I think about the word infant used in 2 Timothy 3:15. Even as a baby, these women were spiritually investing in this young boy. We never know the value of sharing spiritual truths with little ones. Jesus Himself spent intentional time with children and shared His love for them. (Matthew 19:14) There is great purpose and value in investing in the next generation. I love how Eunice and Lois took this responsibility seriously and with great care for Timothy.
Even in a spiritually divided house, they were not going to give up on sharing the truth of the Word of God. This tells us that Eunice and Lois were women with priorities in line. They knew that putting the Lord first was most important in life and they wanted to impart this wisdom to their sweet boy Timothy. Their intentionality led to a man of respect, integrity, and mission.
Maybe you are a stay-at-home parent or grandparent or serve in children’s ministry at your local church? Be inspired by the lives and recognition of Eunice and Lois. A lot of their work is not listed in Scripture, just like a lot of parenting never receives a “thank you.” The truth is that God is working so often in the most mundane of places to fulfill His greater plan. We may not feel significant in our efforts to make disciples and share to gospel to young people. However, remember that Jesus was born in a manger, King David grew up as a shepherd boy, Queen Esther was an orphan raised by her uncle. It is in the everyday life that the Lord calls out people in seemingly simple situations to do great things for His glory. Your spiritual investments matter just like Lois and Eunice. May we remember them as faithful and sincere women of faith who we can model in our own lives today.
Photo credit: ©Getty/Oleksandr Yakoniuk
Emma Danzey’s mission in life stems from Ephesians 3:20-21, to embrace the extraordinary. One of her greatest joys is to journey with the Lord in His Scriptures. She is wife to Drew and mom to Graham. Emma serves alongside her husband in ministry, she focuses most of her time in the home, but loves to provide articles on the Bible, life questions, and Christian lifestyle. Her article on Interracial Marriage was the number 1 on Crosswalk in 2021. Most recently, Emma released Treasures for Tots, (Scripture memory songs) and multiple books and devotionals for young children. During her ministry career, Emma has released Wildflower: Blooming Through Singleness, two worship EP albums, founded and led Polished Conference Ministries, and ran the Refined Magazine. You can view her articles on her blog at emmadanzey.wordpress.com