Men and Women of God Part 5

By: Martin Connolly | Date: 2025-12-14

       There are two women in the Bible who stand out as other examples of great women: Lois and Eunice, the mother and grandmother of a man of God – Timothy.

          Eunice was the mother of Timothy. Her name means ‘good victory’ and indeed she knew victory in the Christ, the Lord Jesus. It is almost certain that she was brought to Jesus through Paul’s ministry.

Acts 16:1 “And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer; but his father was a Greek.”

            Eunice was married to a Greek, an unusual thing in Israel itself, but more common in the diaspora. It is likely that she was one of those who believed, when Paul preached the Gospel at Lystra. (Acts 14). Paul speaks of her in beautiful terms: 

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.” 

The faith that Eunice had was, ‘sincere’ or ‘un-hypocritical’ faith. In other words, her faith was real. A faith that trusted God and one that she had handed on to her son Timothy, who Paul also says had the same faith: 

1 Timothy 1:2 “To Timothy, a genuine child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

When we think of Timothy, he was a faithful servant of the Lord, who ministered with Paul. He suffered much for the Gospel and remained faithful, whilst others deserted. He had learned this at his mother’s knee. Also remember that Eunice was married to a Greek. 

We do not know of his faith but the fact that Paul specifically singles Eunice out indicates that she was not influenced by the Greek culture. This culture was very much against the Jewish faith. It was at the root of the Maccabees’ rebellion in Israel, against the policy of the Greek King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who sought to Hellenise the Jewish population and destroy the religion. Eunice’s strength and faith had been influential in her son’s ability to travel around the Greek world and not allow it to deflect his faith and service to the Lord. 

Eunice in turn was the daughter of Lois. Lois also was a woman of great faith. Her faith was not in the revealed Jesus, who had not yet been born in her lifetime. Rather it was in her faith in believing that God would send His Messiah. We know she was Jewish as she was the mother of Eunice. The Syriac version of the Scriptures reads, “thy mother's mother". Her faith was as that of the Old Testament saints, such as Hannah, who prophesied: 

1 Samuel 2:10 “The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.” 

Or of Job, who cried out: 

Job 19:25 “For I know that my redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:” 

Like all the Old Testament saints, Lois is rejoicing in Paradise, in the presence of the Messiah, to whom she had longed to see. 

These two women, as has been shown here, Were the great influences on that man of God Timothy. Young when he was called to service, the soil had been well prepared by them. When God sowed the seed of salvation in him, if fell on this well-prepared soil. His journey took him alongside the great Apostle Paul, who became a ‘father’ to him. His tutoring of Timothy cultivated those things instilled in Timothy and he stayed faithful to Paul, for the rest of Paul’s life. 

Acts 16:1 tells us of Timothy’s conversion under Paul’s ministry. Paul was so convinced of his faith, that he immediately circumcised Timothy and brought him alongside to continue his ministry to reach the Gentiles. Out of the love and faith of a mother and grandmother, came Timothy’s great ministry and service to God. 

 Lessons from these lives:

1. The importance of Godly parents is clearly seen in these accounts. One Godly mother, passes on to a Godly daughter and in turn, she passes on to a Godly son.
2. The centrality of faith in God is at the root of these lives. The three of them would never have seen or met Jesus. In the case of Lois, she had never heard of His name. Yet there is faith in each heart that was open to the God of Israel. Well written in Scripture is Jesus’ words; John 20:29 “Jesus said to him [Thomas}, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe"”. Such was the faith of these three.
3. The concept of endurance also strikes me. Lois the Godly Jewish women, living in the Greek world, ignored the culture around her and kept her hope in the God of Israel and His promised Messiah. Eunice, even though married to a Greek, also followed her mother’s example and kept the faith in the Messiah which was fully realised under the preaching of Paul. Then we have Timothy, a young man with a Greek father, who too came under the Word of God. His faith brought him into a ministry which challenged him and yet through it all he endured. Paul was ever grateful for such a fellow companion.
4. Then we have encouragement. We, who are parents, have the great privilege of God’s grace that has brought us to Jesus. The example of the lives of Lois and Eunice encourage us to set a good example to our children. Doing that, we can pray that God will bring our children to faith and the true knowledge of His Son, the Saviour – the Lord Jesus the Christ.