Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
To Timothy, beloved son in faith: not that St. Paul first converted him, but that by his instructions he was settled in the principles of faith and of the Christian religion. (Witham)
Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith.
This too is encouraging. For if he evinced such faith as to be called peculiarly Paul's own son, he might be confident also with respect to the future. For it is the part of faith not to be cast down or disturbed, though circumstances occur that seem contrary to the promises. But observe he says, my son, and even my own son, and yet he is not of the same substance. But what? Was he of irrational kind? Well, says one, he was not of Paul, so this does not imply 'being of' another. What then? Was he of another substance? Neither was it so, for after saying my own son, he adds, in the faith, to show that he was really his own son, and truly from him. There was no difference. The likeness he bore to him was in respect to his faith, as in human births there is a likeness in respect of substance. The son is like the father in human beings, but with respect to God the proximity is greater. For here a father and a son, though of the same substance, differ...
