Lexical Summary mammé: Grandmother Original Word: μαμμῆ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance grandmother. Of natural origin ("mammy"); a grandmother -- grandmother. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. word, onomatop. Definition a grandmother NASB Translation grandmother (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3125: μάμμημάμμη, μαμμης, ἡ, 1. in the earlier Greek writings mother (the name infants use in addressing their mother). 2. in the later writings ((Philo), Josephus, Plutarch, Appian, Herodian, Artemidorus Daldianus) equivalent to τήθη, grandmother (see Lob. ad Phryn., pp. 133-135 (cf. Winer's Grammar, 25)): 2 Timothy 1:5; 4 Macc. 16:9. Topical Lexicon Term Overview Strong’s Greek 3125 (μάμμη) denotes a grandmother or, more broadly, an older maternal figure who nurtures and instructs. Though the word appears only once in the New Testament, its single use provides a vivid window into the multigenerational transmission of faith within a first-century household. Biblical Occurrence 2 Timothy 1:5: “I recall your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice, and I am convinced that it now lives in you as well.” Paul’s reference to Timothy’s grandmother Lois is the sole New Testament instance of μάμμη. By naming her, the apostle validates the spiritual influence of older women and highlights the continuity of faith from one generation to the next. Historical and Cultural Context Timothy was from Lystra, a Hellenized city in south-central Asia Minor (Acts 16:1). Jewish families in the Diaspora commonly preserved their heritage through household teaching, with mothers and grandmothers playing a decisive role (cf. Deuteronomy 6:5–7). In Greek society, the grandmother was often integral to early childhood care, a custom mirrored among Jews living among Gentiles. Lois thus embodied both cultural expectation and covenant responsibility: transmitting Scripture and shaping Timothy’s worldview long before his public ministry. Generational Faith in Scripture The Old Testament repeatedly stresses the duty of older generations to teach the coming ones (Psalm 78:4–6; Proverbs 17:6). Paul’s commendation of Lois resonates with this theme and parallels his charge to Titus: “Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in their behavior … so that they can train the young women” (Titus 2:3–5). Timothy himself becomes part of the same chain: “And the things you have heard me say … entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2). The legacy traced from Lois to Eunice to Timothy stands as a practical illustration of this four-generation principle. Ministry Significance 1. Validation of Domestic Discipleship: Paul places genuine faith first in the context of the home, not the synagogue or church gathering. Application for Contemporary Discipleship • Cultivate Inter-Generational Partnerships: Churches can pair mature believers with younger families, replicating the Lois-Eunice-Timothy pattern. The single appearance of μάμμη may be brief, yet its implications are vast—reminding every generation that the faith once delivered to the saints is most powerfully conveyed when lived and taught within the family, from grandmothers like Lois to future ministers like Timothy. Forms and Transliterations μαμμη μάμμη μάμμῃ mamme mammē mámmei mámmēiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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