Timothy was spoken well of by the family of the way of Christ.

Acts 16:2-3

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“He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.” Acts 16:2-3

Paul circumcised Timothy, which says something about Timothy’s mother. She was Jewish [Acts 16:1], and by Jewish law, it was required to circumcise a child after 8 days of being born. Timothy was about 16 years of age when Paul decided to circumcise him. Either Timothy’s mother abandoned the Jewish culture [without Jesus Christ] at least 16 years ago, or she had been living for God through Jesus Christ for those 16 years. Either way, she had broken away from the laws of Judaism and raised Timothy to be accepting of non-Jewish Gentiles, as she was married to an unbelieving Greek [Acts 16:1]. She did come to Jesus Christ [Acts 16:1], exactly when is not known for sure, but probably before Timothy was born.

Why did Paul decide to circumcise Timothy? Because Paul wanted to protect the youngster, Timothy, from the heartless Jewish people who forced Judaism on anyone who said they believed in God. The Jewish laws did not permit serving God through Jesus Christ and required circumcision as a show of loyalty to the laws of Judaism. For about sixteen years, Timohty was taught by his born-again Jewish mother that God could be served through Jesus Christ, not through the letter of the laws of Judaism. The Jewish people also knew that Timothy’s father did not live for God, neither through the laws of Moses nor through Jesus Christ. In the eyes of the uncircumcised Jewish people, Timothy did not fear God, and they would not have listened to anything Timothy had to say about God. They would have accused him of blasphemy and stoned him or beat him.

The members of the way of Christ spoke well of Timothy in Lystra and Iconium, Lystra being Timothy’s hometown and Iconium being a neighboring city. Timothy was about to join Paul on a ministry to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and circumcision would make the Jewish people more receptive to Timothy.

Paul was putting into practice what the Holy Spirit spoke through him, “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.” 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

While Paul circumcised Timothy, he also made it clear to Timothy that circumcision was not a requirement for Salvation and eternal life, as described in the coming verses of Acts 16:4-5. The Jewish leaders were learning really fast that requiring circumcision wasn’t able to remove Jesus Christ from the heart of Believers. As followers of Jesus Christ, those of this world will impose many policies, standards, and procedures upon us at school, the workplace, senior citizens home, etc. but loving God with all of our heart, soul, and mind is the center of our life. We may be told not to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but He will always live within us.

“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11