Phoebe: Busy for the Lord!

When we completed our study on Mary of Bethany, I told you that our next study would be posted on the first Thursday in July and that it would be on Phoebe.

Here you go ...

Phoebe:  Busy For the Lord!

By Patsy Norwood, (c) 2024.  All Rights Reserved!

Romans 16:1-2

There are only two verses about Phoebe in the Bible, but those two verses tell us a tremendous amount about her.

Let’s start with some background information …

Phoebe was a Christian woman from the port city of Cenchrea.  (To be a Christian at Cenchrea wasn’t easy for ports at this time in history were wicked places.)   She was most likely a Gentile convert since her name originates from a pagan goddess.  It was common for girls of Gentile mothers to be named after pagan goddesses.  A Jewish mother would not have chosen her child’s name based on such, but a Gentile mother who had grown up worshiping pagan goddesses would have.

Phoebe likely was taught the Gospel and converted by Paul during his stay in Cenchrea.  We do not know how long it was between her becoming a Christian and the writing of these verses, but it was long enough for her to establish herself as a faithful Christian.

These two verses appear to suggest that Phoebe is about to start on a trip to Rome, possibly for business, and Paul wants her to carry this letter to the Christians there.

Research suggests that Phoebe was a widow based on the fact that, according to Greek manners, she would not have been allowed to act in this independent manner if her husband had been living or if she had been unmarried.

Research also suggests that she may have been a lady of means.

16:1 … I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea,

Paul, the author of the book of Romans, “commends” … what does that mean?  It means that Paul was sending Phoebe with an introduction along with his approval and recommendation for their acceptance of her.  He’s basically saying, ‘she’s the real deal, a faithful Christian of good reputation and I not only trust her but vouch for her as well … welcome and accept her.  She will be an asset to the congregation there.

It seems that this was not going to be a quick trip to Rome for Phoebe.  Indications are that she was going to be there long enough that Paul felt he needed to pave the way for her.

We might think of it in terms of Paul writing a ‘reference letter’ to the church in Rome on behalf of Phoebe.  We are familiar with ‘references’ when applying for work positions, school entrances, etc aren’t we?  When faithful Christians move from one area to another for any length of time, a ‘church reference’ is sometimes requested to be taken to the new congregation/church.  This, in essence, is what Paul was doing.

“Our sister” … what does that mean?  It means that Phoebe was a faithful Christian among the Christians that worshipped at the church in Cenchrea.

“Phoebe, a servant” … we’ve already talked about who Phoebe was, but let’s look at the next two words … ‘a servant’.  These two words have caused confusion in the religious world.  Let’s take a close look at them and see how they apply to Phoebe.

Some translations use the word deacon instead of servant and hence, the confusion.  Since we know that in the organizing of Christ’s Church, Paul instructed Titus to appoint elders in every city and then in Acts 6:1-5, we see that the office of deacon was created, and the first 7 deacons appointed.  The question then becomes, did Phoebe hold the ‘official office’ of deacon in the church?  My answer is no, and here’s why …

The qualifications for the office of deacon include that ‘he must be the husband of one wife,’ I Timothy 3:12 …  Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

Since Phoebe is a woman and cannot be the husband of one wife, that tells us that she did not hold the office of deacon in the Church.  God’s Word does not contradict itself.

What does it mean then?  The word ‘deacon’ (diakonan in Greek) means servant.  Phoebe was a servant of the Church as every other Christian woman (or man) was and is.  Let’s pause and point out though that there is not anything wrong with the elders of the Church appointing women to carry out specific tasks consistent with their gender roles as outlined in God’s Word, I Timothy 2:12-14 …

And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.  For Adam was formed first, then Eve.  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.

I believe this admonition is a spiritual one for the Church.  Does the same admonition apply to the business world.  I don’t think so and here’s why …

We have examples of women who worked in the business world in such a way that they would have worked with other men or had men as employees.  Examples are: 

Lydia was a seller of purple:  Acts 16: 13-15

Priscilla was a tent maker along with her husband: Acts 18:2-3

The Proverbs 31 woman had business ventures: Proverbs 31:24

“The church in Cenchera” … the church or congregation from where Paul is sending the letter and where Phoebe worships and serves our Lord located in Cenchera.  Cenchera, now known as Kechries, is located on the coast about 5 miles from modern day Corinth in Greece. 

Side note:  this area was known for its idol worship to pagan gods, yet there was a faithful congregation of Christ’s Church there.  That makes me smile … light and hope in the midst of much sin and evil.  Don’t you just know that the faithful Christians there endured a lot of mocking and verbal abuse along with other kinds of persecution?  Their mental earthly physical strength lay in their fellowship with each other.  Their spiritual strength lay in God and their commitment to Him.  We need fellowship with other faithful Christians here on earth, we also need to be committed to God and His Word, just as the early Christians did and were.

16:2 …  that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.

“that you may receive her in the Lord” … Paul wants them to receive her as a faithful Christian and member of the body of Christ.

“in a manner worthy of the saints” … they were to receive her openly, warmly and without reservations.

“and assist her in whatever business she has need of you” … the word ‘business’ (pragmeti in Greek) means a deed or matter.

In other words, they were to help her with whatever she needed help with!

Maybe Phoebe needed lodging.

Maybe Phoebe needed guidance about the dangerous places to avoid.

Maybe Phoebe needed the fellowship of faithful Christians while she was away from her home congregation tending to her business.  When we move away from or isolate ourselves from fellowship with faithful Christians, it becomes easier to drift away from God’s teachings.  Faithful Christians really do need each other!

One source I read suggested that Phoebe’s business in Rome was of the legal kind.  Regardless, it seems that she was a stranger in a strange place and Paul is admonishing the Church there to help her.

“For indeed she has been a helper of many, and of myself also” … In a nutshell, Phoebe reached out and helped others and now it was time to pay it forward and help her!

One source I read suggested that she helped Christians who had been driven out of their countries.  Acquilla and Priscilla were driven out of Rome by Claudius, the emperor at that time, because they were Jews.  Could Phoebe have helped relocate them since they came to Corinth, which was a short distance from Cenchrea?  Possibly, indications are that this was one type of ministry that she did.

We know that she helped/ministered to Paul.

It is assumed that she helped members of the church in Cenchrea when there was a need since she was a faithful member there.

So little is said about Phoebe, yet so much is said about her.

She was a Christian in good standing in her home congregation of Cenchrea.

She was a worker for the Lord.

Her reputation was one of faithfulness.

She helped others.

So how did Phoebe fit into God’s overall plan of salvation for mankind?  How did she help grow Christ’s Church?  Phoebe used her resources and did what she could to help other Christians in their Christian walks, by her actions, she helped grow the Lord’s Church.  Isn’t that what we’re supposed to do as well?

May we all strive to be more like Phoebe!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this lesson.  Don't forget to leave a comment and if you’ve enjoyed this study, please share the link with other ladies who you think might enjoy it as well.

For our next study we’re going to go back and pick up Martha.  Martha is often looked upon as less spiritual than her sister, Mary.   Can you be older, less emotional, and have a ‘take charge, seemingly no nonsense’ personality and still have a heart for God?  Did Martha?  We’ll find out when we study her life in Scripture in September.  I hope you’ll mark your calendars and that you’ll tell other ladies about it as well.

Until the next class …

patsy @ From This Heart of Mine

Sources used for this study:

Various translations of the Holy Bible

Various commentaries

Strongs Concordance

Greek Lexicon

Dictionary of New Testament Background, Editors: Craig A Evans & Stanley E. Porter

Archaeological Study Bible

All the Women of the Bible by Edith Deen

Daughters of Eve by Lottie Beth Hobbs

Halley’s Bible Handbook by H. H. Halley

Who’s Who in the Bible by Philip Comfort & Walter A. Elwell