ROMANS 16:1

“I recommend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea,”

We’re beginning Paul’s “sign off” of the letter to the Roman church. In these 27 verses of chapter 16, he mentions by name 35 people plus gives references to others not named specifically. Paul valued people. Through his years of ministry, he had many believers who served beside him as well as those who served him. He knew the ministry God had given him was not his alone. He needed others to carry out the mission. As we go through this final chapter, don’t just read the names and move on. See what you can find out about each person named. I hope to share much of that with you but do your own deep dive.

Paul begins this last chapter naming a lady who we have all probably heard of, right? Paul recommends her to the church. This probably meant she was the bearer of the letter to Rome. It was customary for the bearer of the letter to be named and introduced to those receiving the letter. Phoebe was a Greek name, and she was from the church at Cenchrea. She was possibly a widow traveling to Rome on business herself.

APPLICATION

I get asked occasionally to write a letter of recommendation for someone. I was asked that recently by someone who used to work with me in another state. In order to recommend someone, you have to have personal knowledge of their character. Undoubtedly, Paul knew Phoebe well enough to trust her to not only deliver this letter but to also answer any questions that might arise upon its reading. That was also a responsibility of the letter bearer. She is called a “servant of the church at Cenchrea.” The word “servant” is the Greek word diakonos from which we get our word “deacon.” Much has been made of this one little word attributed to Phoebe. I do not want to get into a debate about the role of women in the church. Let me just share the context of this letter.

In the early church it was common for women to be “ordained” as deaconesses to serve other women. These were generally older women who could teach and guide younger women. They also were usually widows who could give the time needed without disrupting their own home. Paul had obviously observed Phoebe serving in that role or had been informed by others.

Cenchrea was a hard place to be a Christian. Some ancient texts called this port the “wickedest place on the face of the earth.” You can imagine an ancient seaport and the kind of sailors and merchants who gathered there. Phoebe had to be tough and resilient to live a life as a godly woman in such a wicked place. But she had shown Paul she was a woman to be trusted with these precious words to the church.

Let me ask you a question. Could someone recommend you for such a task? Have you proven yourself worthy of such an honor? Seek the Lord with all your heart and strive to please Him in all you do. Others will see that and one day may even ask you to take on a task such as this.

O Father, count me worthy of Your work today. I only want to please You.

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