Who was Phoebe in the Bible?

Phoebe. — Who was this sister? Her name occurs nowhere else in the sacred volume. She was a servant, or deaconess of the assembly in Cenchrea. Here only do we meet with the official term applied to a woman in the New Testament. What the character of their service was 1 Tim. 5:10 may help us to understand, without confining the labours of such to the acts there specially described. Those who presided in the assembly were to be esteemed very highly in love for their work's sake (1 Thess. 5:12-13). Sisters who laboured in the special sphere of women's work, were to be esteemed likewise. So they were to receive Phoebe in Rome in the Lord, i.e., as in the bonds of Christian profession, as becomes saints, assisting her in whatever business she had need of them. "For," adds the apostle, "she has been a succourer of many, and of myself also." To what St. Paul here refers is unknown. He had years before shorn his head at Cenchrea, for he had a vow (Acts 18:18). There may be some connection between that and Phoebe's service. But not alone did she minister to him. She had been a succourer of many as well. She was a devoted woman, whose service is recorded on high. Mentioned however here, she stands out as an encouragement to others, that their service, however unobtrusive and but little known beyond the circle of those who benefit by it, is not unnoticed by Him who will requite them with His "Well done" in a coming day, accompanied by substantial and everlasting tokens of His approval.* We may be well assured Phoebe was not unnoticed nor unassisted at Rome, when she reached it, after this commendation from Paul.

However this may be, the apostle goes into remarkable detail in his salutations to those at Rome. "Now I commend to you Phoebe our sister, being minister of the assembly that is in Cenchreae, that ye may receive her in [the] Lord, worthily of the saints, and assist her in whatever matter she has need of you; for she also has been a helper of many and of myself." (Ver. 1, 2.) We know from elsewhere that elderly females, especially widows, held a position official or quasi-official in which they rendered service to the assembly where they lived. A deaconess such as Phoebe was distinct from these widows; but the one illustrates the other: the value of this would be specially felt of old before Christianity had vindicated the place of women, and this too, particularly in the east as well as in dissolute Greece. Indeed at all times and in all places there are functions to be discharged from time to time more fittingly by a godly female rather than by any man, however pure-minded or elderly. Phoebe was one of these in the assembly of the port of Corinth — Cenchreae. As she had thus been honoured of the Lord and recognized by His chief servants in the ordinary circle of her christian duty, so the apostle now introduces her thus to the saints at Rome that they might receive her in a becoming sort, and this, not merely in spiritual things but in whatever business she might need their help, for she too, as he affectionately adds, had been a helper of many and of himself.

A christian woman commended by the apostle to the saints at Rome as 'a servant of the church.' He desired that they should assist her in anything in which she needed their aid. She had been a succourer of many and of Paul. The word for 'servant' is διάκονος, 'deaconess,' but may not imply any official service. Rom. 16:1.

IN CHAPTER 16 we get the closing salutations. Phebe seems to have been the bearer of the epistle, and Paul works in this word of commendation concerning her so that the saints at Rome might freely and without question receive her. She had succoured many and even Paul himself in the course of her service at Cenchrea. The word, "servant" is really, "deaconess."

So also in Romans 16. Nothing can be more marked or striking than the beautiful discrimination which characterises this exquisite Scripture. First of all, mark the way in which Phebe is commended to the assembly at Rome. "I commend to you Phebe our sister." On what ground? Is it that she is "breaking bread" or "in fellowship" at Cenchrea? No; but "she is a servant of the assembly"; and "she has been a succourer of many, and of myself also."

He presents, in touching and forcible language, the moral basis of her claim upon the hospitality and succour of the assembly. To say that a person is "breaking bread" is, alas! no guarantee of personal devotedness. It ought to be; but it is not. And hence, to expect the sympathy, succour, and confidence of the Lord's people on that ground is unwarrantable. Even the blessed apostle himself, when he asks for the prayers of the brethren, presents the moral basis of his claim. "Brethren, pray for us." On what ground? Is it because we are "breaking bread" or "in fellowship"? Nothing of the kind; but because "we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly."

We now have the closing remarks and salutations. The Lord would not have the devoted Phebe forgotten. She was a deaconess, or servant, of the church in Cenchrea. “That ye receive her in the Lord, as becomes saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she has need of you: for she has been a succourer of many, and of myself also.” These verses throw much light on the true character of the deacon, as appointed by the apostles before the failure of the church set in so sadly. There is not a shadow of the modern clerical idea. “A succourer of many.” Evidently this was in temporal things. She was to be received in the Lord, in that relationship. And what beautiful love and care. She is to be assisted in whatsoever business she has in Rome. It might then be said, See how these Christians love one another.

(Vv. 1, 2). He first commends Phebe, who he describes, not simply as a sister, but, as "our sister". She had served the Assembly at Cenchrea, been a succourer of many, and, the Apostle adds, "of myself also". They are desired to receive her, and assist her, especially remembering that she had assisted others. In all this they were to act in the Name of the Lord as becomes saints.

But first we see the careful order observed in connection with the visit of Phebe at Rome. She evidently was the bearer of this epistle, her home assembly being at Cenchrea. Thus Paul commends her to the saints at Rome, and her title to fellowship with them is clear. Such an example is manifestly intended to be followed today, that there should be no reception without clear knowledge of the person. This is simply proper care, and we owe no less than this to the Lord, whose Name deserves every reverential honor. It is lovely also to notice that this is no mere formal letter of introduction, but a warm commendation of one whose service to the saints and to Paul himself merited special mention. He solicits the willing assistance of the Roman saints on behalf of whatever needs this sister might have.

Phobe was servant to the assembly in Cenchrea, yet Paul indicates that she was wealthy and communicated her resources to the Lord's people. She was a patroness (a succourer) to many including the apostle, whom she had probably met in Cenchrea (Acts 18:18). We see that her wealth did not make her high minded, but that she gave willing and humble service in promoting assembly testimony. There is much in which sisters can be engaged, for the activities of the testimony are many and varied. There is no cause for a sister or brother to say, "there is nothing for me to do." The memory of Phobe abides here in God's Word because of the diligent and faith­ful way in which she applied herself to the Lord's interests in this world.

Phoebe was a minister, servant or deacon (Rom. 16:1), not a "deaconess." The masculine form of the word is used in describing her.