Phebe

 

Romans chapters 16 verses 1 and 2

“I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:

² That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.”

53 words – Phebe was one of 10 women mentioned in this chapter of Romans 16.  There were 27 people named in total.  Phebe – did you notice the spelling without the O!  Her name means The Shining One.  She was a Gentile by birth.  We don’t know how she came to faith, whether she was married or had a family.

 

Paul devotes 2 verses to the commendation of 1 single individual and a woman.  In the days in which the bible was written people wrote letters of introduction for people who travelled.  If we bear in mind the journey Phebe made to bring this letter to the Christians in Rome, we can begin to understand that these words would have given assurance to people who may have opened their homes and provided hospitality to Phebe.  What a commendation – and from the apostle Paul himself!  This was the man who had travelled extensively and established churches throughout the Roman world.

 

There are 3 descriptive words of Phebe – a sister, a servant and a succourer. 

 

The word “sister” refers to her faith in Christ.  She was part of the family of God and she was especially dear to Paul himself.

 

The words “servant and succourer” refer to her ministry in Christ.  A “succourer” is someone who gives in times of distress or need, a saviour. 

 

This word “servant” carries with it the notion of leadership, so she obviously had some position in the church, the interpretation of the word is deacon.  She had standing within the local established church.  Perhaps in describing her in this way Paul was ensuring the people who listened to his words would pay attention.  Yes, Phebe would deliver and read the letter Paul wrote but it came with authority, the authority of not only Paul but God himself.  Her role as a deacon would have included visiting the sick, assisting young women and helping the poor.

 

When I think of Phebe I am reminded of Lydia.  Remember her?  She was the woman that went outside of the city of Philippi one Sabbath morning because there was a prayer meeting being held.  Lydia sold purple cloth.  She was a trader.  She was used moving from city to city and I think Phebe was the same.  A business women who was not afraid to travel, the ideal candidate to take Paul’s letter with her.  The least suspected person.

 

We notice here where she came from – “a servant of the church which is in Cenchrea.”  This was a small established church not far from Corinth, about 5 miles from where Paul wrote this letter.  It was a coastal town, a thriving town with many idolatrous monuments and shrines.  It had many famous temples to Venus so probably tolerated much religion.  Paul never made it to Rome as a missionary but he intended to and from there to reach Spain.  Phebe possibly was a woman of wealth, a supporter of Paul’s missionary outreach.  This was a church that did not appear to have problems as the Corinthians did.  Paul chose her from this church rather than someone from the Corinthian church at which he was now based.

 

3 things Paul asked the church in Rome to do:

 

Firstly, “That ye receive her in the Lord” – as if it was the Lord they were receiving.  The challenge is clear – how would we receive the Lord if he came into our homes, into our churches, into our workplace today?

 

Secondly, “as becometh saints” – receive her into your hearts, into your homes and into the church.

 

Thirdly, “That ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you” – Phebe would have been a stranger in Rome, she needed help on a practical level as well as spiritually speaking.  Paul was asking these believers to provide help in whatever way was possible.

 

These were new believers in Rome – scattered to the 4 corners of the city – meeting not in a church but in the houses of the city.  All sorts of houses – from those owned by the rich with many slaves, to the actual houses the slaves lived in, from the traders in the street to those who lived in the slums along the riverbank in Rome.  These believers would have been young in the faith.  They were in hiding for their faith – not long before this a decree had gone out which resulted in Jews leaving Rome in fear of their lives.  Now they had returned as a result of that particular Emperor having died.  The Gentiles were outnumbering the Jews and this is where the problems arose.  There were probably 200 Christians living in Rome at this time.  Paul wrote this letter to help iron out some of these problems they now faced as they met together in Rome.  Phebe was given the responsibility of taking Paul’s letter to the scattered believers in house churches throughout the city of Rome.

 

Phebe was part of a larger cohort of women who partnered closely with the Apostle Paul, women such as Chloe (1 Corinthians 1:11), Nympha (Colossians 4:15), Apphia (Philemon 2), Euodia and Syntyche (Philippians 4:2-3), and Junia (Romans 16:7). Sometimes Paul gets labelled as being “anti-women,” but Phebe and her sisters would surely testify otherwise.

 

Phebe not only had the responsibility of taking Paul’s scroll on which he wrote this letter to the people of Rome, but she had to learn the contents and read it aloud to the believers in Rome.  She needed to understand what exactly Paul was saying and its meaning.  So Phebe would have been well educated.  Phebe had to travel not only by land but by boat, a hazardous journey for anyone.

 

So what qualities can we learn from Phebe … powerful, influential, sacrificial, generous - qualities used for God’s glory not her own.

 

We have often heard the saying “little is much when God is in it”.  This could be written over Phebe’s life – I am sure she did not consider that she was doing much in taking this letter but her small task has left us with this amazing book.  When I think of Phebe, I am reminded that the small things I can do for God do matter. 

 

Also, Phebe used what she had to honour God – particularly financially and educationally.  What a reminder that is for all of us.  We might not be able to travel as Phebe did and take the good news to those who have not heard the gospel message yet but we can use what we have in terms of financial assistance to help. 

 

When I think of Paul writing these words I realised that he did not have to mention all these people – they knew who they were, they knew what they did to help Paul but he didn’t want them to remain nameless or omit them from this list.  I wonder – have you ever written a letter of thanks to those for whom you owe a debt of gratitude?  Maybe something they have done that has given you joy when you needed it most.  Perhaps they called and visited at a time when you were feeling down or they provided something of a practical nature.  Maybe today you could take time to thank them.  But don’t forget to thank God for such people too.  As you look back on your life maybe there are people who have led you on your path to faith in Christ or helped you in the days since.  Maybe you could sit down tonight and write a prayer to thanks to God for such people.

 

Another challenge can be seen in these words – as we reflect on those who in our lives have been an encourager, maybe we could do the same.  In your prayers of thanksgiving to God can you ask God to show you someone you could provide assistance to today in practical or material ways.  Paul described his readers as “saints” and we share that same title if we have accepted Christ as our Lord and Saviour.  If we have entered into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, we are his chosen ones.  That involves reflecting him in our lives.  Are we reflecting a welcome as Paul expressed here to those who enter into our fellowship?  Do we reflect that sense of unity – being one in Christ?  No matter how far Phebe travelled she was welcomed with open arms by the Christians in Rome despite all their difficulties and fear of being arrested and persecution.

 

Phebe used her influence and financial wealth as well as her personal time and effort in the service of Christ – what are we using today?  I really pray that you will be challenged by Phebe’s example as I have been.  She is certainly one woman I am looking forward to meeting in heaven one day and to say “thank you” for her service for Christ in bringing a book packed full of foundational truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ.