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Throughout the New Testament, there were many women of faith who used their resources to aid others, Phoebe demonstrated selfless devotion to the well-being of her fellow believers. As a woman, she may have been a businesswoman or from a wealthy family. She used her resources not for her pleasure but to spread the Gospel and help others in need. Phoebe was a trailblazer, paving the way for female ministerial work, an inspiration to those who want to go against societal oppressive constraints. Phoebe was the first nurse mentioned in the Holy Bible. She gave care to sick strangers, orphans, and travelers under her roof. To those who believe that women cannot be ministers, her work is proof that God uses women in all church positions. When the Apostle Paul wrote letters to the churches throughout the Roman Empire, he had no government postal service by which he could send them. So he appointed trusted partners to deliver these important letters that not only served the churches that received them but have become part of our holy scriptures. Paul commends Phoebe as an ordained deacon. One of Paul’s most important letters (and his longest) was his letter to the churches in Rome, essentially the capital of the known world at the time. And he entrusted this important letter to none other than Phoebe. Whenever a person would deliver a letter, they would read it out to the recipient group, as well as explain further the intent and meaning behind the letter. Phoebe conceivably played this important role as well. “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” John 13:35 (NKJV).
As a benefactor, Phoebe was a woman of some means who was generous with her support of others. Phoebe’s act of benefaction highlights her spirit of generosity, compassion, and willingness to help those in need. Her actions were not limited to personal gain or recognition but were driven by a genuine desire to serve God and His people. By using her resources to aid others, Phoebe demonstrated selfless devotion to the well-being of her fellow believers. As a woman, she may have been a businesswoman or from a wealthy family. Either way, she used her resources not for her own pleasure but to spread the Gospel and help others in need. Phoebe’s benefactor role also underscores the importance of financial support within the early church. Phoebe’s generosity likely helped alleviate the financial burdens faced by the early Christians, enabling them to continue their work and fulfill their mission. Beyond her financial assistance, Phoebe’s role as a benefactor also suggests that she may have provided practical support and care for others. In the context of the early church, this could have included hospitality, offering shelter, and meeting the needs of travelers and missionaries. Phoebe’s contributions likely extended beyond mere financial support and encompassed acts of service and hospitality. “We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” Romans 15:1-6 (NKJV).
Phoebe is portrayed as a leader and a deaconess in the church of Cenchreae. Commissioned by St. Paul as a deaconess serving the church, Phoebe is said to have exemplified early Christian ideals of charity and selflessness. Phoebe, it has been argued that she did not hold the official position of “deacon”, but that she may have been a “deaconess”, or that she was a servant or even hand-maid, as the Greek word for “deacon” can also mean one of these. That Phoebe is a deacon and not a deaconess is clear from the Greek, where Paul uses specifically the generic male noun “diakonon” to describe her, the exact same noun he uses to describe his own office in Romans 15. The fact that many of our English translations call her a “servant,” while translating the same word as “deacon” when referring to men, betrays a bias on the part of the translators who assume the title should only be given to men. Phoebe was a true servant to the Kingdom as an example of someone who bears the burdens of others without mumbling or complaining. Paul commends Phoebe to the Roman believers and asks that they receive her in a gracious and friendly manner into their homes and hearts with love and affection. She was to be welcome in their church fellowship. Asking for her to be received “in a way worthy of [God’s] people” means that the church should treat Phoebe with the special respect and Christian love that should characterize all believers’ interactions with one another. Even those believers we have never met before should be welcomed with love, for we share a bond in the Lord. Phoebe was to be aided in whatever business she would be conducting in Rome. “I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, 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” Romans 16:1-2 (NKJV).
Lastly, as a deacon, Phoebe would have been actively involved in the ministry and the community’s welfare. Her role would have encompassed serving others, meeting practical needs, and promoting unity and fellowship within the congregation. Paul adds that Phoebe was a helper of many. Phoebe’s role as a deacon underscores her dedication to serving God and His people and her willingness to use her gifts and abilities to benefit others. Her identification as a deacon also suggests that she may have played a role in spreading the Gospel and supporting the work of missionaries. Deacons often assisted in the practical aspects of ministry, including hospitality and support for traveling preachers. Phoebe’s involvement as a deacon may have extended beyond the local congregation and included supporting the broader mission of the early church, implied in Paul’s letter to the Romans. Phoebe may have shown great kindness in various ways to other Christians, perhaps receiving them into her house in the manner of Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38–40). Perhaps she ministered to the sick, helped the poor, and aided widows and orphans in the manner of Tabitha (Acts 9:36). Maybe she ministered to strangers and travelers in the manner of John’s “elect lady” (2 John 1). Paul himself was a beneficiary of Phoebe’s kind servant’s heart. Phoebe’s mention as a deacon provides valuable insights into the involvement of women in church leadership during the early Christian era. Her identification challenges cultural norms and underscores women’s equal worth and value in the ministry. While her example is not the sole basis for discussions on women in leadership, it contributes to the broader understanding of women’s roles in the early church. Her example also encourages ongoing conversations about the inclusion and recognition of women in leadership positions within the church today. “The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with her hands” Proverbs 14:1 (NKJV).
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