Phebe Commended Romans 16:1

Paul the apostle told the believers in Rome, “Now the God of peace be with you all”, and in chapter sixteen and verse one of Romans, Paul shared the believers, “the God of peace be with you all” where we read:

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

The verse begins, “I commend unto you Phebe our sister, ...” Paul began with the words, “I commend” which means “Paul united, showed, proved, established, exhibited and put together” “unto you” or “toward the believers in Rome” “Phebe” whose name means “” and was “radiant” who was “a deaconess of the church at Cenchrea near Corinth” “our sister” which means “Paul, his companions and his believers in Rome's own ecclesiastical sister who was connected by the tie of the Christian religion”. Paul “presented and proved” “Phebe” to the believers in Rome as a fellow believing “sister in Christ”.

The verse continues, “... which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:”. Paul added the words, “which is a servant” which means “who exists as one who executes the commands of another such as an attendant or minister” “of the church” or “belonging to assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting” “which is at Cenchrea” which refers to “that is in the city of the eastern harbour of Corinth (i.e. its harbour on the Saronic Gulf) and the emporium of its trade with the Asiatic shores of the Mediterranean” whose name means millet. Paul made reference to the way “Phebe” ministered to the people within the church located in “Cenchrea”.

When we meditate upon these words of Paul, we see how he “referred” and “commended” “Phebe” to the believers in Rome. “Phebe” was already “a servant” in the church in “Cenchrea”, and now she was being sent to the believers in Rome. Gifts and mindsets such as “Phebe's” often come when a person receives Jesus Christ as their personal “Savior and Lord”. Afterward, God may use them in various places to bless His church, and gifts such as “Phebe's” did not go unnoticed by Paul nor do they by those who are wise today.

Next time Paul tells the believers in Rome, “receive her in the Lord, as becomes saints”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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