Phoebe

Biblical Record

Phoebe appears in the New Testament only in Romans 16:1–2. At the beginning of the closing greetings of his letter, Paul commends her to the church in Rome, calling her "our sister" and "a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea" (KJV; the Korean Revised Version, Revised Edition, reads "worker"). Paul asks the Roman believers to "receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints," and to "assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you." As his reason, he writes that "she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also" (Romans 16:2, KJV).

Cenchreae was a port city east of Corinth. Acts 18:18 also records Paul stopping there. Scripture says nothing about Phoebe's origins, family, or later life.

Significance Within Scripture

Romans 16 names many people whom Paul greets, including Priscilla and Aquila, and Phoebe is placed first among them. This brief commendation shows that in the early church a woman could be called a "servant" of the church and could also support the ministry of an apostle.

Interpretations and Points of Debate

• Meaning of "servant": The Greek word diakonos in the original text can carry the general sense of "one who serves," but it is also used as the title of the office of deacon. For this reason, translations render it variously as "servant," "minister," or "deacon." Those who regard it as a formal office take it, together with the reference to women in 1 Timothy 3:11, as evidence that the early church had women deacons. Those who regard it as a general expression of service see it as language from a time before church offices had become established.
• Meaning of "succourer": The Greek word prostatis is often interpreted as "patron" or "benefactor." Some scholars go further and read it as implying leadership.
• This passage is frequently cited in debates over the ordination of women. Denominations that permit the ordination of women present it as a biblical precedent for women's ministry, while those that do not regard Phoebe's role as one of service and patronage, distinct from the office of pastor or elder.
• Claims beyond the text: A widely held view is that Phoebe delivered Paul's letter to the church in Rome. This, however, is an inference drawn from the context of the commendation and from the subscriptions found in some manuscripts; the text itself does not say so. Descriptions of her as a wealthy widow or a merchant likewise have no basis in Scripture. Because her name is connected with Greek mythology, some hold that she was of Gentile background, but this too is conjecture.

In the Korean Church

In the Korean church, Phoebe is chiefly presented as an example in sermons on the service and devotion of women believers. She is also frequently mentioned at church women's gatherings and at events connected with the women's mission society. Some women's service groups and ministries are named after her. Because denominations differ in how they structure women's offices, the same passage may be presented either as a model for service offices such as kwonsa (senior deaconess) and deacon, or as a precedent for women pastors.