Romans 16:1

Romans 16:1. I commend, etc. Both an introduction and a commendation are suggested.

Phebe our sister; a Christian believer; this is the general ground for receiving her.

Who is a deaconess, etc. This is the special reason, in view of the fidelity with which she had fulfilled her duty (Romans 16:2). It is implied that she occupied this position at the time Paul wrote. The word here used may mean ‘servant' but it is unlikely that this is the sense, since there were deaconesses in the Christian church during the first century, their duty being to take care of the sick and poor, and of strangers, in the female portion of the churches. The rigid separation of the sexes made this the more necessary. The custom continued for centuries in the Greek church. In the Protestant church the office of deaconess has recently been revived. The Roman Catholic church has, as is well known, special orders of celibate women to perform the duties properly belonging to this office. The term here used may be either masculine or feminine. Some regard the ‘widows' spoken of in 1 Timothy 5:3-16 as deaconesses, a new opposed by Neander; see that passage, and Schaff, Apostolic church, p. 535, where the identity is defended Phebe was the bearer of the letter, else no such special mention would have been necessary. From the independent manner of her movements, it has been inferred that she was a widow.

Cenchrea. The eastern part of Corinth, about nine English miles from that city. To argue from this that the letter was addressed to Ephesus, or some church east of Corinth, is puerile.