1 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.
The Apostle Paul often included personal greetings in his epistles and this chapter contains more than the usual number. Phoebe though, was not in Rome. She was apparently one of the group that delivered this letter to the churches in Rome, or did she travel alone? No other person is included in Paul’s commendation. She was probably a Gentile, for the name Phoebe (Phoiban) seems to derive from the Greek word, phos, which means “light, shining.” Cenchrea was a port for the city of Corinth, which is thought to have been Paul’s location when he dictated the book of Romans (v22-23) during his third missionary journey, having first evangelized this area of Greece during his second mission trip (see Acts 18:1-18).
Commentators offer various ideas about Phoebe being a servant (diakonon) of the church. Liberal scholars say she was a pastor in the church and use her to support their acceptance of female clergy members. Others think she was one of the aged women which were encouraged to teach the younger ones (Titus 2:3-5). It is also popular to quote the Apostolic Constitutions, which speak of the church ordaining deaconesses “for the ministries toward the women.” However, that document is dated three full centuries after Paul, during the Roman Catholic Church era. It is doubtful that it describes the practice of the apostolic churches.
Paul gives a glowing affirmation to this sister’s praiseworthy work among the saints. She hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also, says the Apostle, so assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you. Phoebe was clearly a diligent, capable person given to hospitality, and gifted with discerning the needs of others and distributing to their necessities – an important, honorable service among the brotherhood of believers (see Romans 12:10-13; 1Tim 5:10; Gal 6:9-10). Besides helping to clothe, shelter and feed the saints, Phoebe must have been a woman of faith, courage and prayer, for not just any person would be willing to undertake a 2-3 week sea-journey to Rome. Whether she was a deaconess or a servant, we can be sure that she lived according to the rule of the New Testament Scriptures concerning the roles for women in the church body.
The unfortunate rise of feminist movements in modern societies has greatly affected those churches of Christ who do not hold the Scriptures in reverence and fear. The plain teaching of the New Testament is that men are responsible to teach and lead the flock, while women are given the responsibility to teach and lead in the home (1Cor 14:34-35; 1Tim 2:12-15; Eph 5:24; 1Pet 5:1-5). Sisters are also authorized to minister in the church unto women and children, but to teach and exercise authority in the body is not allowed (see notes for 1Cor 11).
3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: 4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.
Paul had come to know this couple during his second missionary journey. They had taken up residence in Corinth after the emperor Claudius evicted all Jews from Rome (Acts 18:2). Through a simple business connection (they were all tentmakers) they became friends and the Apostle Paul was probably the one who introduced them to Christianity. After helping to start the church in Corinth, they followed him to Ephesus (Acts 18:18-19) and helped in the evangelization of that city too. They probably returned to Rome sometime after the death of Claudius. It seems that wherever they went, a new church began in their house (1Cor 16:19). Interestingly, Priscilla is sometimes named before Aquila, which may indicate that she was an especially engaging lady. This Jewish couple was very useful in early evangelism and went through many dangers with Paul. They were well-known in many churches of the Gentiles.
Epaenetus was apparently one of the first converts to Christianity in Achaia, along with the household of Stephanas, also called the firstfruits of Achaia (1Cor 16:15). Perhaps Epaenetus was part of that household. Achaia (or Asia) was a prominent province in the Roman Empire where Christianity first began to flourish after spreading out from Israel. Firstfruits (aparche) refers to a specific series of offerings required in the Mosaic Law. For more on the meaning of firstfruits, see note for Romans 8:23.
6 Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us. 7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord. 9 Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. 10 Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus’ household. 11 Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord. 12 Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord. 13 Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14 Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them. 15 Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.
Paul made many acquaintances in his travels and must have had a very good memory. The lives of these men and women are largely unknown. Maybe they are roughly grouped by churches, for the time of church meeting places had not yet come. Priscilla and Aquila had a church in their house (v5), while others are named as having brethren or saints which are with them (v14-15), indicating perhaps, that these met together. Those of Aristobulus and Narcissus (v10-11) might refer to their house church congregations, instead of to their family members.
Andronicus and Junia might have been a married Jewish couple who supported the Apostles early on in Jerusalem for they were in Christ before Paul, who is thought to have been converted less than a year after Jesus’ resurrection. It is also possible that Junia is man’s name. And some say these two are actually apostles themselves. While the text might bear that sense, the context does not, for their names are entirely unknown outside of this reference. So they are certainly not famous as apostles. Instead, they were well-known by the Apostles as servants of Christ and fellow-workers in the Kingdom. A husband and wife (like Aquila and Priscilla) that dedicated their lives to serving the churches of the Kingdom – this makes the best sense of the passage.
Paul sends his greetings to a surprising amount of people, given that he had never been to Rome. Men and women, both single and married.
16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.
The holy kiss is a formal greeting of Christian love in the brotherhood of saints. It is one of the Seven Ordinances recognized by many Anabaptist churches (see note for 1Cor 11:1). Both Peter and Paul reminded the churches to greet one another with a kiss of charity (1Cor 16:20; 1Thes 5:26; 1Pet 5:14; 2Cor 13:12). Each of the ordinances are physical acts that have a deeper, spiritual meaning. Diversity of practice do not detract from their significance, nor has the need for unity and love in the church diminished over the years! The Apostles reminded the churches often in their epistles to continue constant in unfeigned love for the brethren. Greeting one another with an holy kiss is a token of that commitment.
17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
The Apostle does not speak of heathen men, but of those who are supposedly serving Christ. From the beginning, factions and divisions (1Cor 3:13) in the churches were the cause of many erroneous ideas and beliefs that were not according to sound doctrine (Titus 1:9). Paul admonishes the brethren to be on the alert for such men and to mark them as troublemakers and busybodies (2Thes 3:6). Avoid them, for their real goal and allegiance is to please their own flesh and mind (Mat 7:15). They have not yielded themselves unto the lordship of Jesus Christ, but serve their own belly – meaning that they are living according to their own desires and goals instead of Christ (Php 3:19).
These people are often knowledgeable and very persuasive. Beware of them, the Apostle warns, for with flattering words and well-presented arguments they will certainly deceive the hearts of the simple (Col 2:8). The word simple (akakos) carries the idea of “innocent,” and is translated harmless in Heb 7:26. Reject a heretic after the first and second admonition (Titus 3:10), do not even receive him into your house, the Apostle John wrote (2John 1:10). Satan in the garden of Eden was the first to deceive Man by good words and fair speeches.
19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. 20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
The church at Rome had earned a good reputation among the churches of Christ. Their obedience to the faith (see Rom 16:26) was an example to all. But Paul did not let them simply bask in this commendation. He desires them to increase even more in that which is good and wise. The warnings in these verses are to that end. Simple (akeraios) concerning evil. This word means pure, harmless, innocent; it is found only twice elsewhere in the New Testament. First, when Jesus said, Be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless (akeraios) as doves (Mat 10:16) and when Paul wrote, That ye may be blameless and harmless (akeraios), the sons of God, without rebuke, in the mindst of a crooked and perverse nation (Php 2:15). The opposite trait would to be like many in the church at Thyatira, who had come to know the depths of Satan, so to speak (Rev 2:24).
He is called the God of hope (Rom 15:13), the God of patience and consolation (Rom 15:5) and the God of peace (Rom 15:33). By naming a character trait of God, the Apostle intimates that God will work the same quality, or spirit of mind, within us also. Thus, “God will give you peace; soon He shall bruise (suntribo, crush, break in pieces) Satan under your feet.” Quite possibly this figure of speech is drawn once again from the oft-quoted book of Isaiah, where we find this statement in a mysterious prophetic passage about Satan: “How has Lucifer, that rose in the morning, fallen from heaven! He that sent orders to all the nations is crushed (suntribo) to the earth” (Is 14:12, LXX).
This dovetails with the prophecy of Jesus bruising Satan’s head (Gen 3:15) when He came to this earth to destroy the works of the Devil (1John 3:8; Heb 2:14). God put all things in subjection under His feet (Eph 1:22; Mat 22:44; Heb 2:8). For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death (see 1Cor 15:25-27; Heb 10:13; Rev 2:27). Jesus testified that He saw Satan as lightning fall from heaven when the 70 returned from their mission (Luke 10:18; John 12:31). Satan was crushed by Christ when He rose victorious from the grave, but a final eternal crushing awaits the end of the Age. Jesus is in heaven expecting till His enemies be made His footstool forever (Heb 10:13).
Some have thought this picture refers to a particular persecution or trial that the church at Rome was experiencing, but I take it as Paul’s general desire for the church in his final words of encouragement. Read it in the context of his foregoing words: “I rejoice in your obedience, by which Satan is crushed under your feet.” Jesus said, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the Enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you (Luke 10:19). The life of the Apostles prove this to be true: the more we are obedient to the faith of Christ, the more the power of Satan is crushed.
This letter seems to end more than once! Paul’s standard ending for his epistles is in verse 20, but is found again in Romans 16:24. He seems to have added the later verses as a sort of postscript.
21 Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you. 22 I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord. 23 Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.
These men were with Paul at the time of this writing and they wished to send their greetings to the church at Rome also. All but Tertius and Quartus are mentioned in the book of Acts: Lucius of Cyrene in Acts 13:1, Jason in Acts 17:5, Sosipater and Gaius in Acts 20:4, Timotheus in Acts 16:1 and Erastus in Acts 19:22. Timothy was Paul’s closest earthly friend and servant in the ministry. Gaius is thought by some to be the Justus of Acts 18:7.
Erastus was a city chamberlain (oikonomos, steward). Some have taken this detail to sanction a Christian being employed by the State. It is a dubious inference, seeing that it was common to name persons by prior occupations. Matthew is called the publican because he formerly had served as a tax collector for the Romans (Mat 9:9; 10:3). Simon was called Zelotes because he once had been a member of the violent band of Jews called, “The zealots” (Luke 6:15). Erastus apparently traveled with Paul a lot, for near the end of his life we read that Paul left him in Corinth (2Tim 4:20). Some years earlier, during his missionary journey, Paul sent Erastus and Timothy into Macedonia while he stayed in Asia (Acts 19:22). These long absences are further evidence that Erastus was no longer working as a steward (treasurer?) of the city (Luke 12:42). See Adam Clarke.
24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. 25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: 27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.
This is one of the most beautiful benedictions in the Bible (compare Heb 13:20-21; Jude 1:24-25). It summarizes the basic source and truth of the new Kingdom of God, a mystery long hidden in the Scriptures but now preached in every nation, land and people. The prophets had written much about this era, but in veiled language so that the princes of this world would not understand (1Cor 2:6-8). Jesus, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom (Mat 4:23), revealed this great secret of God for generations to come in the Age of the Gentiles.
The obedience of faith. The book of Romans is often used to support the Calvinistic belief that God does not care about man’s works, yet it begins and ends with this call for Man to be obedient to the Faith of Christ. In his greeting Paul writes: By (Christ) we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for His name (Rom 1:5). The phrase is identical in the Greek, eis hupakoan pisteos. What kind of faith, or believing, does this epistle teach? The kind that believes and works; its the faith that obeys.
The Scriptures see no conflict in God fore-choosing a man and then requiring him to obey. In fact, these two truths are usually linked in the same thought. (Rom 8:28-31). For example, Peter’s epistle says that we are the Elect according to the foreknowledge of God…unto obedience (1Pet 1:2). He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love (Eph 1:4). God’s foreknowledge is intended to motivate us to fulfill our calling unto holy living, just as it says in this epistle: Whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son (Rom 8:29). Or as the Apostle says elsewhere, “He has predestinated that we praise Him” (Eph 1:11-12). While the five steps of Calvinism divorce “faith” from “obedience,” the commandment of the everlasting God is the obedience of faith (v26).
Some Bibles include the end-note which was added to the original text by later translators: “Written to the Romans from Corinth with Phoebe, the servant of the church at Cenchrea.” This information, while not authoritative, can be mostly extracted from the epistle itself, being addressed to all that be in Rome (Rom 1:7) and written in the house of Gaius (v22-23) of Corinth (1Cor 1:14; Acts 19:29; 3John 1:1). Phoebe was from nearby Cenchrea (Rom 16:1; Acts 18:18).