A Female Deacon in the New Testament
Phoebe was a Deacon of the church at Cenchreae in Corinth. Paul introduces her as his chosen emissary to the Church in Rome.
In his Letter to the Romans, St. Paul wrote:
Romans 16:1. I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. (NIV translation)
our sister. This is speaking of a woman, not a man.
Phoebe. The name Phoebe means pure, radiant, bright.
who is a. When Paul mentions several people by name, his most important person comes first. Here, the first person he mentions is Phoebe. She must have been a real hero of the faith!
deacon. The Greek word is διάκονον (“diakonon”). It means deacon. It means a person appointed to an office in a church that is generally associated with service of some kind.
Phoebe is a female Deacon, and she is named in the Bible!
Romans 16:2. that you receive her in the Lord, in a way worthy of the saints, and that you assist her in whatever matter she may need from you, for she herself also has been a helper of many, and of my own self.
a helper of many, and of my own self. The specialness of Phoebe to Paul is captivating. We wish we knew more about her!
She may have been the person who delivered Paul’s epistle to the church in Rome.
assist her in whatever matter she may need. They were to contribute to the financial support of Phoebe, a female Deacon.
Many denominations honor Phoebe each year:
- Roman Catholic Church: September 3
- Eastern Orthodox Church: September 3
- Episcopal Church in the United States of America: September 3
- Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod: October 25.
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: January 27
SEE ALSO
Female Prophets in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament era, God called five women to be authentic prophets to the world. The Jewish people accepted female prophets. But sadly Christians don’t.
Female Prophets in the New Testament. In the New Testament era, God called two women to be authentic prophets to the world. The early Christians accepted them. But sadly we don’t.
Gender bias is hostile to Jesus Christ. When it comes to gender bias, we Christians have often been the most egregious offenders. It is time for us to change our behavior.
A Female Deacon in the New Testament. Phoebe was a Deacon of the church at Cenchreae in Corinth. Paul introduces her as his chosen emissary to the Church in Rome.
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.