Romans 16:1-6

Study of The Book of Romans

Lesson 115 Chapter 16:1 – 6

By Pastor Randy Johnson

1. Verse 1 “I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:”
1. First things first; we are going to hear a lot of woman’s mentioned in this chapter, it is evident that God has used a few woman very wonderfully in the past and I believe He still does today.

a. However God elected to use these women non of them were ever called to the ministry, none were ever called to pastor churches, non were ever called to the mission field.

b. And we need also to clear this myth up also there is nothing in the scriptures ever mentioned about a “deaconess”. That would be a woman Deacon.

c. God would never use a woman for any of these positions. 1 Timothy 2:11 - 12 “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. (12.) But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.”

2. Who is “Phebe”?

a. This we do know She was a woman, a sister in the Lords church in Cenchrea; Cenchrea is a small coastal city about 8 – 10 miles from Corinth.

b. Secondly; she carried this letter from Paul to the church at Rome. Verse 27 “To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. Written to the Romans from Corinthus, and sent by Phebe servant of the church at Cenchrea.”

c. She must have had been a very trusted servant to Paul.

3. “I commend unto you Phebe our sister…” the word commend simply means introduce or that she is a trusted sister.
1. Verse 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.”
1. Paul is boldly asking this church at Rome to accept Phebe, and if she needs anything to please help her.
2. “…for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.” The word “succourer” means assistant – we do know who and how many of Gods men she had helped but it was apparently a few.
3. Women can be such a help and blessing to this church and Pastor, God never forbid women from working just not in the churches itself as leaders.
2. Verse 3 “Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:”
1. Aquila was a Jew from Rome who was in Corinth after Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome around 49A.D. Acts 18:2 “And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.” It is here at Corinth that Paul first met them.
2. Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila were all Jews and not only that they were all Tentmakers so they had a lot outside of their Christianity in common. They became wonderful workers for the Lord. Acts 18:3 “And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.”
3. We know also that these two have a church in their house, Verse 5 “Likewise greet the church that is in their house.” We also see this in 1 Corinthians 16:19 “The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.”
4. We also know that they laid their necks for Paul. Verse 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. Verse 6 “Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.” We really do not know who this Mary is; Mary was a common name back then. But it appears the church at Rome knew her and she was a hard labor for the Lord and the Lords churches.
6. Again let us notice how many women worked with Paul and what they did. Praise God for them all.