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The year is 56 C.E.
Imagine that!
Paul had just finished writing
his inspired letter to the Romans.
It was comprised of both Jews and Gentiles.
That new congregation was experiencing
some trouble, though, in being unified.
So Paul had to set their thinking straight
and yet at the same time warmly assure them
of Jehovah’s love for all of them,
both Jew and Gentile.
He finishes his letter.
He reviews it.
It’s ready.
There’s only one problem.
Paul is in Corinth on a missionary tour,
and the letter is meant to go to Rome,
and that’s about 600 miles (1,000 km) away.
Who would Paul get to deliver it for him?
Whom would he trust?
Well, let’s open our Bibles
to Romans chapter 16
and examine the situation.
Romans chapter 16
—and we’ll read verse 1:
“I am introducing to you Phoebe, our sister,
who is a minister of the congregation
that is in Cenchreae.”
Phoebe—her name stamps her
as a Greek by birth.
And by the way she is introduced,
it is possible that Paul entrusted
his inspired manuscript
full of spiritual truth with her.
Well, let’s explore that possibility.
Paul could have chosen anyone.
If it were Phoebe, why her?
No doubt she had impressed him.
Well, let’s take a closer look at Phoebe.
In verse 1, it goes on to say
“a minister of the congregation.”
Now, by using that expression, “minister,”
we know it evidently had to do
with the spreading of the good news,
the preaching activity,
the preaching work, the teaching work.
In other words, her record in the ministry
was so outstanding
that he identified her by it.
That’s Phoebe—the minister,
the preacher, the teacher.
That’s high praise,
especially coming from the apostle Paul,
a zealous preacher himself.
And Paul must have known
that by giving her this type of commendation,
it would not have gone to her head
and she would not start to think
she was better than other sisters
or expect special treatment.
But what else is worthy of note with Phoebe?
It goes on to say
“the congregation that is in Cenchreae.”
That was her hometown.
Now, Cenchreae
was one of two ports in Corinth.
And the port cities were
renowned for their wickedness.
In fact, the temple of Venus
was located in Corinth
and it was said to have had
1,000 temple prostitutes.
Immorality was rampant there.
So to be a chaste,
virtuous, clean Christian
in this wicked city could not have been easy.
What a contrast!
You have this shining,
clean example (Phoebe) of Christianity
living in this grossly pagan society.
Now, Phoebe’s example
is even more impressive
when you consider that Christianity
had only been in that area
for about four years.
You see, Paul knew this,
and there is one more thing
that he knew about her.
Let’s read verse 2:
“So that you may welcome her in the Lord
“in a way worthy of the holy ones
and give her whatever help she may need,
“for she herself
also proved to be a defender of many,
including me.”
“A defender of many”?
Phoebe?
So Phoebe was
not just skilled in the ministry;
she was known
for coming to the aid of others.
In fact, that word, “defender,”
when translated
gives the sense of a protectress.
So think about that.
Her availability and freedom
to travel with Paul
may indicate that she was
a widow and of some material wealth.
Was she able to use her influence
and wealth in the community
in behalf of Christians
who were being wrongly accused?
Did she defend them?
Did she protect them?
Did she help them?
Did Phoebe provide a refuge
for them in times of danger?
Well, whatever that service did,
whatever this protectress did,
Paul understood it.
And what did she even do for Paul,
where he could say “including me”?
Well, whatever it was,
it made a lasting impression on him.
So no wonder
Paul admonished the brothers in Rome,
as we read here in verse 2,
“to welcome her [welcome her].”
Phoebe would find herself in a strange city.
She would need to be cared for.
So Paul gratefully acknowledges
her generosity
and talks about her reputation.
This is who Phoebe is.
Knowing that, it would all the more
endear her to the brothers in Rome.
But Paul said something else.
He said: “Welcome her in the Lord
[in the Lord]”
—vintage Paul, in typical Paul style.
Think of the bond of unity now
that he is fusing together.
If Paul used Phoebe,
it would mean that Paul, a Jew,
delivers this precious scroll
by means of a Greek woman to the Romans.
Paul was confident that true Christianity
and a·gaʹpe love,
that is that unselfish concern for others,
had enough elasticity
to stretch and bind and unify
Jews, Gentiles,
people of different nationalities,
men and women in the Lord
—the unifying effect that that would have!
So let’s bring it home.
Phoebe is alone in the truth,
a zealous minister in an immoral city,
protectress of her brothers,
perhaps carrying the most important letter
she will ever have in her possession.
This all took courage.
What Satan would have done
to prevent that letter
from reaching the brothers in Rome
or making it into our Bibles!
This may have been Phoebe’s defining moment.
A woman so loyal, so trustworthy
—the protectress—
was about to experience
Jehovah’s protective force
in a whole new way.
What a blessing!
Yet, on the other hand,
maybe Phoebe didn’t deliver the letter.
Maybe Phoebe did not get that privilege.
That’s OK.
More important than the letter
was the fact that Jehovah God inspired Paul
to make sure that her name and her reputation
are embedded in the pages of God’s Word.
That will never be forgotten.
What an honor Jehovah gave her!
Let’s face it, how many sisters today
would have the privilege
of having a Governing Body member
ask them to deliver a letter
to someone in a different country?
That would be a rare privilege.
But how many of our sisters
are Phoebelike
(who we have in our organization)
who are skilled in the ministry,
not afraid to stand out as different
in this wicked world?
How many Phoebelike sisters do we have
that spend tremendous
amounts of time and energy
to defend and protect the truth
and their fellow worshippers?
How many Phoebelike ones
do we have with a name and reputation
that is embedded
in the mind and heart of Jehovah God?
This is the important thing.
This is what we’re learning from Phoebe,
not whether she delivered the letter or not,
but who is Phoebe,
this wonderful Christian woman?
And, brothers, we learned something, too,
from Paul’s dealings with Phoebe.
He was not afraid
to acknowledge her strengths
or to praise her before the congregation.
So, like Paul, we want to speak highly
about our sisters before others.
We know that it’s often the sisters
doing the work behind the scenes
while the brothers get the credit.
But let’s change that narrative.
Give praise where praise is due.
While we know all credit and praise
ultimately goes to Jehovah
for anything that we are able to accomplish
—we know that—
Paul’s words about Phoebe show us
that it is appropriate to speak highly
about our sisters
to others in recognition of the faithful work
they do in Jehovah’s service.
Paul viewed Phoebe
as a precious Kingdom asset.
He loved her; he respected her.
Please know that we view you sisters,
our modern-day Phoebes, the same.

Mark Noumair: Phoebe—A Minister and Defender (Rom. 16:1-3)