Commendation of Phoebe 1 AND I commend to you Phebe, our sister, who is in the ministry of the church, that is in Cenchrae: 2 That you receive her in the Lord as becomes saints; and that you assist her in whatsoever business she shall have need of you. For she also has assisted many, and myself also.
Greetings to individuals 3 Salute Prisca and Aquila, my helpers in Christ Jesus, 4 (Who have for my life laid down their own necks: to whom not I only give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles,) 5 And the church which is in their house. Salute Epenetus, my beloved: who is the firstfruits of Asia in Christ. 6 Salute Mary, who has laboured much among you. 7 Salute Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and fellow prisoners: who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. 8 Salute Ampliatus, most beloved to me in the Lord. 9 Salute Urbanus, our helper in Christ Jesus, and Stachys, my beloved. 10 Salute Apelles, approved in Christ. 11 Salute them that are of Aristobulus' household. Salute Herodian, my kinsman. Salute them that are of Narcissus' household, who are in the Lord. 12 Salute Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute Persis, the dearly beloved, who has much laboured in the Lord. 13 Salute Rufus, elect in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14 Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren that are with them. 15 Salute Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympias; and all the saints that are with them. 16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. All the churches of Christ salute you.
Warning to trouble-makers 17 Now I beseech you, brethren, to mark them who make dissensions and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them. 18 For they that are such, serve not Christ our Lord, but their own belly; and by pleasing speeches and good words, seduce the hearts of the innocent. 19 For your obedience is published in every place. I rejoice therefore in you. But I would have you to be wise in good, and simple in evil. 20 And the God of peace crush Satan under your feet speedily. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Greetings from Corinth 21 Timothy, my fellow labourer, salutes you, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen. 22 I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord. 23 Caius, my host, and the whole church, salutes you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, salutes you, and Quartus, a brother. 24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Doxology 25 Now to him that is able to establish you, according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret from eternity, 26 (Which now is made manifest by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the precept of the eternal God, for the obedience of faith,) known among all nations; 27 To God the only wise, through Jesus Christ, to whom be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Commentary on Romans 16
16:1 Phebe...who is in the ministry of the church: is literally rendered, who is also a Deaconess of the church. (Bishop John McEvilly) DEACONESS, such women were called deaconesses [attendants], who served the church in those offices, in which the deacons could not with propriety exercise themselves; such as keeping the doors of that part of the church where the women sat; for they were not seated with the men, but had separate places in the church. They assisted the women to undress and dress at baptism, privately instructed those of their own sex, and visited others imprisoned for the faith. They were of mature and advanced age when chosen; of good manners and reputation. They were in the primitive times appointed to this office, with the imposition of hands. Council. Laodic. cap. xi. St. Paul speaks of Phoebe, deaconess of the church at the port of Cenchrea, the eastern haven of Corinth, Rom. Xvl 1.
These persons appear to be the same as those whom Pliny in his famous letter to Trajan (Epist. 97.), styles "Ancillis, qua Ministry dicebantur"—female attendants called assistants, ministers, or servants. It appears, then, that these were customary officers throughout the churches; and when the fury of persecution fell on Christians, these were among the first to suffer: the most cruel of tortures were inflicted on them, not sparing even extreme old age. Vide Suicer, Thesaurus, Deaconess; Lardner, Test. vol. ii. p. 42. Is it not remarkable that this office, which is so well adapted to the matronly character of the female sex, should be wholly excluded from our list of assistants in the church? This female church-officer continued long to be useful and popular among the faithful; but is gradually more rarely adverted to by ecclesiastical writers; and ceases to be mentioned in connection with church-services, after A. D. 1000. Deaconesses are most particularly mentioned by St. Epiphanius (Hares. Ixxix.), who says, " There are also deaconesses in the church: but this office was not introduced as a priestly function, nor has it any interference with priestly administrations; but it was instituted for the purpose of preserving a due regard to the modesty of the female sex; especially at the time of baptismal washing, and while the person of the woman is naked; that she may not be seen by the men performing the sacred service, but by her only who, by order of the priest, had charge of the woman during the time that her person was naked." It is usually understood that at first, deaconesses were widows, who had lived with one husband only; not less than sixty years of age: which, by the fifteenth canon of the council of Chalcedon, was reduced to forty years. In later times they wore a distinguishing dress. They visited women, in the name of the church, when sick, or in poverty: they also, it is supposed, visited prisoners, suffering as Christians. The Apostle Paul says, that Phoebe had been his patroness, as well as of many others, Rom. xvi. 2. This implies a dignity which is seldom considered: and it shows, at least, that great respectability of station in life was the reverse of inconsistent with the office of deaconess. Afterwards (Ignatius, Epist. Smyr. ad. fin.) we read of "virgins who were called widows," that is, deaconesses: and it should seem that maiden ladies of a certain age were invested in this office. We have the sepulchral inscription of "Daciana, a deaconess, who lived forty-five years and three months; in the time when F. Palmatus was consul: she was sister to Victorinus the presbyter; and had Instructed (in religion) many of her sex." Muratori. p. 1537. Considering that in the East men had scarcely any access to the younger women at home, there can be little doubt, but what they received the major part of their religious instruction from the deaconesses; and so much of this as was previous to baptism, became a very convenient preparation for that rite. The practice of anointing after baptism is extremely ancient, and was, in a manner, universal. In this the deaconess performed the principal part; for the presbyter anointed the woman's head only. (Augustin Calmet Bible Dictionary) 16:3 Priscilla and Aquila: Aquila, who was her husband. (St. Thomas Aquinas) To the excellence of these St. Luke also |
bears witness. Partly when he says that Paul abode with them, for by their occupation they were tent-makers Acts 18:3; and partly when he points out the woman as receiving Apollos, and instructing him in the way of the Lord. Acts 18:26 (St. John Chrysostom)
16:5 church which is in their house: For she had been so estimable as even to make their house a Church, both by making all in it believers, and because they opened it to all strangers. For Paul was not in the habit of calling any houses Churches, except where there was much piety, and much fear of God deeply rooted in them. (St. John Chrysostom)
16:6 Mary: Who she is cannot be determined with certainty. (Bishop John McEvilly)
16:7-15 Among these names greeted, St. Hippolytus identifies many of them as being among the 70 apostles. Andronicus: bishop of Pannonia. Ampliatus: bishop of Odyssus. Urbanus: bishop of Macedonia. Stachys: bishop of Byzantium. Apelles: bishop of Smyrna. Aristobulus: bishop of Britain. Herodion: bishop of Tarsus. Narcissus: bishop of Athens. Rufus: bishop of Thebes. Asyncritus: bishop of Hyrcania. Phlegon: bishop of Marathon. Hermas: bishop of Philippi. Patrobulus: bishop of Puteoli. Hermes: bishop of Dalmatia. Philologus: bishop of Sinope. (St. Hippolytus Spurious)
16:11 Herodion my kinsman: who from the designation is said to be Jewish. (St. Thomas Aquinas)
16:14 Hermas: Origen believed Hermas to be the same as the author of the Shepherd of Hermas. "But I think that this Hermas may be the author of that book that is called the ’Shepherd,’ which writing seems to me very beneficial." (Origen)
16:15 Julia: It is doubted whether Julia was a man or woman. Origen says that Julia was the wife of Philologus. (Bishop John McEvilly)
16:16 holy kiss: which he says to distinguish it from a sensual kiss. The holy kiss is given as a sign of the Blessed Trinity: "O that he would kiss me with the kiss of his mouth" (Song 1:2). From this the custom arose in the Church whereby the faithful give one another the kiss of peace during the solemnities of the Mass. (St. Thomas Aquinas)
16:20 will crush Satan: that is, the devil, who is trying to deceive you through these false apostles, under your feet, because you will overcome him by your wisdom. (St. Thomas Aquinas)
16:21-23 Among these names St. Hippolytus mentions them as being among the seventy apostles, except for Timothy. Lucius, bishop of Laodicea in Syria. Jason, bishop of Tarsus. Sosipater, bishop of Iconium. Tertius, bishop of Iconium. Erastus, bishop of Panellas. Quartus, bishop of Berytus. (St. Hippolytus Spurious)
16:22 Tertius: Paul’s secretary, was allowed to greet the Romans personally with Paul’s consent. (St. Thomas Aquinas)
16:25 to my Gospel: because the Gospel was revealed to the Apostle himself. secret: either because the secret of the divine incarnation is revealed in the Gospel, or of the secret, namely, about the conversion of the Gentiles. (St. Thomas Aquinas)
16:26 made manifest by the scriptures of the prophets: that is, as the prophets foretold. (St. Thomas Aquinas) |
Catechism Cross-references
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