Phoebe (Christian woman)
Encyclopedia
Phoebe was a Christian woman mentioned by the Apostle Paul
in Romans
16:1.
Some have interpreted the Greek "diakonos" to relate Phoebe as a deacon
, the most literal interpretation of the word is as a servant which is what all deacons. Hence why they are called "deacon" which comes directly from Diakonos.
The Greek of Romans 16:2 uses the term prostatis which may indicate that she was Paul's patroness.
Some scholars believe Phoebe was responsible for delivering Paul's epistle to the Roman Christian church. She is commemorated with Lydia of Thyatira
and Dorcas
in the Calendar of Saints
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
on January 27 and on October 25 in the Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
. Her feast day in the Roman Catholic Church is September 3.
Phoebe, along with Lydia of Thyatira
and Dorcas
, is honored with a feast day on the liturgical of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America on January 27.
Phoebe was a Christian woman, described in Romans 16:1 as a "deacon" or "servant" in the church of Cenchreae
. Some have called Phoebe a "servant," using a general rather than specific translation of the text from the original Greek. Still others have referred to Phoebe as a "deaconess."
The Greek word diakonos, used to describe Phoebe in Romans 16:1, is the masculine form of the noun, which could be translated into English as deacon rather than deaconess. Phoebe was a deacon of the church in Cenchrae, according to a strict translation of Romans 16:1. While the word diakonos is translated in other portions of the New Testament as servant, it is also translated as deacon in still other passages. The Today's New International Version of the New Testament, for instance, translates diakonos as deacon.
While some scholars maintain that Paul restricted the office of deacon to men, others dispute that assertion. For example, when describing the qualities that the office holders called "deacons" must possess, Paul, wrote in I Timothy 3:11 that the gunaikas (Greek for women) "are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything." Combined with the fact that Paul called Phoebe a diakonos (servant) in the church, Paul's instruction to the "women" in I Timothy may indicate women deacons.
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
in Romans
Epistle to the Romans
The Epistle of Paul to the Romans, often shortened to Romans, is the sixth book in the New Testament. Biblical scholars agree that it was composed by the Apostle Paul to explain that Salvation is offered through the Gospel of Jesus Christ...
16:1.
Some have interpreted the Greek "diakonos" to relate Phoebe as a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
, the most literal interpretation of the word is as a servant which is what all deacons. Hence why they are called "deacon" which comes directly from Diakonos.
The Greek of Romans 16:2 uses the term prostatis which may indicate that she was Paul's patroness.
Some scholars believe Phoebe was responsible for delivering Paul's epistle to the Roman Christian church. She is commemorated with Lydia of Thyatira
Lydia of Thyatira
Lydia of Thyatira is a character in the New Testament. She is regarded as the first recorded convert to Christianity in Europe.-Name:The name, "Lydia", meaning "the Lydian woman", by which she was known indicates that she was from Lydia in Asia Minor. Though she is commonly known as “St...
and Dorcas
Dorcas
Dorcas was a disciple who lived in Joppa, referenced in the Book of Acts of the Bible. Acts recounts that when she died, she was mourned by "all the widows ... crying and showing the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them."...
in the Calendar of Saints
Calendar of Saints (Lutheran)
The Lutheran Calendar of Saints is a listing which details the primary annual festivals and events that are celebrated liturgically by some Lutheran Churches in the United States. The calendars of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod are from the...
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...
on January 27 and on October 25 in the Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod is a traditional, confessional Lutheran denomination in the United States. With 2.3 million members, it is both the eighth largest Protestant denomination and the second-largest Lutheran body in the U.S. after the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Synod...
. Her feast day in the Roman Catholic Church is September 3.
Phoebe, along with Lydia of Thyatira
Lydia of Thyatira
Lydia of Thyatira is a character in the New Testament. She is regarded as the first recorded convert to Christianity in Europe.-Name:The name, "Lydia", meaning "the Lydian woman", by which she was known indicates that she was from Lydia in Asia Minor. Though she is commonly known as “St...
and Dorcas
Dorcas
Dorcas was a disciple who lived in Joppa, referenced in the Book of Acts of the Bible. Acts recounts that when she died, she was mourned by "all the widows ... crying and showing the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them."...
, is honored with a feast day on the liturgical of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America on January 27.
Phoebe was a Christian woman, described in Romans 16:1 as a "deacon" or "servant" in the church of Cenchreae
Kechries
Kechries is a village in the municipality of Corinth in Corinthia in Greece. It is part of the community of Xylokeriza...
. Some have called Phoebe a "servant," using a general rather than specific translation of the text from the original Greek. Still others have referred to Phoebe as a "deaconess."
The Greek word diakonos, used to describe Phoebe in Romans 16:1, is the masculine form of the noun, which could be translated into English as deacon rather than deaconess. Phoebe was a deacon of the church in Cenchrae, according to a strict translation of Romans 16:1. While the word diakonos is translated in other portions of the New Testament as servant, it is also translated as deacon in still other passages. The Today's New International Version of the New Testament, for instance, translates diakonos as deacon.
While some scholars maintain that Paul restricted the office of deacon to men, others dispute that assertion. For example, when describing the qualities that the office holders called "deacons" must possess, Paul, wrote in I Timothy 3:11 that the gunaikas (Greek for women) "are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything." Combined with the fact that Paul called Phoebe a diakonos (servant) in the church, Paul's instruction to the "women" in I Timothy may indicate women deacons.