Have you ever given much thought to the women and men listed in Romans 16? What jumped out to me most was the number of women Paul collaborated with in ministry. It provided further proof that we are not spectators. Women participated actively in taking the gospel to the ends of the earth then and continue to do so to this day.
Phoebe: Servant or Deaconess?
The first person to leap off the page was Phoebe. In verse 1, Paul calls her a deaconess, servant, or minister of the church of Cenchreae, depending on your translation. The term diaconos means servant, from which we derive the term deacon. Some commentators believe that Paul intended merely to describe Phoebe as a faithful servant. Others argue that the term granted her the official office of deaconess since this is the only place deaconosis applied to a particular church. If true, Phoebe is the first recorded deacon (male or female) in the history of Christianity.
International Traveller and Benefactrice
In verse 2, Paul exhorts the Romans to receive Phoebe in a manner worthy of the Lord. The reason? Because “she has been a great help to many, including me.” The word translated “help” is not a verb in Greek but rather a noun. It could be translated as “helper,” “patroness,” or “benefactor.” Phoebe was probably a wealthy woman who helped Paul and others financially, providing hospitality and other assistance. The timeless lesson Paul would have believers draw from these verses is this: Support Christ’s Servants.
Overarching Theme: Union with Christ
In verses 3–15, we find the longest set of greetings in the NT. Paul describes these friends as “In the Lord” or “In Christ” ten times. That simple phrase appears to be the passage’s unifying theme. That truth elevates these greetings above those found in secular letters. The level of love, affection, and solidarity he shares with the brothers and sisters in Rome is founded on the fact that they are one in Christ.
The Ministry Teams Greeted
Paul’s greetings contain the names of 19 men and 9 women and a variety of ministry teams:
- 3 married couples (Prisca & Aquila, Andronicus & Junia, and Philologus & Julia)
- 1 brother-sister team (Nereus & his sister)
- 1 sister-sister team (Tryphena & Tryphosa)
- 1 mother-son team (Rufus & his mother)
- 3 women listed alone (Phoebe, Mary, & Persis)
- 6 men listed alone (Epenetus, Ampliatus, Urbanus, Stachys, Apelles, & Herodion)
- 5 house churches:
- Prisca & Aquila
- Of Aristobolus
- Of Narcissus
- The team listed in v. 14
- The team listed in v. 15
While Paul does not identify every person he mentions as a fellow labourer, their presence within the context of this passage suggests their involvement in the church’s work.
Paul’s Particular Commendations of Women
Paul appears to elevate female disciples of Christ. Craig Keener states that “Romans 16 greets twice as many men as women, but commends twice as many women as men.”
What’s more, Paul uses a special Greek verb, which he applies only to the labour of four women.
- Mary
- Tryphena
- Tryphosa
- Persis
This verb means to toil, labour to the point of exhaustion, to do wearisome labour, or labour unto extreme fatigue.
Cultural & Socio-Economic Diversity was God’s Idea
Something else that stands out from the list is the socio-economic and cultural diversity of its members. According to commentators, many of the people Paul greets are slaves or freedmen and freedwomen. Moreover, some of the names listed are Jewish names, others are Latin and still others are Greek. Cultural and socio-economic diversity was God’s idea. He is redeeming a bride from every nation, tribe, and tongue. Whatever barriers may have kept us divided before we came to faith are broken down the moment we trusted Christ. So, let’s love one another amid our differences.
Prisca and Aquila: Paul’s Co-Workers
We find the first couple worth noting in v. 3-4. They appear 6 times in the New Testament. Four of these times, Priscilla’s name appears first (Acts 18:18, 26; Rom 16:3; 2 Tm 4:19). So, she was at least as involved in the early Christian movement as her husband. With Paul, this missionary trio made tents while establishing house churches in Corinth, Ephesus and Rome.
Andronicus and Junia: Husband and Wife Apostles?
The most significant phrase Paul uses to describe Andronicus and Junia is in the middle of v. 7:
They are outstanding among the apostles
Does this mean that there were women apostles? Yes and no. The term apostle was used in at least 3 ways in the NT.
1. Apostles (capital A)
In the Gospels, this term was reserved for Christ’s closest twelve companions. These were all male by design. This doesn’t mean that Jesus did not have female disciples. But the office of capital A Apostle was reserved for the Twelve.
2. Apostle (small a)
In the book of Acts, certain close associates of the twelve Apostles were also called apostles, namely Paul, Barnabas, and James the brother of Jesus. These men held special authority in the Church that was at times on par with the Twelve.
3. Apostle (the spiritual gift)
Itinerant evangelists and missionaries were at times also called apostles. This understanding of an apostle comes from the fact that the Greek word apostolos means “one who is sent, an ambassador.” For example, in the original language, in Philippians 2:25, Paul calls Epaphroditus “the apostle whom you sent to me.”
The consensus among scholars is that Andronicus and Junia were apostles. By apostles, they mean a church-planting team similar to Priscilla and Aquila. But lest we get so lost in the debate about the term apostle, the whole point of Paul’s mentioning it is that they were distinguished among the apostles! Out of all the itinerant missionaries and evangelists, they were at the top of the list!
Mama Rufus: A Model of Spiritual Mothering
The final couple worth considering is Rufus and his unnamed mother. We can’t be certain of Mama Rufus’ exact identity. But for Paul to mention the duo, they must have been active in ministry and well-known in Rome. In this older saint, the Apostles found the tender love and care of a woman he came to call “mother.”
She models for us an essential part of our calling as female ambassadors of Christ: Spiritual mothering! Titus 2 teaches us that older women are to teach younger women. And let’s not stop there. If we are a spiritual family, let’s consider who else might need a spiritual mother. After all, Mama Rufus invested in younger men! We are brothers and sisters to those our age and mothers and fathers to those younger than us. Let Mama Rufus inspire us with her example of mothering in the family of God.
Holy Kiss: Normative or Not?
Paul concludes this section in verse 16 with a call for the saints in Rome to greet one another with a holy kiss. Does this apply the same way in every age and every culture? I contend that it does not. In some cultures, kissing would be inappropriate. Perhaps for this reason, one modern English translation, Phillips, transposes the custom into contemporary North American terms, “Have a hearty handshake all around.” What matters most is the warmth and affection that cements unity among brothers and sisters. This will vary from culture to culture.
Phoebe, Did You Know?
Phoebe carried a letter that changed the course of history. Did she know its significance? Probably not. This letter not only strengthened the early Christian community in first-century Rome but also every generation of believers since.
It influenced Augustine’s writings on grace, sin, and salvation. It influenced Martin Luther’s understanding that “The just shall live by faith” (Rom 1:17), igniting the Reformation. And it influenced Jean Calvin’s doctrines of divine sovereignty and justification by faith, shaping the church to the present day.
Phoebe’s simple obedience carried the seeds of profound transformation. Nearly two thousand years later, we’re still inspired by her example, reminding us that even small acts of faith can have an immense impact. Let us each embrace our calling as ambassadors for Christ, understanding that our faithfulness can influence those around us in ways we may never fully see this side of eternity.
