2 that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.
2 that you may receive [welcome] her in the Lord
Paul asked the Roman church to “receive” Phoebe “in the Lord,” a phrase meaning to view her as bound together with them in the Lord. They were to welcome her in their fellowship.
in a manner worthy of the saints,
There is a way that saints receive people and there is a way that non-Christians receive people. There is a difference. It was not safe for a woman to travel alone in the Roman Empire. Others from Cenchrea probably traveled with her. The Roman church was to welcome her as a true believer and to give her food and lodging in a culture that had no worthy motels or hotels. Thus, the Roman church was to receive her like any other believer in the Lord.
and assist her in whatever business she has need of you;
The church at Rome was to “assist” Phoebe in her business of delivering the book of Romans to them. The Greek word for “assist” means to stand by. The Romans were to stand by her especially in hospitality. Her trip from Corinth was no easy task.
for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.
Phoebe was a help to many people including Paul. As a wealthy person, she had the resources to travel and help travelers in ministry. She was an active businesswoman in service to the Lord and to those who served Him.
Paul entrusted Phoebe to carry the great letter to the Romans that has blessed so many down through the ages. She was a help to many. She served unknown and unnoticed. It mattered little to her whether the herd recognized her or not. God’s interest is not in how many people serve us but in how many we serve.
PRINCIPLE:
The church owes women a debt of gratitude for all that they have done for the church.
APPLICATION:
Women have blessed the church down through the ages. The church would not have been what it became without women.
The place of women in the church was far beyond either Greece or Rome. The Bible views them as equal to men. Women ministered to Jesus. The Bible does not view them as a toy but as lofty in the kingdom.
