Verse 2
2. As becometh saints He puts them upon their Christian honour.
Business Her private affairs at Rome, in which her benefactions to Christians entitled her to every assistance from Christians.
Succourer Apparently she was a lady of wealth, a housekeeper, and probably a widow. Hence she was an entertainer and patroness of her fellow Christians.
That Phebe was not merely a servitor, doing menial work, but an official, appears from the patronizing character which Paul assigns her. Hence when, no later than A.D. 104, we find that Pliny writes that he selected two females “who were called ( ministroe) ministresses” for torture to extract information against Christians, we see no reason to doubt that we have here the apostolic origin of a female deaconship. The separation of the sexes might in Greek and Roman sections require this office, not only in regard to temporalities, but in regard to more spiritual offices for the female part of the Church. The apostolic Church admitted a woman’s social prayer, with covered head, (1 Corinthians 11:4; 1 Corinthians 11:13;) it admitted prophetesses, (preacheresses,) (1 Corinthians 11:9,) and it admitted deaconesses. But it seems to show no eldresses and no bishopesses.
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