Phoebe was evidently the woman who carried this epistle from Corinth to Rome. She was a "servant"(Gr. diakonon) of the church in her hometown, Cenchrea, the port of Corinth (Acts 18:18; 2 Cor. 1:1). It is unclear whether Phoebe held office as a deaconess410or whether she was simply an informal servant of the church. Paul stressed her service, not her office.411She was his sister in the Lord as seems clear from his referring to her as "our"sister. Letters of commendation were common in Paul's day (cf. 2 Cor. 3:1). Paul's words here constituted such a letter for Phoebe.
Notice that the ministry of women in the Roman church is quite evident in this chapter. Paul referred to nine prominent women: Phoebe, Prisca, Mary, Tryphena, Thyphosa, Persis, Rufus' mother, Julia, and Nereus' sister.
