Matthew Poole and continuators on Romans 16:1

I Commend unto you Phebe our sister , which is a servant of the Church which is at Cenchrea .

This Chapter is in the nature of a Post-script. The Apostle begins it with the Recommendation of a certain Woman to them.

She went upon some occasion to Rome, and by her (as some have supposed) this Epistle was sent to the Church there. The Poets call'd the Moon Phoebe, as they did the Sun Phoebeus. This Name is likely to have been imposed by her Parents, being [illegible: 2 letters]ntiles.

i. e. In Christ, and by the Profession of the same Faith. vid. Iam. 2.15.

A Port or Haven belonging to Corinth, on the East side towards Asia: There was another on the West side towards Italy, called Lechea: By reason of this double Haven, Corinth was called by the Poets, Bi mar[illegible: 1 letter]s. Here Paul paid a Vow, which he had made, Act. 18.18. Here also he Preached and Converted many; amongst whom, this Phoebe (as is probable) wa[illegible: 1 letter] one. When he saith, She was servant of the Church, it is not meant, She was a Dioconess, or one of the Colledge of Widows, of whom he speaketh, 1 Tim. 5.9. But she served the Church, in Harbouring and succouring the Saints that were driven out of their Country; yea, as appears by the next Verse, she was a succourer of the Ministers of the Gospel, and of the Apostle himself: we read, Luk. 8.3. of some that Ministred unto the Lord of their substance; there the same word is used. And this Phoebe seems to have been imployed in the same Works; she ministred unto Paul as Onesiphorus did, 2 Tim. 1.18. There the same word is used again.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 span] that [illegible: 1 span].