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Female leadership as demonstrated by Phoebe: An interpretation of Paul’s words introducing Phoebe to the saints in Rome

In die Skriflig

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Female leadership as demonstrated by Phoebe: An interpretation of Paul’s words introducing Phoebe to the saints in Rome
 
Creator Branch, Robin Gallaher
 
Subject Theology; biblical narration; women's studies Phoebe; Paul and Women; New Testament Christianity; Church Leadership; Believer.
Description Who is Phoebe? Introduced to Roman believers by the apostle Paul, Phoebe appears only in Romans 16:1–2. Paul describes her via three nouns (sister, servant, succourer, King James Version [KJV]) and encourages the saints in Rome to welcome her and assist her in whatever she may need. Scholars speculate it was she who carried Paul’s letter to Rome, delivered it orally numerous times, and explained it during the delivery. In a sense, she was Paul’s ambassador, the one speaking for him and introducing him to believers in Rome in churches he did not found. This article covers four major areas. It shows the importance of Paul’s three descriptive nouns and examines the significance of her role as letter-carrier and presenter. Paul warmly commends Phoebe to like-minded Roman believers. She is a woman he trusts, esteems, and acknowledges as a local leader in Cenchreae. However, many translations diminish the force of what this article argues was her influence in the first century. Paul’s introduction of Phoebe bears significance today in terms of women in leadership and the Christian practice of according rightful recognition to a fellow labourer in the Lord. However, this outstanding woman seems to have been undervalued for centuries. Consequently, this article boldly seeks to shed light on Phoebe, an extraordinary early believer, and to carry on Paul’s practice of honouring her.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor
Date 2019-11-22
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — Exegetical; bibilcal narration; canonical approach
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/ids.v53i2.2443
 
Source In die Skriflig/In Luce Verbi; Vol 53, No 2 (2019); 10 pages 2305-0853 1018-6441
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://indieskriflig.org.za/index.php/skriflig/article/view/2443/5946 https://indieskriflig.org.za/index.php/skriflig/article/view/2443/5945 https://indieskriflig.org.za/index.php/skriflig/article/view/2443/5947 https://indieskriflig.org.za/index.php/skriflig/article/view/2443/5944
 
Coverage Greece and Rome First Century Word studies
Rights Copyright (c) 2019 Robin Gallaher Branch https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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