"Phoebe" means "bright" or "radiant", a name perhaps intended originally to honor the Greek sun god Apollo.

The early Christians retained their names, although they were derived from the names of false gods, because they had lost all religious significance and reference. In like manner we retain the use of the names of the days of the week, without ever thinking of their derivation.

Charles Hodge, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, p. 692

These verses were Paul's commendation of Phoebe, who evidently was carrying his letter to the church in Rome.

There seems little doubt that [Phoebe] was the bearer of the letter; as some business of her own was causing her to go to Rome, the opportunity was taken of sending the epistle with her.

John Carter, The Letter to the Romans, p. 154

This view is held by practically all commentators. While all the other believers who were said to be in Rome had actually been living there, Phoebe must have been newly arrived there, bringing with her Paul's letter. In his letter, the apostle had commended her to the Roman believers as a sister to be received "in a way worthy of the saints" (Rom 16:2). Plainly, the logical deduction is that Phoebe had delivered the letter herself.

Ernest Renan writes in his book, Saint Paul, that Phoebe "carried under the folds of her robe the whole future of the Christian theology — the writing which was to regulate the fate of the world."

Although Phoebe is called a "deacon" (v 1), or servant, this does not necessarily mean that she held a formal office (see the citations and comments below on verse 1). Paul stressed her service, not her office. She was his sister in the Lord, which seems clear from his referring to her as "our" sister.

Romans 16:1

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea.

I commend to you our sister Phoebe: "Commend" is "sunistemi", literally to stand with, to speak for, and therefore to support or recommend. Letters of commendation were common in Paul's day (2Cor 3:1; see Acts 18:27; 1Cor 16:3,10,11; 2Cor 8:16-24), and they were useful for identification, introduction and character reference.

There is also good reason today for believers who relocate to a new area to be commended to their new home ecclesia, and thus to formally join that local meeting. However, this is sometimes neglected. Some who move to a new area may be reluctant to involve themselves fully in the worship and work of the new congregation, perhaps because they disapprove of some practice or procedure there. Others may simply want to float around with no strings attached. Yet others may want to remain loyal to their old congregation. None of these are good reasons for remaining aloof from the local assembly. Believers, wherever they live, need a family and a home. Without such an anchor, they are more susceptible to drift away from the Truth and finally fall into spiritual ruin.

A servant of the church in Cenchrea: "Servant" is the Greek word "diakonos", from which we derive our English word deacon. This is the only time in the New Testament that this word is applied to a woman. When used of a man, it appears sometimes to refer to a specific office in an ecclesia, and at other times to one who is generally a servant or helper of others.

Very plainly, then, Phoebe was described as a "servant" in her hometown ecclesia in Cenchrea. Cenchrea was a port city serving nearby Corinth (Acts 18:18; 2Cor 1:1), where Paul was staying with his host Gaius (Rom 16:23; see 1Cor 1:14).

So what should we make of the fact that Phoebe, a woman, is actually referred to as a "servant" or deacon of an ecclesia? Was this an officially recognized position for a sister?

Regarding this commendation of Phoebe, Robert Roberts states that Paul's mention of her to the Romans:

…implies a prominent, active, if not official position on the part of the sister in question… [Paul] entreats the whole Roman ecclesia on her behalf, saying of her that "she hath been a succourer of many, and of me also" [Rom 16:2, KJV].

Seasons of Comfort, No. 18: "Spiritual Ignorance and Woman's Position"

Some other comments:

Within the New Testament, the "diakon" word group rarely functions with a technical nuance. In any case, the evidence is not compelling either way.

NET Notes

There were no instructions given in the New Testament for the appointment of women as deacons; and, since there are instructions for the appointment of both elders and deacons, this omission is conclusive.

James B. Coffman, Coffman's Bible Commentary

Phoebe came from Cenchrea which was the port of Corinth. Sometimes she is called a deaconess, but it is not likely that she held what might be called an official position in the church. There can have been no time in the Christian church when the work of women was not of infinite value. It must have been specially so in the days of the early church. In the case of baptism by total immersion… in the visitation of the sick, in the distribution of food to the poor, women must have played a big part in the life and work of the church, but they did not at that time hold any official position.

William Barclay, Daily Study Bible: Romans

Leon Morris offers some of the same reasons for sisters to serve the ecclesia, more or less officially. This would be when certain tasks were required which might seem inappropriate for brothers to undertake:

The social conditions of the time were such that there must have been the need for feminine church workers to assist in… the baptism of women or anything that meant contact with women's quarters in homes.

The Epistle to the Romans, p. 529

Even today in western societies, there may be times when one or more sisters can visit or assist or attend to the needs of other women much more effectively than could male deacons or elders.

When Paul wrote to Timothy, who was in Ephesus, he mentioned a group of widows who were "well known" for their "good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting [themselves] to all kinds of good deeds" (1Tim 5:9,10). This does not necessarily refer to an officially sanctioned order of sisters, but rather to a generally recognized group of sisters who — because of their circumstances, age and experience — could devote themselves to good works within the brotherhood. All the above was probably true of Phoebe, whom the apostle esteemed most highly.

To summarize the above citations and thoughts: it would be difficult to make the case, from this one example, that the official position of church deacon, or ecclesial servant, was open to women. Nevertheless, in all the areas of ecclesial service mentioned above, capable and willing sisters could do great work, both then and now.

Cenchrea: Cenchrea was one of the seaports for the city of Corinth, on the eastern side of the Isthmus of Corinth, on the Aegean Sea. It was seven miles east of Corinth. (The other seaport was Lechaeum, a mile and a half to the west on the Corinthian Gulf.) Goods flowed across the isthmus on a road by which small ships could be hauled fully loaded from one side to the other, and by which cargoes of larger ships could be transported by wagons the same distance. In this way, goods flowed through the city of Corinth from Italy and Spain on the west and from Asia Minor, Phoenicia and Egypt on the east.

Trade and commerce made Corinth a wealthy city, and sailors and traveling business people contributed to the general air of cosmopolitan life, with some attendant immorality. The worship of Aphrodite supported prostitution in the name of religion. It is reasonable that Cenchrea, as one of Corinth's seaports, could be characterized in much the same way.

[Cenchrea's] international prominence and prosperity probably peaked in the second century A.D. Although damaged by earthquakes and seismic sea waves in 365 and 375 A.D., the port revived and continued to play a significant role until Cenchrea was finally destroyed by marauding Slavs in the 580s.

Anchor Bible Dictionary

Romans 16:2

I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me.

I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you: These were traits which Paul advocated and exemplified:

"If it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully… Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality" (Rom 12:8,13; see Heb 13:2).

Joseph Bland was a Christadelphian who lectured and spoke extensively in England in the late 19th and early 20th century. This was extracted from one of his exhortations to fellow-believers:

This is a duty for the ecclesias to consider. Do they cordially receive those who visit them from a distance? Do they welcome into their midst visitors from other towns, those who are well reported of, those who come to reside in their midst? Do they cordially receive them and make them at home, or do they receive them coldly and suspiciously, and show none of that affection which the truth should develop? For my own part, I can say I have received nothing but kindness from brethren and sisters elsewhere, and to me it is one of the unique features of the brotherhood that such hospitality is manifested on every hand to those of like precious faith, perfect strangers though brethren may be to each other.

"The Salutations in Romans 16", The Fraternal Visitor, September, 1897, Vol. 12, p. 270

For she has been a great help to many people: "She hath been a succourer of many" (KJV). The Greek word is "prostatis"; it refers to a patron, or a benefactor, suggesting a generous woman of means. This word occurs only this once, and probably describes one whose job in secular society was to make sure that visitors were well treated when they visited a city. This implies that she was the sponsor of a house church in Cenchrea near Corinth, which perhaps met in her residence, and in that capacity she welcomed and cared for many visiting brothers and sisters also.

The fact that she was able to carry the apostle's letter from the area of Corinth to Rome suggests independence and freedom to travel, which in turn implies that Phoebe was a woman of some wealth and status.

Just as Phoebe had been a generous helper of others, Paul asks the Roman brethren to be generous helpers of her, giving her every possible assistance in her work.

Including me: Paul knew of whom he spoke, since Phoebe had been of great help to him in the past, as well as here one more time, by acting as Paul's emissary. In similar ways, women such as Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and others must have helped Jesus also (Luke 8:2,3).

In Acts of the Apostles, page 285, Harry Whittaker suggests that Phoebe had nursed others back to health, including Paul. He adds:

It seems fairly likely that Paul had one of his recurrent attacks of malaria — "weakness and much trembling" (1Cor 2:3; cp Acts 27:3, RV). This fight against ill-health makes all the more admirable the dedicated efforts of the apostle in his zealous propagation of the gospel.