The God of peace (ο θεος της ειρηνης). One of the characteristics of God that Paul often mentions in benedictions (1. Thessalonians 5:23; 2. Thessalonians 3:16; 2. Corinthians 13:11; Philippians 4:9; Romans 16:20). Because of the "amen" here some scholars would make this the close of the Epistle and make chapter 16 a separate Epistle to the Ephesians. But the MSS. are against it. There is nothing strange at all in Paul's having so many friends in Rome though he had not yet been there himself. Rome was the centre of the world's life as Paul realized (Romans 1:15). All men sooner or later hoped to see Rome.

Romans 16:1

I commend (συνιστημ). The regular word for letters of commendation as in 2. Corinthians 3:1 (συστατικων επιστολων). See also Romans 3:5. So here verses Romans 16:1; Romans 16:2 constitute Paul's recommendation of Phoebe, the bearer of the Epistle. Nothing else is known of her, though her name (Φοιβη) means bright or radiant.

Sister (αδελφην). In Christ, not in the flesh.

Who is a servant of the church (ουσαν διακονον της εκκλησιας). The etymology of διακονος we have had repeatedly. The only question here is whether it is used in a general sense or in a technical sense as in Philippians 1:1; 1. Timothy 3:8-13. In favour of the technical sense of "deacon" or "deaconess" is the addition of "της εκκλησιας" (of the church). In some sense Phoebe was a servant or minister of the church in Cenchreae. Besides, right in the midst of the discussion in 1. Timothy 3:8-13 Paul has a discussion of γυναικας (verse Romans 16:11) either as women as deaconesses or as the wives of deacons (less likely though possible). The Apostolic Constitutions has numerous allusions to deaconesses. The strict separation of the sexes made something like deaconesses necessary for baptism, visiting the women, etc. Cenchreae, as the eastern port of Corinth, called for much service of this kind. Whether the deaconesses were a separate organization on a par with the deacons we do not know nor whether they were the widows alluded to in 1. Timothy 5:9.