I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me. Romans 16:1-2
“Patronage within the church is not, however, meant to be pursued as a means of advancing one’s own honor or power within the group. Acts of love and service toward fellow believers was the service placed on the clients by the divine Patron. Giving to fellow believers is presented as a reflection of Christ’s own act on our behalf (2 Corinthians 8:9–14), and Paul presents giving as itself a spiritual gift (Romans 12:8). Patrons within the church are acting as stewards of God’s gifts (2 Corinthians 9:8–10), so that the concept of stewardship (and also the sharing of goods among “kin”) replaces notions of patronage and beneficence (with the potentially divisive claims to power and loyalty that accompany them) in the earliest churches. Christians are also urged to extend their own beneficence to the outside world (Romans 13:3–4; 1 Thessalonians 5:15; 1 Peter 2:15–17), not only as a reflection of the generosity of God but also as a sign that Christians too were honorable people who contributed to the welfare of all.”
David DeSilva in An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods, and Ministry Formation (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2004) 303.
Patrons in antiquity were accustomed to seeking glory or honor for themselves or gaining power with the group. This is common for wealthy people today. People who like the patron role give generously and often hold on to the power and prestige it gives them.
The Apostle Paul portrays Phoebe with three key words that show how stewardship has replaced patronage in the NT: sister, deacon, and benefactor. She could Lord over others through her giving but is portrayed as kin (sister), as a servant (deacon), and as a conduit of divine blessing (benefactor).
How would people portray you related to your giving? Would they refer to you as lord or as family, like brother or sister? Would they refer to you as a leader or as a servant? Would they depict you as a humble and generous channel of divine blessing like Phoebe?
In your life today, lean into what it would look like for stewardship to replace patronage. While you are doing that, I will engage my final full day of program work in Delhi and prepare shifting to Bengaluru where I have a full weekend of service, aiming to bless many.