Cenchrea, also spelled Cenchreae, was a significant port city in ancient Greece, serving as the eastern harbor of Corinth. It played a crucial role in the trade and travel of the region, providing a gateway between the Aegean Sea and the city of Corinth. The port was located approximately 7 miles (11 kilometers) east of Corinth, on the Saronic Gulf.

Biblical Significance

Cenchrea is mentioned in the New Testament, specifically in the Book of Acts and the Epistle to the Romans. It is most notably associated with the Apostle Paul and the early Christian church.

1. Paul's Vow and Departure: In Acts 18:18, Cenchrea is mentioned in the context of Paul's missionary journeys. The verse states, "Paul stayed on in Corinth for quite some time before saying goodbye to the brothers. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because of a vow he had taken." This passage indicates that Paul had taken a Nazirite vow, which involved abstaining from cutting one's hair for a period. The act of cutting his hair at Cenchrea signifies the completion of this vow, highlighting the port's role as a point of transition in Paul's ministry.

2. Phoebe, a Servant of the Church: Cenchrea is also noted in Romans 16:1-2, where Paul commends Phoebe to the Roman church. The passage reads, "I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. Welcome her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints and assist her with any matter she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me." Phoebe is described as a "servant" or "deaconess" of the church in Cenchrea, indicating the presence of an established Christian community in the port city. Her role as a benefactor and her commendation by Paul underscore her importance in the early church.

Historical and Archaeological Context

Cenchrea was one of two harbors serving Corinth, the other being Lechaeum on the western side. The strategic location of Cenchrea facilitated trade and communication between Corinth and the eastern Mediterranean regions. The port was equipped with facilities to accommodate ships and cargo, making it a bustling hub of economic activity.

Archaeological excavations in the area have uncovered remains of ancient structures, including a breakwater and other harbor installations. These findings provide insight into the infrastructure that supported the port's operations during the Roman period.

Cultural and Religious Context

In addition to its economic significance, Cenchrea was a site of religious activity. The presence of a Christian church, as mentioned in Romans, suggests that the gospel had reached this part of Greece early in the spread of Christianity. The church in Cenchrea likely served as a center for worship and fellowship for believers in the region.

The mention of Phoebe as a prominent member of the church highlights the active participation of women in the early Christian communities. Her role as a "servant" or "deaconess" reflects the diverse functions women held in the church, contributing to its growth and development.

Conclusion

Cenchrea's mention in the New Testament, though brief, provides valuable insights into the life and ministry of the Apostle Paul, the spread of Christianity in the first century, and the role of women in the early church. As a key port city, Cenchrea facilitated the movement of people and ideas, playing a part in the broader narrative of the early Christian mission.Cenchrea

millet; small pulse

Cenchrea

A port of Corinth, now called Kikries, whence Paul sailed for Ephesus, Acts 18:18. It was a place of some commercial note, and the seat of an early church, Romans 16:1. It was situated on the eastern side of the isthmus, eight or nine miles east of the city. The other port, on the western side of the isthmus, was Lechaeum.

Millet, the eastern harbour of Corinth, from which it was distant about 9 miles east, and the outlet for its trade with the Asiatic shores of the Mediterranean. When Paul returned from his second missionary journey to Syria, he sailed from this port (Acts 18:18). In Romans 16:1 he speaks as if there were at the time of his writing that epistle an organized church there. The western harbour of Corinth was Lechaeum, about a mile and a half from the city. It was the channel of its trade with Italy and the west. 2747. Kegchreai -- Cenchrea, a port of Corinth
... Cenchrea, a port of Corinth. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: Kegchreai
Phonetic Spelling: (keng-khreh-a'-hee) Short Definition: Cenchreae ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2747.htm - 6k

Phoebe
... 'I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the Church that is at
Cenchrea: 2. That ... To be a Christian at Cenchrea can have been no light task. ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/phoebe.htm

Miscellaneous Subjects.
... "I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is
at Cenchrea." The church at Cenchrea was a local congregation or assembly. ...
/.../orr/the gospel day /chapter xvi miscellaneous subjects.htm

Acts XVIII
... still remained for many days, bade the brethren farewell, and sailed into Syria,
and with him Priscilla and Aquila, having sheared his head in Cenchrea; for he ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xviii.htm

Acts XX
... Moreover, Gaius, who lived in Corinth, was his host at the time of writing to the
Romans; [485] and Phoebe, of the Corinthian seaport Cenchrea, was the bearer ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xx.htm

The Epistles of Paul.
... Gaius mine host" (chap.16:23), a Corinthian whom he had baptized (1:Cor.1:14); he
commends to them Phebe, a deaconess of the church at Cenchrea, the eastern ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxx the epistles of.htm

Enumeration Ordained by Apostles.
... Aristo. Of Pergamus, Gaius. Of Philadelphia, Demetrius, by me. Of Cenchrea,
Lucius, by Paul. Of Crete, Titus. Of Athens, Dionysius. ...
/.../constitutions of the holy apostles/sec iv enumeration ordained by apostles.htm

The Conversion of Apollos, his Character, and the Ministry of Paul ...
... The Apostle "took his leave" [115:1] of the Corinthian brethren in the spring of
AD54, and embarking at the port of Cenchrea, about eight or nine miles distant ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter viii the conversion of.htm

Acts xviii. 18
... good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria,
and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xl acts xviii 18.htm

Excursus on the Deaconess of the Early Church.
... by St. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans (xvi.1) where he speaks of Phoebe
as being a diakonos of the Church of Cenchrea. It moreover ...
/.../schaff/the seven ecumenical councils/excursus on the deaconess of.htm

Paul's Epistles; his Collection for the Poor Saints at Jerusalem ...
... "When the Jews laid wait for him as he was about to sail" from Cenchrea, the port
of Corinth, "into Syria," he found it expedient "to return through Macedonia ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter ix pauls epistles his.htm

Cenchrea (2 Occurrences)
... the city. It was the channel of its trade with Italy and the west.
Multi-Version Concordance Cenchrea (2 Occurrences). Acts 18:18 ...
/c/cenchrea.htm - 7k

Cenchreae (2 Occurrences)
... sen'-kre-e (Kegchreai, Westcott and Hort, The New Testament in Greek Kenchreai;
the King James Version incorrectly Cenchrea): A seaport of Corinth on the ...
/c/cenchreae.htm - 7k

Phoebe (1 Occurrence)
... fe'-be (Phoibe; the King James Version Phebe): Described by Paul as (1) "our sister,"
(2) "who is a servant of the church that is at Cenchrea," (3) "a helper ...
/p/phoebe.htm - 9k

Phebe (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary A "deaconess of the church at Cenchrea," the port of Corinth.
She was probably the bearer of Paul's epistle to the Romans. ...
/p/phebe.htm - 7k

Romans (8 Occurrences)
... Phoebe (Romans 16:1) of Cenchrea conveyed it to Rome, and Gaius of Corinth entertained
the apostle at the time of his writing it (16:23; 1 Corinthians 1:14 ...
/r/romans.htm - 44k

Consist (7 Occurrences)
... He commends to the Romans the deaconess Phoebe, attached to "the church at Cenchrea"
(16:1), presumably a place near that from which he was writing; and ...
/c/consist.htm - 80k

Corinthians (3 Occurrences)
... This letter he addresses not only to the church in Corinth, but also to the saints
in all Achaia, ie, in Athens, Cenchrea, and other cities in Greece. ...
/c/corinthians.htm - 77k

First (4693 Occurrences)
... 1. Corinth in 55 AD: When, in the course of his 2nd missionary journey, Paul left
Athens (Acts 18:1), he sailed westward to Cenchrea, and entered Corinth "in ...
/f/first.htm - 101k

Nazarite (8 Occurrences)
... ceremony was completed. This Paul did at Cenchrea just before setting out
on his voyage into Syria (Acts 18:18). On another occasion ...
/n/nazarite.htm - 13k

Tarried (42 Occurrences)
... good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria,
and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he ...
/t/tarried.htm - 18k

Summary of the Book of Romans - Bible Survey | GotQuestions.org

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