Erastus

Erastus. [Grk. Erastos]. A personal name.

Paul mentions Erastus, the city treasurer, among those sending greetings to his readers in Rome (Rom 16:23). He also mentions Erastus in 2 Timothy 4:20, indicating that Erastus remained in Corinth. In Acts 19:22, Timothy and Erastus are mentioned as Paul’s assistants in his third missionary journey and whom he sent to Macedonia (Acts 19:22).

Some believe that the Erastus of 2 Timothy and Acts is the same person. Others consider this Erastus to be the same person in Romans 16. Paul calls the Erastus of Romans 16 as ho oikonomos tēs poleōs, “the city treasurer.” Whether the phrase reflects a high administrative and social status or an office with low financial rank held by slaves or freedmen is a matter of dispute. If Erastus occupied a high-ranking office, it would be unlikely that he would accompany Paul on his missionary journey. Nonetheless, since Erastus was a common name, and the geographical and temporal contexts vary, it is not necessary to maintain that one Erastus is in view.

It is also debated whether Erastus of Romans 16 is to be connected to a Latin inscription discovered in Corinth and dated about AD 50, describing one Erastus celebrating his appointment as aedile, i.e. a Roman municipal officer responsible for public city administration. Since the book of Romans was written in Corinth around AD 50, some assume it talks about the same Erastus of Romans. However, although plausible, it is debatable to match aedile and oikonomos as holding the same role.