Topic
Erastus
3 passages cited, from 4 classic reference works.
These works date from 1884–1915 and are in the public domain. They reflect the Protestant scholarship of their time: their history, archaeology and dates can be out of date, and where they interpret, other traditions read the text differently. The verses are shown in the King James Version, the wording these works were written against.
The verses
The passages the works cite, those cited by more of them first.
- Acts 19:22Easton · Smith · ISBE · Nave 1. A friend of Paul
So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.
- Romans 16:23Easton · Smith · ISBE · Nave 2. Convert of Paul's, probably same as preceding
Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.
- 2 Timothy 4:20Easton · Smith · ISBE · Nave 1. A friend of Paul
Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.
In the reference works
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897) · 3 references
Beloved. (1.) The “chamberlain” of the city of Corinth (Rom. 16:23), and one of Paul’s disciples. As treasurer of such a city he was a public officer of great dignity, and his conversion to the gospel was accordingly a proof of the wonderful success of the apostle’s labours.
(2.) A companion of Paul at Ephesus, who was sent by him along with Timothy into Macedonia (Acts 19:22). Corinth was his usual place of abode (2 Tim. 4:20); but probably he may have been the same as the preceding.
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884) · 3 references
- One of the attendants of St. Paul at Ephesus, who with Timothy was sent forward into Macedonia. (Acts 19:22) (A.D. 51.) He is probably the same with Erastus who is again mentioned in the salutations to Timothy. (2 Timothy 4:20)
- Erastus the chamberlain, or rather the public treasurer, of Corinth, who was one of the early converts to Christianity. (Romans 16:23) According to the traditions of the Greek Church, he was first treasurer to the church at Jerusalem, and afterwards bishop of Paneas.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915) · 4 references
e-ras'-tus (Erastos, "beloved"):
The name occurs three times, each time denoting a companion of Paul.
(1) Erastus was sent with Timothy from Ephesus into Macedonia while Paul remained in Asia for a while. They are designated "two of them that ministered unto him" (Ac 19:22).
(2) "Erastus the treasurer of the city" sent greetings to the Christians in Rome (Ro 16:23). He was apparently an important person in the Corinthian community, and with Gaius probably represented that church in these fraternal relations with the Roman community.
(3) Erastus is one who, in 2Ti 4:20, "remained at Corinth."
We have no means of discovering whether one or more than one person is meant in these references. A. C. Headlam (HDB, under the word) thinks it improbable that one who held an office implying residence in one locality should have been one of Paul's companions in travel. On the other hand Paul may be designating Erastus (Ro 16:23) by an office he once held, but which he gave up to engage in mission work.
S. F. Hunter
In the topical indexes
Texts: Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897); Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884); International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915); Nave's Topical Bible (1896), from the CrossWire SWORD modules (public domain). Verse references were parsed from the works' own markup and checked against the KJV verse list.