Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ERASTUS

(Gk. Érastos)

The city treasurer (Gk. oikonómos) of Corinth, from whom Paul sends greetings to the church at Rome (Rom. 16:23). Acts 19:22 mentions an Erastus sent with Timothy by Paul to Macedonia from Ephesus. 2 Tim. 4:20 refers to an Erastus who remained at Corinth. A Latin inscription excavated in a paved courtyard near the theater at Corinth reads: “Erastus laid [the pavement] at his own expense in return for his aedileship.”

Rom. 16, , perhaps originally directed to Ephesus rather than Rome, was probably written from Corinth. Acts is a secondary account, and 2 Timothy may be pseudo-Pauline. Still, the same Erastus was probably intended in each NT text and in the inscription. The title oikonómos may correspond to the questor, a lower position than aedile but also responsible for public funds; one might be questor before becoming aedile. If the same Erastus is intended by Paul and the inscription, it suggests Christianity had followers among persons of notable status in Corinth.

Bibliography. G. Theissen, The Social Setting of Pauline Christianity (Philadelphia, 1982).

Scott Nash

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ERASTUS

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)