ERASTUS, a Corinthian, and Saint Paul’s Disciple, is called by this Apostle Rom. xvi. 23.Chamberlain of the city, that is to say, of Corinth, where St. Paul was at that time, or of Jerusalem according to the modern Menea 10. Novemb. Ughell. l. 6. p. 1130. Acts xix. 22.Greeks. Erastus adhered to St. Paul, and resigned his employment of Chamberlain. He followed him to Ephesus, where he was in the year 56 of Jesus Christ, whence St. Paul sent him to Macedon with Timotheus, probably to prepare the alms expected from the faithful. They were both with him at Corinth in the year 58, when he wrote his Epistle to the Romans, whom he salutes in both their names; and it is probable that Erastus afterwards continually followed the Apostle till his last voyage to Corinth in the way to Rome, where he suffered martyrdom in 65, for then Erastus remained at Corinth, as St. Paul sent word to Timothy in a short 2 Tim. iv. 20.time after.
Usuard, Ado, and the Roma Marty rology say, that St. Paul left Erastus in Macedonia, and made him Bishop of it; and that at last he suffered martyrdom at Philippi. The Greeks on the contrary in their Calendars make him Bishop of Paneas, near the sources of the river Jordan, give him the title of Apostle, place him in the number of the seventy Disciples, and say he died in peace after having gone over all the earth, preaching the faith of Jesus Christ. But not any of these produce one proof of what they say. The Latins honour him upon the 26th of July, the Greeks upon the 10th of November.