From G2037 (erao, to love). Meaning 'beloved' or 'lovely.' A companion of Paul mentioned in Acts 19:22, Romans 16:23, and 2 Timothy 4:20. Remarkably, an inscription found in Corinth in 1929 reads 'Erastus, commissioner of public works, laid this pavement at his own expense' — possibly the same person Paul describes as 'the city treasurer' (Rom 16:23).
Erastus represents a crucial but often overlooked category of early Christians: the wealthy civic official who used his position and resources for the gospel. As Corinth's city treasurer (oikonomos), he was embedded in the political and financial infrastructure of one of the Roman Empire's great cities. His faith did not extract him from public life but sanctified his participation in it. The archaeological inscription — if it refers to Paul's companion — provides one of the most striking confirmations of a New Testament figure outside the Bible. The theological principle: faithfulness in secular vocations is itself a form of ministry.