Tertius the writer and Erastus the treasurer (16:21–23)

Says Romans 16:21–23 conveys greetings from Timothy, “my fellow worker,” from Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, “my fellow countrymen,” from Tertius, “who wrote down this letter,” from Gaius, “who has hosted me and all the church,” from Erastus, “the city treasurer,” and from Quartus (Rom 16:21–23, BSB).

Implies Tertius, who wrote down this letter, is the secretary of that greeting and, by the clause, of the letter. The verse states that he wrote; it does not measure how much wording he chose. Sanday and Headlam note that Paul seems generally to have used an amanuensis, pointing to 1 Cor 16:21, Col 4:18, 2 Thess 3:17, and Gal 6:11 (p. 432).

A Latin pavement inscription from the square east of the theater at Corinth records that an Erastus paved it at his own cost, as the return for his office of aedile (Kent, Corinth VIII.3, no. 232). The Greek title here is οἰκονόμος (oikonomos) of the city, rendered “the city treasurer” (BSB). Kent favors identifying the two men, from the date of the paving, the rarity of the name at Corinth, and the fit he sees between the titles. That is one view; whether an aedile would be called οἰκονόμος of the city is not settled.

Uncertain Identification of this Erastus with the Corinthian inscription, or with the Erastus of Acts 19:22, is not established. Nor is this Gaius identified with other men of that name. No lean is taken here. The inscription is background only.