Romans Chapter 16 Vs. 23

 

Final Instructions and Greetings

Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother. Rom 16:23

Gaius mine host... May be the same as the one in Acts 19:29, or of Derbe in Acts 20:4, but almost certainly the one in 1Cor. 1:14. Gaius was a Macedonian who went with Paul on some of his ministering journeys. He was a convert at Corinth. His full name was most likely “Gaius Titius Justus. He was arrested in Ephesus.

Erastus the chamberlain... Perhaps the same as the one in 2Tim. 4:20; Acts 19:22. He was chamberlain (treasurer) at Corinth. This Erastus was from Corinth and was probably the city treasurer (chamberlain). His name means “beloved”. Erastus went to Ephesus with Paul and was sent by Paul with Timothy to Macedonia. His usual place to live was Corinth and was there when Paul wrote this.

and Quartus a... Only mentioned here. Quartus may have been a physical brother of Erastus, but more likely just the final brother in Christ listed here. Quartus means a “fourth”.

So did Gaius, Paul’s host in Corinth, who apparently had a church meeting in his home. This Gaius was probably not the same Gaius who was from Macedonia and traveled with Paul (Acts 19:29) nor the Gaius who was from Derbe (Acts 20:4). The Gaius mentioned here in Romans was probably Paul’s convert whom he baptized (1Cor. 1:14). Erastus sent greetings. He was the city’s director of public works (lit., “the city’s steward,” a high position in Corinth). Paul called Quartus our brother, undoubtedly meaning a spiritual brother, not a physical one.