Acts 19:22

So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(22) Timotheus and Erastus.—Light is thrown on the mission of the former by 1Corinthians 4:17. He was sent on in advance to warn and exhort, and so to save the Apostle from the necessity of using severity when he himself arrived. St. Paul exhorts the Corinthians (1Corinthians 16:10) to receive him with respect, so that he might not feel that his youth detracted from his authority. He was to return to St. Paul, and was accordingly with him when he wrote the Second Epistle to the Corinthians (2Corinthians 1:1). Erastus may fairly be identified with the chamberlain or steward of Corinth of Romans 16:23, and was chosen probably as the companion of Timotheus because his office would carry weight with it. Sosthenes, who was with St. Paul when he wrote the First Epistle to the Corinthians (1Corinthians 1:1), had probably been staying some time at Ephesus, and as having been ruler of the synagogue, was naturally coupled by the Apostle with himself, as a mark of respect and confidence.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

19:21-31 Persons who came from afar to pay their devotions at the temple of Ephesus, bought little silver shrines, or models of the temple, to carry home with them. See how craftsmen make advantage to themselves of people's superstition, and serve their worldly ends by it. Men are jealous for that by which they get their wealth; and many set themselves against the gospel of Christ, because it calls men from all unlawful crafts, however much wealth is to be gotten by them. There are persons who will stickle for what is most grossly absurd, unreasonable, and false; as this, that those are gods which are made with hands, if it has but worldly interest on its side. The whole city was full of confusion, the common and natural effect of zeal for false religion. Zeal for the honour of Christ, and love to the brethren, encourage zealous believers to venture into danger. Friends will often be raised up among those who are strangers to true religion, but have observed the honest and consistent behaviour of Christians.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Timotheus - Timothy. He was a proper person to send there to visit the churches, as he had been there before with Paul, when they were established, Acts 16:3; Acts 17:14.

And Erastus - Erastus was chamberlain of Corinth (Romans 16:23), or, more properly, the treasurer of the city (see the notes on that place), and he was, therefore, a very proper person to be sent with Timothy for the purpose of making the collection for the poor at Jerusalem. Paul had wisdom enough to employ a man accustomed to monied transactions in making a collection. On this collection his heart was intent, and he afterward went up with it to Jerusalem. See 2 Corinthians 8:9, and notes on Romans 15:25-26.

Stayed in Asia - At Ephesus.

For a season - How long is uncertain. He waited for a convenient opportunity to follow them, probably intending to do it as soon as they had fully prepared the way for the collection. See Paley's Horae Paulinae, p. 1, chapter 2.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

22. So he sent into Macedonia … Timotheus and Erastus—as his pioneers, in part to bring "them into remembrance of his ways which were in Christ" (1Co 4:17; 16:10), partly to convey his mind on various matters. After a brief stay he was to return (1Co 16:11). It is very unlikely that this Erastus was "the chamberlain of the city" of Corinth, of that name (Ro 16:23).

he himself stayed in—the province of

Asia for a season—that is, at Ephesus, its chief city. (Asia is mentioned in contrast with Macedonia in the previous clause).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Ministered unto him; this great apostle had not any to minister unto him out of state, but out of necessity, being he could not himself attend to all the offices of the church. These were employed by Paul, not so much to procure any accommodation for himself by the way, as to further a collection for the poor brethren at Jerusalem, 2 Corinthians 9:3,4.

Erastus: there seems to have been two of this name mentioned in Scripture: the one, Romans 16:23, and the other, 2 Timothy 4:20: the latter is here spoken of.

In Asia; in Ephesus, which was in Asia, where Paul now was.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

So he sent into Macedonia,.... To Philippi, or Thessalonica, or Berea, or some of the places there, to let them know of his coming, and to prepare for him:

two of them that ministered unto him; that were his assistants in preaching the Gospel:

Timotheus and Erastus; the former of these was a disciple he found at Lystra, and took along with him, and to whom he afterwards wrote two epistles; and the latter seems to be the same with him, who was chamberlain of the city of Corinth, and is said to abide there, Romans 16:23 The Ethiopic version, instead of Erastus, wrongly reads Aristarchus; whereas it is certain, he was not sent into Macedonia, but was with the apostle at Ephesus in the tumult, Acts 19:29.

But he himself stayed in Asia for a season; that is, at Ephesus, as the following narration shows.

Geneva Study Bible

So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Acts 19:22. ἀποστείλας … Τιμ. καὶ Ἔρ., cf. 1 Corinthians 4:17; 1 Corinthians 16:10-11, Paley, Horæ Paulinæ, iii., 3, 4; McGiffert, Apostolic Age, p. 297, note.—διακ. αὐτῷ: for a few instances of διακονεῖν and cognate words used of ministrations rendered to Paul himself, see Hort, Ecclesia, p. 205, cf. Philem., Acts 19:13.—Ἔραστον: here, as in 2 Timothy 4:20, the person bearing this name appears as an itinerant companion of St. Paul, and it therefore seems difficult to identify him with the Erastus of Romans 16:23, who is described as “treasurer” of the city, i.e., Corinth, since the tenure of such an office seems to presuppose a fixed residence. That the identification was not impossible is maintained by Wendt as against Meyer, but see “Erastus,” Hastings’ B.D. The name, as Meyer remarks, Romans 16:23, was very common.—ἐπέσχε χρόνον: verb, only used by Luke and Paul, and only here in this sense. ἑαυτόν: supplied after the verb; LXX, Genesis 8:10; Genesis 8:12; in classical Greek, Xen., Cyr., v., 4, 38.—εἰς pro ἐν, Blass; but see on the other hand, Alford, in loco. As Asia, not Ephesus, is mentioned, the word may well include work outside Ephesus itself.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

22. So he sent into Macedonia] No doubt, that the contributions of the churches might be in readiness, and that there should be no gatherings when Paul himself came, as he says to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 16:2).

two of them that ministered unto him] The verb is that from which the noun “deacon” is derived, and at first the chief duties of these ministers were in regard of the alms of the churches.

Timotheus and Erastus] The former had laboured in Macedonia and in Greece when St Paul was there before; the latter is mentioned (2 Timothy 4:20) as having stayed at Corinth, at the later period when the second Epistle to Timothy was written. He can hardly be the same person as Erastus the chamberlain of the city of Corinth spoken of in Romans 16:23.

but he himself stayed in Asia for a season] We may perhaps infer from this that St Paul did not remain constantly at Ephesus, at all events when the congregation there became firmly established, out making that city his head-quarters, went but into other districts of the province of proconsular Asia.

Bengel's Gnomen

Acts 19:22. Διακονούντων, of those ministering to him) He had at the time many engaged in the business of the Gospel: Acts 19:29.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 22. - And having sent for so he sent, A.V.; Timothy for Timotheus, A.V.; he for but he, A.V.; while for season, A.V. Two of them, etc. Erastus is here mentioned for the first time. If he is the same person who is mentioned in Romans 16:23; 2 Timothy 4:20, it is probable that he was one of St. Paul's Corinthian converts who had gone with him from Corinth to Jerusalem and Antioch, and had accompanied him through Phrygia and Galatia to Ephesus. Silos, who had been Timothy's companion on the former visit to Macedonia, seems to have left St. Paul, possibly at Jerusalem, from whence he originally came (Acts 15:22, 32, 34), and to have attached himself to Peter (1 Peter 5:12). Perhaps he was especially connected with the mission to Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, etc., as it appears from the passage just quoted that he was "a faithful brother unto them," A.V.; "or our faithful brother," R.V. He himself stayed, etc. This phrase is in singular harmony with 1 Corinthians 16:8, which seems clearly to have been written after Timothy's departure for Macedonia and before his arrival at Corinth, since Timothy is not mentioned either in the superscription or among the salutations (1 Corinthians 1:1; 1 Corinthians 16:19, 20), and his coming to Corinth is spoken of as doubtful, though probable, in 1 Corinthians 16:10. Both passages imply a prolongation of Paul's stay at Ephesus beyond his original intention. The special reason for this prolongation of his sojourn at Ephesus, and which is alluded to in 1 Car 16:9, is thought to be the Artemisian or Ephesian games, which were celebrated at Ephesus in May - and therefore just at this time - and which brought a vast concourse of Ionians to Ephesus. It was at this time, doubtless, that the principal sale of "silver shrines of Diana" took place, and therefore it was natural that Demetrius and his fellow-craftsmen should be very angry when they found their usual gains were cut short by the multitude of converts all over Proconsular Asia. We learn from 1 Corinthians 16:7 that Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus had arrived at Ephesus from Corinth. It is likely that their presence, together with that of Tychicus and Trophimus, two Asiatic converts, enabled St. Paul to dispense with the services of Time-thy and Erastus for a time. Ἔπεσχεν, understand σεαυτόν, kept himself back, i.e. stayed; χρόνον, a while, an indefinite phrase, but indicating a short time. Herodotus has ἐπίσχοντες (8. 113), ἐπισχὼν ὀλίγον χρόνον (1. 132), and ἐπισχὼν χρόνον (9. 49). Acts 19:22