Acts 19:22 - Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

Timotheus and Erastus. — Light is thrown on the mission of the former by 1 Corinthians 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 (1 Corinthians 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 (2 Corinthians 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 (1 Corinthians 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.