Apollos the Teacher

Introduction

Good morning!

Happy Father’s Day!

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It’s a beautiful day to be thankful for the dads in our lives, and for those of us who are dads, to be thankful for the blessing of fatherhood! What a tremendous blessing it is!

I am extremely grateful for my own dad, and the example he set of faithful, sacrificial love and service to God and his family. I’ve seen him courageously bear the weight of the responsibility of that role, while humbly recognizing God as the one ultimately in control, and as the one truly good and perfect Father.

The one good and perfect Father we really need. No matter what our own failures are as a parent, and no matter how great or not great our experiences of fatherhood were like growing up, we have hope and assurance in the steadfast, loving, kind, gentle, firm, fierce fatherhood of God for us his children.

I won’t be expounding much further beyond that on the topic of fatherhood specifically, however, as we introduce a new character to the story, the great teacher Apollos, we will be addressing the concepts of education and teaching, which is plenty relevant to fatherhood, if you think of the role that fathers play in helping to teach their children. At least, the role we should play. Both my parents were educators by trade, and both are working to this day for a Christian Bible institute, so you can imagine that I inherited an appreciation for this topic.

But the value of knowledge and learning is something any father (or mother, of course) can and should apply to their role as a parent, so if you were looking for something from the message to apply to fatherhood, you can keep your role as role model and teacher in mind as we study this passage.

My message today may be a little shorter than average, you can call it a father’s day gift to you. But, I do have a few really dense, wordy and sentences written in honor of Apollos to make up for it. I apologize in advance, but if you like gratuitous alliteration, then keep your ears perked.

Today we are wrapping up chapter 18 of the book of Acts, starting in verse 23, where Mike left things off last week.

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In these last few verses of the chapter, we meet a man named Apollos, a knowledgeable preacher, who arrives in Ephesus preaching the gospel, but learns more about Jesus from Priscilla and Aquila. So, it’s like he was doing great already, and then unlocks a whole new and greater understanding and continues on ever stronger in his ministry. Encouraged by the brothers, he goes to Achaia and helps believers, skillfully defending Jesus as the Christ.

I mean, how cool is that!?

It wouldn’t be my turn preaching if I didn’t say that THIS PASSAGE IS SO COOL!!!

Look, it’s not just me who thinks this passage is interesting, listen to this quote from the commentary critical and explanatory on the whole Bible:

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Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 18

This is one of the most interesting and suggestive incidental narratives in this precious history.

It’s almost like a movie or book cover review, isn’t it?

For being such a brief little story, it packs a pretty hefty punch, and carries plenty of practical significance for us readers today.

Prayer

Let’s spend a moment in prayer to prepare our hearts for God’s word this morning.

Father, I ask that as we humbly approach this text, that your Spirit would illuminate the meaning of the story, and its significance to each one of us, as a church, and individually. That we would be reminded of who we are and who we serve.

We pray that you would draw us ever closer to you through your word. That you would bless those who are faithful to learn and mediate on your word, and bring us continued opportunities to keep exploring more deeply, learning more thoroughly, more accurately, so that we can in turn pass on what we know and disciple ever more effectively, in service to your Kingdom, in the name of Jesus Christ.

Review (18-22):

Alright, so we’re going to be covering from verse 23 on, but first let’s back up for a minute and review where we are.

Last week, we followed Paul as he left the Corinthians in Corinth after spending an extended amount of time with them.

Let’s review those few verses quickly as a reminder of who, what, where, why and when we are reading about in this story:

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Acts 18:18–22 LSB

18 And Paul, having remained many days longer, took leave of the brothers and put out to sea for Syria, and with him were Priscilla and Aquila. In Cenchreae he had his hair cut, for he was keeping a vow. 19 And they arrived at Ephesus, and he left them there. Now he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, 21 but taking leave of them and saying, “I will return to you again if God wills,” he set sail from Ephesus. 22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and went down to Antioch.

Mission Context

So, this is right in the middle of the first century. The Roman Empire’s influence and control sprawls across the Mediterranean, into the middle East and central Asia.

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Paul and his friends have used established routes of travel and communication.

Ironically enough, they benefit from Roman infrastructure and citizenship, and from Jewish synagogues and methods of propagating what they’re preaching, of spreading the word.

As much as they are met with resistance from those same parties. Even the people resisting the spread of the good news draw attention to the good news by resisting it.

In Acts chapter eighteen, back in verse eighteen we’re with Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila, when they arrive in Ephesus in verse 19.

And this time, for once, there’s actually no mention of any major drama, of resistance from any direction. It seems Paul is allowed to preach and teach freely, to the point where they don’t want to let them go! In a good way, this time! I suppose they’ve been held hostage before, but not on friendly terms.

They want him to stay, but they are kind enough not to go so far as to chain him up and throw him in a pit, they let him go on his way.

Paul goes on to leave them, moving on to complete the final few legs of this journey, bringing his second major missionary journey to a conclusion.

Lord Willing (21)

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In verse 21 though, Paul gives us this phrase that really stands out, he expresses his intent to return to Ephesus at a later date, but with the caveat: “if God wills.” And it was a great reminder of the theological truth of that statement of the value of using that phrase, of saying “Lord Willing” not just out of habit but truly believing and trusting that God’s will ultimately supersedes our own plans and desires, and that, truly, that’s a good thing! It’s a good thing we don’t always get our way, as tough as it is sometimes.

Anybody who’s been a parent, or had a parent, should be able to appreciate that concept. Not always getting what we want (or what we think we want) is actually a blessing from our good Father. God’s way is always best, and we have assurance in his good sovereignty.

Transition (23)

In verse 23, we get a brief summary and transition before the focus shifts back to Ephesus.

Acts 18:23 LSB

23 And having spent some time there, he left and passed successively through the Galatian region and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

Paul did “some time,” an ambiguous, unknown period of time, but probably not very long. A few months, from autumn to spring seems to be the prevailing notion, but we have no way of really knowing.

In similarly ambiguous fashion, Luke then kind of just skims right over the first part of Paul’s third missionary journey, to get back to Ephesus. But he mentions that Paul was ministering as he went.

Galatia, a region in the highlands of what we know as Turkey, is first mentioned here, and Paul clearly developed a strong relationship with them as evidenced by his letter to the Galatians. He cared for them very deeply, and cultivated those relationships along his way as he traveled.

But, again, Luke doesn’t go into detail here, he wants to get back to Ephesus.

Passage

So, in verse 24, we find ourselves back in Ephesus. Let’s read:

Acts 18:24–28 LSB

24 Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, arrived at Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; 26 and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

Apollos - (24)

Acts 18:24 LSB

24 Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, arrived at Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures.

Alright, so let’s talk about Apollos! What a guy!

In verse 24, we’re given some quick facts about his identity, reputation, his knowledge, and his works.

Jewish, Alexandrian, eloquent, and mighty in the Scriptures.

Why might Alexandria be significant? Aside from identifying Apollos as part of the Jewish diaspora scattered throughout the world, Alexandria in particular was cultural melting pot and hotbed of intellectual activity.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 18

born at Alexandria—the celebrated city of Egypt on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean, called after its founder, Alexander the Great. Nowhere was there such a fusion of Greek, Jewish, and Oriental peculiarities, and an intelligent Jew educated in that city could hardly fail to manifest all these elements in his mental character.

In other words, Apollos would have been cultured. It gives you a little bit of context for the following statement that he was also eloquent, and mighty in the Scriptures.

No matter where you were born, to be both eloquent and mighty (or “competent”) in the Scriptures is a pretty awesome way to remembered, don’t you think?

Eloquent

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“Eloquent” is a great word!

The Greek word is logios, literally someone good with words, or “wordy.” Someone who knows a lot of words at least sounds smart, right?

So, in Greek this usage refers to someone who knows a lot, someone who is well-educated, has a large vocabulary, and the wisdom and wherewithal with which to wield it well.

See what I did there?

I think one of the reasons I like this passage so much is because it sort of validates my own fondness for words and learning and studying languages and stuff and such.

I enjoy flamboyantly poetic literature and reading paragraphs that are so dense it takes a whole afternoon to understand. There is an artistic depth to our languages that reflects the depth and nuances of our creator.

That’s not everyone’s cup of tea, and that’s fine, but there is a place for eloquence.

There is value to excellence and beauty in all aspects of life, and language is no exception. Language itself is a gift from God, and the study of language, of words, can ultimately help us know God better!

Like the lesson from a few weeks ago, worshiping the creator of beauty rather than the beautiful thing itself.

I also want to be careful here not to imply that more wordiness or a bigger vocabulary makes anybody an inherently better Christian.

It’s not that we need to try to preach passionately pedantic prose, or poetically perfume performative prayers and petitions in order to try to be more spiritual or Godly.

God is knowable in any language, and even in no language at all!

I think all humans have developed language of some kind, but the point is that God reaches out in our language, meets us wherever we are and teaches us from there.

Whatever faculties of learning and of communication God has blessed us with, let’s be thankful for, and use wisely.

Sometimes, that means using fewer words, and speaking more simply, without trying to sound impressive.

Can you read? Can you have a meaningful conversation with someone? Not everyone can! It’s really not something to take for granted! Even the ability to carry on a conversation is basically a miracle. Whether it’s having the eyes to read or a voice to speak, we all have different strengths and limitations, which change throughout different seasons of our lives.

As we get older, some things get easier as we become more experienced, while other things eventually become more challenging, and those things change.

Our Godliness or holiness is not directly dependent upon our physical or mental acuity at any given point in our lives, but we should have at least some appetite for knowledge and learning in general, as commanded by scripture.

Proverbs 20:15 LSB

15 There is gold, and an abundance of pearls; But the lips of knowledge are a more precious vessel.

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Proverbs 20:15 NLT

15 Wise words are more valuable than much gold and many rubies.

Proverbs 15:14 LSB

14 The heart of the one who has understanding seeks knowledge, But the mouth of fools feeds on folly.

Proverbs 15:14 NLT

14 A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash.

Proverbs 18:15 LSB

15 The heart of the understanding acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

Proverbs 18:15 NLT

15 Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open for knowledge.

And we should seek to be competent stewards of whatever knowledge we do have, which leads us into our next point about Apollos.

Competent

Apollos has been blessed in the word department. He is “eloquent,” but not just in trivial pursuits or secular knowledge. He’s also, more specifically, described as being “mighty in the scriptures”

What does it mean to be “mighty” in the scriptures?

Well, I can tell you one thing it means…it means he put in a lot of hard work!

Sometimes, God works through spectacular and miraculous events like the many different tongues that were spoken on Pentecost back in chapter two. But, it really seems like more often than not, God also works through the faithful, tedious, laborious work that people put in to study, to hone and refine the knowledge and gifts they were given.

The homework, the practice, the training, these are the things that make a person mighty in something.

The NLT simply says “he knew the scriptures well.” I think that’s a good interpretation of what the phrase means, though it’s kind of boring. In this case, I think the more literal translation is actually more exciting!

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The Greek word is DYNATOS! Like dynamite, having the potential, the possibility of great power (adjective form of dunamis, or power).

The CSB and ESV use the word “competent,” which carries the connotation of being “fit” or “proper” in the use of one’s abilities.

Going beyond simply having knowledge, but putting it to work, that’s when knowledge truly becomes powerful. Powerfully destructive if it’s on our own terms, like eating the fruit of knowing good and evil all over again, but powerfully life-bringing through the surprising wisdom of God’s kingdom.

Wisdom, by the way, that also says to share knowledge, rather than sit on it, whether out of apathy towards others or a desire to hoard up power.

Jesus speaks to this concept in Luke 12, where he’s teaching the importance of being prepared, of watching and waiting for the day of the Lord. He explains it using what would have then been relatable scenarios:

Luke 12:35–48 NLT

35 “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. 37 The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! 38 He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready. 39 “Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.” 41 Peter asked, “Lord, is that illustration just for us or for everyone?” 42 And the Lord replied, “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. 43 If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. 44 I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. 45 But what if the servant thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? 46 The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful. 47 “And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn’t prepared and doesn’t carry out those instructions, will be severely punished. 48 But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

Now, the example Jesus used for them might not be the most relevant or helpful to us today, but ultimately he’s appealing to their common sense, and it’s a concept I think we all get.

That last sentence in verse 48 really says it all, doesn’t it? To put it concisely:

“To whom much has been given, much will be required.”

With great power comes great…responsibility.

So, acquire knowledge, but use it wisely.

James 2:19 LSB

19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.

“Knowing stuff” is great. But the demons “know stuff” too. What’s going to differentiate you from them? That’s always a nice sobering question to ask yourself.

The competency of Apollos is made evident by his efficacy later in verse 28, but first we get a glimpse into the development of his character, the process of growth as he matures even further in his understanding of the gospel.

Baptism of John (25)

Verse 25 says:

Acts 18:25 LSB

25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John;

So, Apollos has been taught, and he is faithfully, enthusiastically teaching others, passing it on…the man is a picture of model discipleship! Learn, teach, repeat.

And he teaches accurately, Luke says! Again, this is the reputation you want to have, as a teacher!

But, then we hear of this…limitation in Apollos’s learning. We find out he knows only the “baptism of John,” that is, John the Baptist.

To be “of the baptism of...” a person in this context means to be a student or follower of that person.

To us, it may be a somewhat strange way of saying it, but it lends insight into his background. We read about others in the next chapter who were in the same boat…who knew about John’s teaching, but who hadn’t heard of or received the Holy Spirit yet! I won’t get into it too far this week, but that becomes an indication of a new baptism, receiving the Holy Spirit.

So, if Apollos has learned from the message of John the Baptist, it’s good information! It’s accurate! He just hasn’t gotten to hear the latest updates yet, from Jesus himself!

The baptism of Christ of course does not conflict or negate the baptism of John, rather it fulfills and builds upon the message he preached of one greater than he to come.

This greater baptism fulfills the image in Isaiah 11 of the stem of Jesse, the branch of Jesse, to whom the spirit of Yahweh gives all the understanding and wisdom of the universe.

Isaiah 11:1–9 LSB

1 Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of Yahweh will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and might, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of Yahweh. 3 And He will delight in the fear of Yahweh, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor render a decision by what His ears hear; 4 But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with uprightness for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will put the wicked to death. 5 Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, And faithfulness the belt about His waist. 6 And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a young boy will lead them. 7 Also the cow and the bear will graze, Their young will lie down together, And the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 And the nursing baby will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. 9 They will do no evil nor act corruptly in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of Yahweh As the waters cover the sea.

The ideal state of humanity and of creation is described as being full of abundance. Not just physical abundance, not even primarily physical abundance. The abundance of this paradise is the abundance of the knowledge of Yahweh.

More Accurately (26)

Verse 26 describes how Apollos’s understanding of God was able to grow even further under the guidance of our favorite New Testament couple, Priscilla and Aquila:

Acts 18:26 LSB

26 and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

What an interesting concept…that Apollos understood, believed, and followed the way of God, even mightily and eloquently so! And yet, through the refinery of discipleship, was able to come to an even better, even more accurate understanding of the ways of God.

Which, in some ways, may sum up what’s in store for humanity for the rest of eternity! But even here and now, practically, I find it encouraging. That even with limited exposure to scripture and instruction, someone can be considered mighty and effective in faithful service to the kingdom.

And it’s a humbling reminder that even with a lifetime of dedication and study, we will never be “done” learning about God, in and through His Word. There is always more to learn and understand, and sometimes even correct or change in our ways of thinking, which we need to be open to perceiving when God is leading in such a way.ai

Jesus is the Christ (27-28)

The last couple verses of this chapter give us another brief summarizing statement about what Apollos went on to do, and it helps to remind us about the reason for all this learning and baptizing…he continues to put what he learns directly into action

Acts 18:27–28 LSB

27 And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

Let’s not forget the crux of the plot here. Jesus is the Christ. All of this always comes back around to Jesus. Everything they’re doing is to show people Jesus. For some people, they already have an idea of who the Christ “is” or will be in their heads, and the gospel is a matter of presenting Jesus and showing how he checks every box for being the Messiah, even if the portrait they had in their heads seems irreconcilable with the image or stories they’ve heard of Jesus.

For other people, the concept of a “messiah” or “christ,” the missing puzzle piece to humanity, would have to be explained first, and then Jesus can be presented as the fitting solution, the perfect piece to the puzzle we didn’t even know we existed!

When Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well in John chapter 4, she already has an idea of who God is, and of humanity’s need for a savior, and she has a desire to worship God. She has no idea that this guy Jesus who just walked up to her is going to, without throwing away anything she knows, at the same time completely change the way she understands the world.

For anyone who already is interested in following God, hearing about Jesus is just like getting some clarification on what that means…getting some tangible training…literally, a human role-model for godliness. Jesus says to the Samarian woman:

John 4:21–26 NLT

21 Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. 23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!”

Jesus is the messiah.

And Christianity, the message and ministry of Jesus’s followers, is the logical outgrowth and progression of Old Testament teachings and of John the Baptist’s ministry. What Priscilla and Aquila have to offer Apollos, then, is superior to what he already knows. Without needing to abandon or change what he already learned, he has an opportunity to add to and refine his knowledge, and clearly he doesn’t lack the humility to do so.

James assures us that God does, in fact, love to give wisdom to those who seek it:

James 1:5 LSB

5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

James also has a very important followup to this in chapter three, though:

James 3:13 LSB

13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good conduct his works in the gentleness of wisdom.

So you think you’re wise? Let your life show it.

Conclusion

As we reflect on Apollos the teacher, may we, like him, be known for seeking to ever know the way of God more. More accurately, more deeply, more completely. But let us be faithful and bold in what we do know; in what we have been given, in the meantime, at any given point.

I want to close by reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter twelve.

This is one of those extra-heavily read and recited passages for good reason. It’s has some very practical and actionable exhortation for the church as to what we should be doing with all this knowledge of God and as beneficiaries of his blessings.

Romans 12 NLT

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. 3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. 6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. 9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! 17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. 20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” 21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.