Apollos—the Alexandrian Orator

And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you: But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters. And he drave them from the judgment seat. Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things. And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow. And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not; But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus. And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch. And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples. And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ. - Acts 18:12-28

    In the passage before us we have a hurried account of the last part of Paul's second missionary journey and the beginning of his third. We follow the apostle from Corinth to Ephesus, from Ephesus to Jerusalem and from Jerusalem back to Antioch. After spending some time in Antioch, he visited the churches of Galatia and Phrygia. Then he went back to Ephesus, where chapter 19 begins. That is a lot of territory to cover in nineteen verses! We want to say, 'Wait, Luke! Tell us more. What happened at Cenchrea? How did Phoebe, that lady in the Cenchrean church, win the praise Paul bestowed upon her in Romans 16:1-2? What happened while Paul was at Jerusalem, Antioch, Galatia and Phrygia?' There must have been many interesting events in those places. But Luke chose to omit all the details. He appears to have been anxious to introduce us to the next scene in the history of the early church and to a man who impressed him greatly, Apollos, the Alexandrian orator. Luke was moved by the Holy Spirit to introduce this man to us with deeper respect and admiration than he used to present any other man in the book of Acts (18:24-25). Apollos is set before us as an example of Christian character, whose faith and faithfulness should be followed (Heb. 13:7,17). However, before Apollos is introduced, Luke was directed to give some account of Paul's journey from Corinth to Antioch for our instruction.

    1. The typical persecution (18:12-17)

    Wherever Paul went preaching the gospel he met with persecution. God restrained the malice of his enemies at Corinth for a while, but in time he allowed the venom of the old serpent, Satan, to spue out against his servant and 'The Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul' (18:12-13). The Authorized (King James) Version reads, 'This fellow...', but the Jews did not say that. The word 'fellow' was added by the translators. The Jews said with disgust, 'This ...!' They had no word evil enough to describe their opinion of God's messenger!

    Gallio should not have allowed the Gentiles to beat Sosthenes. As a civil magistrate it was his responsibility to protect all. How ever, he is to be commended in the fact that he refused to hear the charges brought against Paul. It is not the business of civil courts to make rules or judgements in matters regarding the free exercise of religion.

    Crispus, who was the ruler of the synagogue, had been converted by the grace of God (18:8) and Sosthenes had been elected to take his place. Sosthenes, who had come to Gallio to have Paul beaten, was himself beaten with the lashes he had hoped to inflict upon Paul. Many a Haman has been hanged on the gallows he built for the hanging of God's faithful Mordecais.

    By these events at Corinth the Holy Spirit teaches two lessons emphatically.

    First, the gospel of Christ is offensive to lost men. The plain declaration of redemption by Christ and salvation by grace alone through faith in him is foolishness, a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence, to those who are perishing. Natural man is tolerant of, and even likes, natural religion. Any religion that bases salvation upon man's free will, good works, or religious ceremonies is acceptable to him. But he will not tolerate the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace in Christ (Gal. 5:11). All who faithfully confess Christ to men will have to endure the wrath of men (Matt. 10:16-39). All who preach the gospel in purity, without compromise, will pay a price for doing so (Gal. 1:10-12).

    The second lesson is equally obvious: God’s providential rule of this world works all things together for the good of his elect (Rom. 8:28). The Jews' persecution was as much the work of God's providence for Paul as the benevolence of Aquila and Priscilla. It became evident to Paul that his work at Corinth was done. He did not flee for fear of the Jews, but he saw their persecution as an indication that God would have him move on to another place. When God thwarted the Jews' plans, he confirmed his promise to Paul (18: 10).

    This beating of Sosthenes was one of the things God used to bring him to Christ (1 Cor. 1:1).

    2. The travelling preacher (18:18-23)

    It is highly improbable that Paul took a Jewish vow and shaved his head (18:18). The one Luke refers to as having taken a vow must have been Aquila. Paul, above all men, cast aside all Jewish laws, ceremonies and rituals (Col. 2:16-23). He might for expediency have Timothy circumcised, but he would never have taken a vow and shaved his head in pledge of it—not Paul!

    When he came to Ephesus, where he left Aquila and Priscilla, Paul went again into the synagogue to reason with the Jews (18:19). So great was his compassion for his kinsmen that he could not let them perish without preaching Christ to them (Rom. 10:1-2).

    The apostle was determined to go up to Jerusalem, not to keep the Jewish feast, but to be there during the Passover because there he would have opportunity to preach the gospel to many. Recognizing and submitting to God's providence, he made all his plans and commitments with one condition: 'if God will' (James 4:13-15).

    Young believers, like young plants, need much care. Paul tenderly cared for and ministered to the needs of these young churches and young saints (18:22-23). He travelled alone for hundreds of miles, at his own expense, to preach the gospel to the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles and for the comfort and edification of God's saints (Eph. 4:11-16).

    3. The talented pulpiteer (18:24-28)

    While Paul was away Apollos came to Ephesus, preaching the gospel of Christ (18:24). Born in Alexandria in Egypt, he was a man of exceptional gifts. He was 'an eloquent man', rational, prudent, well-educated and influential in speech. He was 'mighty in the scriptures'. That is to say, he was greatly gifted of God in under standing and explaining the Old Testament Scripture in the light of Christ's person and work.

    Apollos was taught in the way of the Lord Jesus Christ (18:25), who is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). He zealously promoted the glory of God and sought the salvation of his people (Rom. 12:11). Yet he knew only the message and doctrine of John the Baptist: repentance towards God and the remission of sins by Christ, the Lamb of God (Matt. 3:1-2; John 1:29). He knew nothing of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the mighty works of God through the apostles. His doctrine was true gospel doctrine, but Apollos had not been instructed in those things which had been revealed since the time of John the Baptist.

    Aquila and Priscilla invited Apollos to their house and privately instructed him more fully in the gospel (18:26). Priscilla assisted her husband in the teaching of Apollos privately in her own house, not publicly in the church. As a godly woman, she behaved with meekness (1 Peter 3:1-2). It is contrary to both Scripture and modesty for a woman to publicly reprove or instruct a man (1 Tim. 2:11-12; 1 Cor. 14:34).

    The believers at Ephesus sent a letter to the church at Corinth, recommending Apollos to them as an able gospel preacher (18:27). When he arrived there, he was an instrument in the hands of God for much spiritual good to the brethren who 'had believed through grace'. Faith in Christ is not the work of man's free will, but of God's free grace (Eph. 2:8; Col. 2:12; Phil. 1:29).

    Being taught by God, Apollos was a mighty and convincing teacher (18:28). In the face of much opposition, he proved by the Old Testament Scriptures 'that Jesus [is the] Christ', the sent one of God, the Saviour of the world (1 John 4:1-4).