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Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the
way of God more perfectly" (Acts 18: 24-26).
Apollos had many natural and spiritual advantages. He was born at Alexandria, a seat
of learning, and was instrumental in the diffusion of the Greek language and the
production of the Greek version of the O.T. known as the Septuagint. According to the
A.V. Apollos is described as "an eloquent man". The word is logios, which, according to
Philo (Vit. Mos. 1: 5) means "learned", and according to Josephus "eloquent" (Ant. 17:
6: 2). Josephus speaks of Judas and Matthias as "two of the most eloquent men among
the Jews, and most celebrated interpreters of the Jewish laws". The word must not,
however, be made to include all that is conveyed by the word "eloquent" to-day, or as it
would have been understood by the Greek rhetorician. Nevertheless it is clear that
Apollos must have had a natural gift that surpassed that possessed by Paul, for the
Apostle reminded the Corinthians that, according to their standards, they had said of him:
"His bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible" (II Cor. 10: 10).
Apollos was not merely eloquent; he was also "mighty in the Scriptures", and
"instructed in the way of the Lord". On the other hand, we read that he knew "only the
baptism of John". There are some who think that Apollos was not a believer in the Lord
Jesus, though true so far as he went. The texts, however, read in verse 25: "He taught
diligently the things concerning Jesus." The word "diligently" is akribos, "accurately",
and is found again in verse 26--"more perfectly". Apollos had the foundation of the
faith, but he stopped short at the baptism of John. He could, however, be a very
convincing speaker, so far as proving the Messiahship of the Lord Jesus was concerned,
for John's baptism was appointed for the very purpose of making the Messiah manifest to
Israel (John 1: 30-34).
When Priscilla and Aquila heard Apollos speak, they felt as some of our readers have
probably often felt when listening to an earnest man, preaching with fervour and grace,
but knowing only the truth as far as Acts 28: We have personal knowledge of more
than one instance, in which readers of The Berean Expositor have emulated the kindly act
of Aquila and Priscilla, and have been able to "expound the way of God more perfectly".
Apollos evidently profited by their gracious ministry, and, when he wished to pass into
Achaia, the brethren commenced him by letter. We read that he "helped them much
which had believed", and "mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, showing by
the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ".
While Apollos is at Corinth, Paul arrives at Ephesus, and he too is met with the same
limitations as were found in Apollos. This time, however, instead of one man, it is
twelve disciples who "knew only the baptism of John".
The controversy that has arisen over this passage (Acts 19: 1-12), as to whether Paul
baptized these believers, or whether verse 5 refers to what took place when men heard
and believed John the Baptist's testimony, will perhaps remain a moot point until we
know "even as we are known". We give below the structure of the passage as set out in
The Companion Bible. According to this structure, the words of verse 5: "When they
heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus" refer to what took place