"THE BOOK OF ACTS"
The Conversion Of Apollos (18:24-28)
INTRODUCTION
1. When Paul left Ephesus on his second missionary...
a. Aquila and Priscilla stayed behind - Ac 18:18-19
b. They hosted a church in their home - cf. 1Co 16:19
2. Aquila and Priscilla were responsible for converting Apollos...
a. A man with great talent and zeal before his conversion
b. Who served the Lord greatly, especially in Corinth
[The conversion of Apollos offers an important lesson or two on how we
might be more effective in our own evangelistic efforts today. Let's
first consider what we know about...]
I. APOLLOS, THE PROSPECT
A. HIS BACKGROUND...
1. He was a Jew - Ac 18:24
2. Born at Alexandria - Ac 18:24
a. Capital of Egypt from 330 B.C.
b. Founded by Alexander the Great
c. An outstanding Greek cultural and academic center
d. Contained the finest library in the ancient world
e. The Jewish population numbered in the hundreds of thousands
f. It became the most important center of Judaism outside of
Jerusalem
g. Jewish rabbis gathered in Alexandria to produce the
Septuagint (LXX)
-- Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
3. Well educated, "an eloquent man" - Ac 18:24
a. Grk., logios, learned, skilled, eloquent - ESV Study Bible
b. Pertaining to one who has learned a great deal of the
intellectual heritage of a culture--'learned, cultured.'
- Louw Nida
B. HIS ABILITIES...
1. Mighty (powerful, competent) in the Scriptures (Old Testament)
- Ac 18:24
2. Instructed in the way of the Lord (Jesus) - Ac 18:25
3. Fervent in spirit; lit., "to boil in the spirit", an idiom for
enthusiasm - Louw Nida
4. Taught accurately the way of the Lord (Jesus) - Ac 18:25
5. Though he knew only the baptism of John - Ac 18:25
a. His knowledge of Jesus was limited
b. Perhaps knowing only John's witness to Jesus as the Messiah
c. Likely unaware of Jesus' commission involving baptism - cf.
Mt 28:18-20; Mk 16:15-16
d. Similar to those "disciples" in Ephesus whose knowledge was
also deficient - Ac 19:1-5
[With such knowledge, eloquence, and enthusiasm, Apollos began to speak
boldly in the synagogue at Ephesus (Ac 18:26). Listening to him were
two people, husband and wife...]
II. AQUILA AND PRISCILLA, THE TEACHERS
A. THEIR BACKGROUND...
1. Husband and wife, Jews expelled from Rome - Ac 18:1-2
2. With whom Paul stayed in Corinth, working together as tentmakers
- Ac 18:3
3. Traveled with Paul from Corinth to Ephesus, and stayed there
- Ac 18:18-19
4. Hosted a church in their home in Ephesus - 1Co 16:19
5. At some point risked their lives for Paul - Ro 16:3-4
6. Later in Rome, hosting a church in their house - Ro 16:3-5
7. Mentioned in Paul's last epistle, shortly before his death, back
in Ephesus - 2Ti 4:19
B. THEIR METHOD...
1. They attended the synagogue - Ac 18:26
a. As Jews, they would have that privilege
b. Perhaps like Paul, they utilized it as an evangelistic
opportunity - Ac 17:1-4
2. They heard Apollos speak - Ac 18:26
a. I believe we can fairly infer that they listened respectfully
b. Like the Bereans, who with fair-mindedness listened to Paul
- Ac 17:11
3. They took him aside - Ac 18:26
a. Talking to him privately, conducive to constructive dialogue
b. Like Paul, their goal was to reason and persuade - Ac 17:1-4;
18:4
4. They explained to Apollos the way of God more accurately - Ac 18:26
a. Implying that his knowledge was somewhat accurate
b. They sought to build on what he already knew, with truth he
did not know
[Aquila and Priscilla were successful in leading Apollos to a more
accurate understanding of the way of God. With that understanding, the
highly educated, fervent Jew from Alexandria became...]
III. APOLLOS, THE MINISTER
A. HIS SUCCESS AT CORINTH...
1. Endorsed by brethren at Ephesus, he went to Corinth - Ac 18:27
2. He greatly helped those who believed through grace - Ac 18:27
3. Apollos "vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the
Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ." - Ac 18:28; cf. Ac 17:3
4. As Paul wrote, "I planted, Apollos watered..." - 1Co 3:5-6
B. THE PROBLEM AT CORINTH...
1. Division because of "preacher-itis" involved Apollos - 1Co 1:10-12
2. Paul diagnosed such "preacher-itis" as carnality - 1Co 3:4
3. In no way did Paul impugn Apollos with causing the problem
a. Apollos was a minister and co-worker through whom the Lord
worked - 1Co 3:5-9
b. Paul included Apollos and Cephas (Peter) as serving the
church - 1Co 3:21-23
c. Paul included himself with Apollos as examples in whom not to
boast - 1Co 4:6
d. He wanted Apollos to go to Corinth, but Apollos was unwilling
at the time - 1Co 16:12
4. Those who identified themselves with Apollos may have been
swayed by his eloquence
CONCLUSION
1. Paul later mentioned Apollos in his epistle to Titus... - Tit 3:13
a. Together with Zenas, a lawyer
b. Asking Titus to send them on, lacking nothing
c. Some think Zenas and Apollos may have been the bearers of the
epistle to Titus
d. Luther and others suggested Apollos as the author of Hebrews, but
no one knows
2. What is known is the successful conversion of Apollos, by Aquila and
Priscilla...
a. Whose methodology is worthy of imitation in evangelism
b. Acknowledging the faith and understanding of those we try to teach
c. Building on their faith as we seek to teach them "the way of God
more accurately"
d. Doing so privately when possible, as friends not adversaries
Have you explained to others the way of God more accurately? Are you
willing to let others explain to you the way of God more accurately?
We can all learn from "The Conversion Of Apollos"...
