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Acts 18:27–28
“When [Apollos] wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.”
Apollos served a key role in the early church, as the New Testament tells us. We see in today’s passage, for example, that he had an effective ministry in Achaia, greatly helping “those who through grace had believed” (Acts 18:27). First Corinthians 3 testifies to Apollos’ ministry in that province, for it is clear that the Christians in Corinth benefited from the work of Apollos, Corinth being the chief city in Achaia. Because of Apollos’ eloquence and familiarity with the Jewish interpretative traditions of Alexandria (Acts 18:24–26), some writers have even speculated that Apollos may be the author of the otherwise anonymous epistle to the Hebrews. At present, that claim can be neither proved nor disproved.
Today’s passage expands on the details of Apollos’ ministry given in Acts 18:24–26. Those verses tell us of his understanding of the Scriptures and his boldness in preaching Jesus to the Jews in the synagogue of Ephesus before he met Priscilla and Aquila. Verses 27–28 show us that Apollos was of even more value to the church after learning more about the Christian faith from that missionary couple who taught him the way of God more accurately. As noted, he provided much assistance to the believers in Achaia (v. 27). How? By powerfully refuting “the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus” (v. 28). Evidently, Apollos had a particular gift for demonstrating that Jesus fulfills the messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. He could effectively explain the Scriptures and persuade people that Jesus was the Savior and King whom God promised to send to save the world.
This commendation of Apollos has much to say to us today, especially those who preach and teach the Word of God on a regular basis. The church’s teachers should be able to accurately explain the Scriptures, but they should also be able to use them to counter false teaching and correct people. Persuasion by the truth should be the goal of every Christian teacher, but especially the ordained ministers and elders of the church. Paul tells Timothy as much in 2 Timothy 4:1–2. Matthew Henry aptly observes, “Ministers must be able not only to preach the truth, but to prove it and defend it, and to convince gainsayers with meekness and yet with power, instructing those that oppose themselves; and this is real service to the church.”
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
Not all of us are called to ordained ministry in the church, but all of us can have a positive influence on other Christians by helping to disciple those who are less mature in the faith than we are. As we do so, we are seeking to communicate biblical truth, not simply imparting facts but also endeavoring to persuade people of those facts. As we improve our knowledge of Scripture and the theology of Scripture, we become more effective disciple makers.
For further study
- Isaiah 54:11–17
- Titus 1:5–9
The bible in a year
- Psalms 107–108
- Romans 15:22–33
- Psalms 109–112
- Romans 16–1 Cor. 1