Acts 18:23-28

CRITICAL REMARKS

Acts 18:23. The region of Galatia and Phrygia.—See on Acts 16:6.

Acts 18:24. A certain Jew named Apollos—a diminutive or pet name for Apollomos, which occurs in Codex D. (Ramsay). Born at Alexandria, or an Alexandrian by birth, he had probably received “the Jewish Grecian education peculiar to the learned among the Jews of that city, and acquired great facility in the use of the Greek language” (Neander). The success of his labours in Corinth is attested by Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12; 1 Corinthians 3:5). Luther’s conjecture that Apollos was the author of Hebrews is not without probability (Beyschlag, Plumptre). Alexandria.—The chief maritime city, and long the metropolis, of Lower Egypt, was founded by Alexander the Great, B.C. 332, and built under the superintendence of the architect who rebuilt the temple of Diana at Ephesus. Under Ptolemy Soter it became the seat not only of commerce, but also of learning and the liberal sciences. The LXX. translation of the Old Testament Scriptures was made in Alexandria, B.C. 280. Philo was born there, B.C. 20. In A.D. 39 the Jews in Alexandria were subjected to horrible persecutions by Ptolemy Philopator, because their co-religionists in Jerusalem had resisted his attempt to enter the temple there. Mark is said to have introduced Christianity into Alexandria.

Acts 18:25. The things of the Lord should be the things concerning Jesus.

Acts 18:26. Aquila and Priscilla.—The names should be reversed, as in Acts 18:18. “The unusual order, the wife before the husband must be accepted as original; for there is always a tendency among scribes to change the unusual into the usual” (Ramsay).

Acts 18:27. The brethren—i.e., of Ephesus—wrote exhorting the disciples in Achaia to receive him.—Better, the brethren (at Ephesus) encouraged (him) and wrote to the (Corinthian) disciples to receive him. Holtzmann finds the right explanation in the old reading of Codex D: “But some Corinthians residing in Ephesus who had heard Apollos requested him to cross with them to their native city; and the Ephesians consenting to this proposal, wrote to the disciples in Corinth to receive him.”

Acts 18:28. Helped them much which had believed through grace.—According to another translation, helped much through grace them who had believed (see “Hints”). And that publicly might be connected with the participle following, as thus: publicly showing, or in public showing—i.e., in their synagogues as distinguished from their private homes.

HOMILETICAL ANALYSIS.—Acts 18:23

Paul’s Departure from Antioch; or, the Commencement of the Third Missionary Journey

I. On the way for Ephesus.—

1. The time of starting. After Paul had spent some time, obviously not long, in Antioch; either because of his impatience to be at his chosen lifework, carrying the gospel into regions beyond, or because he desired to get back as soon as possible to Ephesus, or because the unpleasant encounter with Peter (Galatians 2:11), which most critics insert here, rendered it desirable for him to quit Antioch. It was now about the end of 54 A.D., or the beginning of 55 A.D.

2. The line of travel. Through the country of Galatia and Phrygia (see on Acts 16:6). Probably passing north from Antioch through the Cilician Gates, visiting Tarsus on the way, and calling in upon the Churches of Lycaonia, Pisidia, and Pamphylia, though these are not mentioned. At any rate, he seems to have entered Galatia first and borne down on Ephesus through Phrygia.

3. The business of the journey. “Strengthening” or “establishing all the disciples,” confirming the Churches and exhorting the believers (compare Acts 14:22; Acts 15:32), perhaps also counselling them to “remember the poor,” and instructing them how to lift contributions for this purpose (1 Corinthians 16:1).

4. The names of his companions. Not stated. But obviously Silas did not attend him on this occasion—possibly having stayed behind in Jerusalem, from which he had first started out with Barnabas (Acts 15:22), and where he originally held a leading place among the brethren; or having been left behind by Paul at Corinth (see Acts 18:18). Whether Timothy accompanied him at the outset is not clear, though on reaching Ephesus the two are again together (Acts 19:22). In Ephesus also Erastus, the chamberlain of Corinth (Romans 16:23), shows at his side (Acts 19:22), having probably joined the apostle in that city. Probably also Titus, though not named in the Acts, travelled with Paul on this third missionary tour (see 2 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 8:16).

II. What occurred at Ephesus in the meanwhile.—

1. The arrival of a distinguished stranger.

(1) His name. Apollos, an abbreviation of Apollonius,
(2) His nationality. A Jew.
(3) His birthplace. Alexandria in Egypt, “the emporium of Greek commerce from the time of its foundation, where, since the earliest Ptolemies, literature, philosophy, and criticism had never ceased to excite the most intellectual activity; where the Septuagint translation of the Scripture had been made, and where a Jewish temple and ceremonial worship had been established in rivalry to that in Jerusalem” (Conybeare and Howson, The Life and Epistles of St. Paul, i. 36). (See “Critical Remarks.”)

(4) His reputation. A learned or eloquent man, especially in the Scriptures, in the understanding and exposition of which he was mighty. He had “probably been well trained in the rhetorical schools on the banks of the Nile” (Conybeare and Howson, ii. 7).
(5) His knowledge. He was “instructed or taught by word of mouth in the way of the Lord,” perhaps by one of John’s disciples, or by John himself, whose ministry he may have attended. He knew the things of the Lord or concerning Jesus—i.e., from the standpoint of John, whose baptism alone he had received. That he was not acquainted with the later facts of our Lord’s history—as, e.g., His death and resurrection, with all the doctrinal significance these contained—seems hinted in the narrative, which, however, may admit of his acquaintance with the person and work of Jesus as taught by John.

(6) His piety. He was fèrvent in spirit (compare Romans 12:11); of a glowing religious disposition and ardent zeal in promoting the spread of the gospel as understood by him.

(7) His activity. He taught carefully, and began to speak boldly in the synagogue.
2. His meeting with Priscilla and Aquila.

(1) The place where this occurred was most likely the synagogue. “When Priscilla and Aquila heard him.”
(2) The impression made upon Priscilla and Aquila by his eloquent Scripture expositions was that he sincerely believed in the Messiah whom John had proclaimed, but had not a perfect knowledge of the facts of Christ’s history or an accurate understanding of the plan of salvation which was grounded on them.

(3) Accordingly they undertook to expound, and in point of fact did expound to him, the way of God more carefully. Whether Priscilla and Aquila had first learnt the story of the Cross in Rome from Pentecostal pilgrims, or in Ephesus from Paul, cannot be decided (see on Acts 18:3), neither can it be ascertained whether Apollos had been baptised by John or his disciples, or whether, if he had been, he was a second time baptised. The incident in Acts 19:1 would suggest rebaptism in the name of Christ if that ordinance had previously been administered to him.

3. His departure from the city. After learning the way of God more accurately he conceived the design of crossing over into Achaia.

(1) His reasons for doing so may have been “a delicate reserve which prevented him from coming forward again in Ephesus, where he had already appeared with such unripe and defective knowledge” (Lechler), or a desire from what he heard of the Corinthian Church from Priscilla and Aquila to labour there, or both.

(2) His way was smoothed for him by the brethren at Ephesus, who, willing to part with their eloquent teacher for the good of Corinth, encouraged him (not exhorted the Corinthians), and gave him to the Church there “letters of commendation” (2 Corinthians 3:1).

(3) His resolution was providentially stamped as right by the success which attended his ministry in Achaia, which was both helpful to them who had believed through grace, and effective in defending the truth against the Jews, whom “he powerfully confuted and that publicly, showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ.”

Learn.—

1. That an imperfectly enlightened Christian may be instrumental in doing much good.
2. That persons of eminent parts may be greatly helped in the religious life by individuals of obscure position and slender gifts.
3. That private Christians may sometimes do the work of theological colleges and ecclesiastical boards.
4. That ministers of eminent gifts, grace being equal, may be expected to do better service in the Church than ministers of lesser endowments.
5. That Christian Churches should diligently seek out and train those among them who appear best fitted for the ministry.

HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS

Acts 18:24. Apollos: a Model Preacher.

I. Eloquent in speech.

II. Mighty in the Scriptures (Acts 18:24).

III. Fervent in spirit (Acts 18:25).

IV. Courageous in heart (Acts 18:26).

V. Humble in mind (Acts 18:26).

VI. Unwearied in service (Acts 18:27).

VII. Powerful in reasoning (Acts 18:28).

Acts 18:25. The Way of the Lord.

I. A Divine way. The same as the way of God. The two expressions imply the doctrine of Christ’s divinity.

II. A Prophetic way. Foreannounced by prophets and teachers of the Old Dispensation. The Messianic element in Old Testament prophecy.

III. A Scriptural way. The value of Old Testament Scripture as a testimony to Christ. The Old Testament the basis and support of the New.

Acts 18:26. Growth in Christian Knowledge.

I. Necessary for all, even for the gifted (Acts 18:24).

II. Attainable by humble desire of learning (Acts 18:26).

III. Fruitful, by blessed working for God (Acts 18:27).

Acts 18:27. All of Grace.

I. The faith of the Christian believer (compare Ephesians 2:8).

II. The success of the Christian minister (compare 1 Corinthians 3:7).

Acts 18:24. The Biography of Apollos.

I. The details of his early history.—

1. By descent a Jew. The honour and privilege of having been descended from Abraham (John 8:39; Romans 3:1; Romans 9:4).

2. By birth an Alexandrian. An additional privilege to be born in a great centre of light and civilisation. How much more to be cradled in a Christian land!

3. By talent an eloquent or learned man. Neither possible without a combination of remarkable powers, clearness of perception, retentiveness of memory, readiness of reproduction, quickness of emotion.

4. By religion a half Christian. Distinguished at this stage by three things:

(1) his large acquaintance with Scripture;
(2) his position as a disciple of John; and
(3) his activity as a preacher.

II. The story of his conversion to Christianity.—

1. How providentially it was brought about. By meeting with Aquila and Priscilla who, on their way to Pontus probably, had stayed at Ephesus. So the hand of God is in every man’s conversion, though not always as plainly seen.

2. How humbly it was brought about. By no special manifestation of Christ, such as Paul enjoyed. By no angel ministers like those who were commissioned to lead the Eunuch and Cornelius into the light. Not even by an apostle like Paul or by an evangelist like Philip. But by two private and comparatively obscure Christians, named Aquila and Priscilla.

3. How quietly it was brought about. No vulgar noise or sensational appeals. Simply quiet teaching. Imparting the truth and allowing it to do its own work.

III. His subsequent career as a Christian preacher.—

1. He began with his own people. As Christ commanded His disciples to begin at Jerusalem (Luke 24:47); and as Andrew first found his own brother (John 1:41).

2. He passed over into Europe. Visited the Churches in Achaia, and specially that of Corinth, where he laboured in the house of Justus among the people Paul had gathered—and laboured so successfully that a party rallied round him as if he had been a rival of the apostle (1 Corinthians 1:12), which he was not. Nor was Paul ever jealous of him, since he was afterwards in Paul’s company when the First Epistle to the Corinthians was written (1 Corinthians 16:12).