Acts 18:24-28 CSB
Now a Jew named Apollos, a native Alexandrian, an eloquent man who was competent in the use of the Scriptures, arrived in Ephesus. [25] He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately about Jesus, although he knew only John's baptism. [26] He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. After Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately. [27] When he wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers and sisters wrote to the disciples to welcome him. After he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. [28] For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating through the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.
Speaking Boldly
Apollos is a profound study in both theological instruction and deep Christian humility. Through him, we witness not only the humility of a highly gifted teacher willing to learn, but also the gentle humility of the believers who pulled him aside to unveil the full truth of the gospel.
The situation surrounding Apollos introduces us to a unique historical moment in the early church. Later in Scripture, we see that the Apostle Paul explicitly rebaptizes twelve men in Ephesus who had only received the baptism of John the Baptist. In their case, water baptism in the name of Jesus was the moment the Holy Spirit came upon them. Yet, this was remarkably not the case with Apollos. The text notes that Apollos was already “fervent in spirit”—or as some translations dynamically render it, boiling in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit was already powerfully alive and at work inside him.
This distinction highlights a centuries-old debate regarding the nature of baptism. John’s baptism was fundamentally a baptism of repentance, a preparatory act looking forward to the coming Messiah. For Confessional Christians like Lutherans, Christian baptism is far more than a preparation; it is a participation in Jesus. Instituted by Christ Himself, it is a New Covenant sacrament of grace—an objective act of God where He washes away our sin and physically brings us into the Body of Christ by His own power. For other traditions, such as Baptists, baptism is viewed primarily as an ordinance, an outward symbol of an inward reality testifying that a person has already accepted Jesus. While scholars have debated these mechanics for generations, what remains entirely clear is that water baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is the explicit will of our Lord and is never to be taken lightly.
Intriguingly, just as there is no biblical record of the original twelve Apostles being rebaptized in water after Pentecost—since they had already received John’s baptism and were with Christ, Jesus during the Lord’s Supper saying that they are already clean—the text remains entirely silent on whether Apollos was ever rebaptized. Perhaps his standing was unique, aligned with that transitional period of the Apostles, or perhaps he was baptized and the Holy Spirit simply chose to leave that detail out of the narrative.
What we do know is that Apollos was highly educated, eloquent, and masterfully competent in the Old Testament Scriptures. He was already speaking accurately about Jesus, recognizing Him as the prophetic fulfillment of Israel’s hope. What he was missing was the full, post-Pentecost reality: the complete theological significance of Jesus’ vicarious death on the cross, His glorious resurrection, the Great Commission command to baptize in the name of the Triune God, and the miraculous outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Having not been among those instructed by our Lord before He ascended into heaven, Apollos simply had an incomplete picture.
Priscilla and Aquila could have easily barged into the synagogue, interrupted Apollos mid-sermon, and corrected him in public. Doing so would have shamed an eloquent brother and potentially ruined the faith of the fragile seekers listening to him. Instead, operating in a humility given entirely by the Spirit, they quietly drew Apollos aside into the privacy of their home and gently taught him the pieces he was missing.
This scene convicts us deeply. The pride of knowledge—using theological truth as a club to beat others down or to elevate ourselves above our peers—is entirely against the Spirit of love. This ugly pride does not just happen inside the church; we see it manifest at home, at work, and in our daily relationships when we build our own egos up at another person’s expense. May the Holy Spirit guard our hearts to behave with the same empathy, restoration, and gentleness demonstrated by Priscilla and Aquila. It is vital in the Christian life to build others up rather than tear them down. May we constantly walk in the Spirit of Christ as we deal with the shortfalls and incomplete understandings of those around us and to humbly accept correction ourselves.
Reflection Questions
- Apollos was highly educated and eloquent, yet he humbly listened when Priscilla and Aquila corrected his theology. How open are we to receiving correction or deeper spiritual instruction from others, even if we feel we are mature in our faith?
- Priscilla and Aquila chose to correct Apollos privately rather than shaming him publicly. When we see a fellow believer who is misinformed or struggling with their understanding, how can we emulate this gentle, private approach to preserve their dignity and build them up?
- The commentary notes that using knowledge as a “club” comes from human pride rather than the Spirit of love. In what areas of your life (at home, work, or church) do you need to ask the Holy Spirit to transform your pride into a desire to serve and encourage others?
Prayer
We thank You for the beautiful gift of Your Church, where brothers and sisters can sharpen and build one another up in the faith. Forgive us for the times we have allowed biblical knowledge or personal correctness to fuel our pride, using what we know to elevate ourselves or diminish others. Cleanse us from the desire to be seen as greater, and extinguish any spirit of arrogance within us. Fill us with the gentle humility of Priscilla and Aquila, giving us hearts of deep empathy and wisdom to know how to speak the truth in love. We thank You for the gift of our baptism, where You claimed us by grace, and we pray that Your Holy Spirit would continually guard our hearts so that our words and actions always reflect the building up of Your kingdom. In Jesus’ Name.
Amen.
