24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; 28 for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
Commentary
Vs. 24 “Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus.”
The scene now shifts back to Ephesus where Priscilla and Aquilla are and where a certain Jew named Apollos, who was born at Alexandria (the renowned ancient Egyptian city which Alexander the great built for himself when He conquered Egypt, roughly 331BC). Now this city being on the African coast of the Mediterranean Sea was to be a “Mecca” of Greek thought and culture. And so, it was here that he also founded one of the world’s largest and most renowned libraries, housing not only Greek thought and culture, but others as well. As well Alexandria was also host to one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, a magnificent lighthouse which was to draw people from everywhere to this place. Now it was here sometime around 200BC that seventy select Jewish scholars were brought to Alexandria to translate the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek, this monumental work that opened up the Hebrew text to the Gentiles, (and later made the early churches evangelism possible), has come down to us as the Septuagint, meaning seventy. Thus Apollos, being a Jew, but bearing a Greek name, and being born and reared in this very city, was a man who was well learned and trained. This is clear when the Scripture calls him an eloquent man and mighty in Scriptures. That all said of him and his background, as we will see though his preaching was eloquent and passionate, he only knew of the baptism of John.
Vs. 25-26 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
Apollos then having been instructed in the way of the Lord and of the baptism of John, yet he did not know of the Lord Jesus Christ through the Gospel. And so, when he begins his preaching in the synagogue at Ephesus (where the Jews had been receptive to hear the Apostle Paul preach), and he was speaking fervently and accurately the things of the Lord, like calling the nation of Israel to repentance as John had done, and Aquila and Priscilla heard him, the Scripture says, “… they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.” Vs. 26 That is they explained to him all that was lacking in his preaching, so that he could effectively declare the Finished Work of the Lord Jesus Christ done at Calvary.
Vs. 27-28 27 And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; 28 for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
Having then received the full revelation of the Gospel through Jesus Christ, Apollos then having preached at Ephesus, now desires to cross over to Achaia and the city of Corinth and make and strengthen in the faith disciples there. Therefore, the brethren at Ephesus wrote letters to the brethren there commending Apollos to them, for “…he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; 28 for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.”
Notice how he greatly helped those believers who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ through grace, not works, not one’s own righteousness, or good works or deeds, as if anyone can earn or deserve God’s salvation, but only through God’s grace are we saved (Eph. 2:8-9).
Scripture Quotations
New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.
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