Acts 18:28Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He had already been instructed in the beginnings of the way of the Lord (v. 25). Namely, he had already been baptized with the baptism of John and understood its preparatory significance for Christ, and specifically for Jesus Christ. Therefore, although he was not yet a Christian, he spoke and taught correctly about the Lord. By character he was a fiery preacher of his convictions. When he arrived in Ephesus, he taught about the Lord boldly and with inspiration in the synagogue. Yet his teaching was not complete, since he knew only the baptism of John, and consequently did not yet know the baptism of Christ. At this same time Aquila and Priscilla were in Ephesus. They had come there from Corinth with the Apostle Paul when he returned from his second journey (vv. 18-21). When they heard Apollos and noticed the incompleteness of his Christian knowledge, they received him into closer fellowship with themselves. They explained the way of the Lord to him more accurately. The writer of Acts does not tell us here that Apollos received Christian baptism. Yet there is no doubt that he received this baptism here. After this, when he arrived directly in Achaia, he appears already as a Christian herald acting with grace (v. 27). After receiving baptism, Apollos intended to go to Achaia, and more particularly to Corinth (Acts 19:1). There he was active while the Apostle Paul, after passing through Galatia and Phrygia, arrived in Ephesus. Since in Achaia he had no acquaintances among Christians who could introduce him into fellowship with the believers, the Ephesian Christians entrusted him with a letter of recommendation. By it they disposed the Achaian Christians to receive him with confidence. In Achaia, by the help of God's grace, Apollos greatly assisted the believers in their struggle against the Jewish enemies of the faith of Christ. For he powerfully refuted the latter publicly, proving to them from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. The writer of Acts does not say what relation the apostolic activity of Apollos had to the history of the Apostle Paul. But we see this from Paul's epistles to the Corinthians. Apollos' activity in Corinth was especially fruitful. The eloquent speech of the learned Christian preacher aroused great sympathy there among a certain part of the Christian community, namely, the educated part. By his activity Apollos greatly helped the believers in Corinth to a fuller unfolding of the Christian meaning. The Apostle Paul recognizes in him the continuer of his work there. He says that Apollos watered what he had planted (1 Cor 3:6). But after Apollos' departure from Corinth (1 Cor 16:12), it became clear that his apostolic activity there had not been without some sad consequences, though this was against his will. A division into parties arose in the Christian community there. Some considered only the Apostle Paul, the founder of the Corinthian Church, to be a true apostle. Others considered only Apollos such. Still others considered only Cephas, or Peter, such. These were the Judaizers. Finally, a fourth group opposed all these parties. Those parties were based on exclusive reverence for one particular apostolic authority. This fourth group contemptuously rejected apostolic authority altogether in the religious and moral guidance of Christian communities. They called themselves Christ's (1 Cor 1:12). The authors of this division were probably Judaizing false teachers. They usually followed closely in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul, trying everywhere to destroy his work. Having come to Corinth, they argued there that Paul was not a true apostle like Peter or James. They succeeded in drawing some completely to their side. In others they only managed to shake respect for the authority of the Apostle Paul. These latter either acknowledged themselves followers and admirers of the wise and eloquent Apollos, or formed the party of "Christ's." This disorder in the Corinthian Church, among other things, prompted the Apostle Paul to write two epistles to it. Both were written during this third journey of his.

In his proving from the divine Scriptures, experience was expressed. For boldness by itself brings no profit if there is no power, nor does power profit without boldness.

Therefore Paul did not leave Aquila in Ephesus in vain. Perhaps the Spirit arranged this for Apollos, so that he might appear in Corinth with greater power."

One should suppose that Apollos himself considered it better to depart from Ephesus to another place, especially since the Apostle Paul was soon expected to arrive in Ephesus.

But there is an opinion that Priscilla and Aquila, as recent arrivals from Corinth, specifically advised Apollos to go there and continue there the work of evangelization begun by Saint Paul.

They probably thought that Apollos's gift of eloquence would bring the greatest possible fruit there.

"The teachers of Apollos," says Saint John Chrysostom, "having long been under the direct influence of Saint Paul, had learned so well that they became capable of teaching others."

"In order to secure for Apollos a good reception in Corinth at the outset, they, together with the brethren of the Ephesian Church, gave him a letter of recommendation to the Corinthian brethren.

Soon Apollos departed from Ephesus, wholly ready to devote himself to preaching the full teaching about Christ that he had received.

This was especially so because he knew the Scriptures well and was able to explain all the passages that contained prophecies about Jesus Christ as the Messiah."