Apollos

Overview

Apollos was a Jew from Alexandria, described as 'an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures,' who had been 'instructed in the way of the Lord' and taught 'diligently the things of the Lord,' though he knew only the baptism of John. He arrived in Ephesus and began to speak boldly in the synagogue, where Priscilla and Aquila heard him and, recognizing the gap in his understanding, took him aside privately to explain 'the way of God more perfectly.' Apollos received this instruction humbly, and when he desired to cross into Achaia, the believers wrote letters commending him, and he became greatly helpful there, powerfully refuting the Jews in public debate by demonstrating from Scripture that Jesus was the Christ. His ministry was influential enough in Corinth that some believers there began identifying themselves as followers 'of Apollos,' a divisive tendency Paul directly corrected, insisting that he and Apollos were simply fellow servants, with 'Paul planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.'