Apollos came to Ephesus around A.D. 54 (Acts 18:24). He taught the Jews boldly in the synagogue there (Acts 18:26). Though he accurately taught about the coming Messiah, Apollos had not yet heard that the Messiah had come. And like other men Paul found in Ephesus, Apollos didn’t understand that the Holy Spirit had been given (Acts 19:1-2).
Apollos didn’t know about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He only knew of the baptism of John the Baptist—the baptism unto repentance, an act of confession of sin in anticipation of the Messiah’s coming. As a likely disciple of John, Apollos would have also preached repentance in view of the approaching kingdom of God in Christ.
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Apollos didn’t fully understand the scope of the Gospel message—the death and resurrection of Jesus. In other words, though bold and fervent, Apollos only knew and preached a portion of the truth. He had not yet experienced the power of the Holy Spirit in his life. He needed more spiritual understanding, which God supplied through two mentoring Christians.
Aquila and Priscilla: Friends and Teachers
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Aquila and Priscilla were two of Paul’s friends. Aquila was a Jewish Christian, and he and his wife Priscilla first met Paul in Corinth—escaping Roman persecution in Italy because Aquila was Jewish. The couple settled in Corinth and became tentmakers like Paul. They worked together to found the Corinthian church. When Paul left for Ephesus, he took his two coworkers with him, and they established a church in there in their home (1 Corinthians 16:19).
Priscilla and Aquila were wise, hospitable, and strong in their faith. Paul left them in Ephesus to do pioneering work pending his return from Jerusalem. They understood strong doctrine from Paul’s teaching.
They met Apollos in Ephesus. After hearing him speak in the synagogue, and noticing his natural strengths, they also realized Apollos needed more information in light of the good news about Jesus. These humble servants of God didn’t embarrass Apollos. Instead, they took him under their watch to explain “the way of God more adequately” (Acts 18:26).
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In other words, Aquila and Priscilla preached about Jesus the Messiah—His life, death, and resurrection—and passed Paul’s teachings on to Apollos too. They filled in the missing pieces of the Gospel story that he needed as a new Christ-follower, to be properly prepared for a powerful preaching ministry. Apollos showed he had a teachable spirit; he received their instruction gladly.
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