What is the significance of Priscilla and Aquila teaching Apollos?

Answer

Priscilla and Aquila, first mentioned in Acts 18:2, were a married couple who had come from Italy to Corinth after Emperor Claudius deported all Jews from Rome in AD 49. The two are always mentioned together in the New Testament. Priscilla’s disposition or leadership responsibility in the church may explain why her name appears before her husband’s in four out of six New Testament references. It’s also possible that, as a woman of Roman citizenship, she held a higher social rank than her husband.

Priscilla and Aquila were tentmakers (or leatherworkers), loyal friends, and trusted co-workers of the apostle Paul, who lived and labored with them in Corinth. The Bible does not state whether Priscilla and Aquila became Christians through Paul’s ministry, but they ministered the gospel alongside Paul and traveled with him to Ephesus (Acts 18:18-28).

Priscilla and Aquila remained in Ephesus while Paul continued his missionary journey (Acts 18:19-23). Before Paul returned to Ephesus, the pair encountered a traveling preacher: “Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt. He had been taught the way of the Lord, and he taught others about Jesus with an enthusiastic spirit and with accuracy. However, he knew only about John’s baptism. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God even more accurately” (Acts 18:24-26;NLT).

Apollos was a highly educated Jew and a native of Alexandria, Egypt. He was well-versed in the Old Testament Scriptures. He was passionate, articulate, truthful, and intelligent. He taught and preached.Apollos preached boldly about Jesus, but “he knew only the baptism of John” «This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spoke and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. », (Acts 18:25).

John’s baptism was related to repentance and anticipated the coming of the Messiah (Matthew 3:11;Acts 19:4). Being baptized by John indicated an acknowledgment of one’s sin, a longing for spiritual purification, and a dedication to following God’s law in expectation of the Messiah’s arrival. Acts 18:25 indicates that Apollos, who only knew the baptism of John, was accurate in his teachings but had an incomplete grasp of the gospel. His understanding of the death, resurrection, purpose, and message of Jesus Christ was limited to what he had been taught by the followers of John the Baptist.

Priscilla and Aquila noticed Apollos’ inadequate comprehension of Christian truth. The Bible does not specify the exact information Apollos was missing, but one likely possibility is that he was unaware of Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (See Acts 1:4,8;2:1-13, 38;cf: Acts 19:1-7). Another suggestion is that Apollos had no knowledge of Christ’s Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20) and the ongoing work of His disciples. He might have been unaware of the establishment of the New Testament church, the body of Christ, and its extensive mission to the Gentiles (Ephesians 2:14-22).

Priscilla and Aquila had a thorough understanding of Christian doctrine, likely learned from Paul, and they imparted

It gently and respectfully to Apollos. Rather than publicly correct or challenge him, the mature husband-and-wife team privately took Apollos under their wing and into their home to explain God’s Word and His way “even more accurately” «And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. », (Acts 18:26, NLT). They filled in the blanks of missing information, built up Apollos in his faith, and helped the gifted minister fully develop his Christian theology. Then Priscilla and Aquila sent Apollos on his way to Achaia, where “he proved to be of great benefit to those who, by God’s grace, had believed. He refuted the Jews with powerful arguments in public debate. Using the Scriptures, he explained to them that Jesus was the Messiah” (Acts 18:27-28;NLT).

To his credit, Apollos accepted the teaching of Priscilla and Aquila without offense. Once properly and thoroughly educated in the Word of God through discerning mentors, Apollos became fully equipped for ministry—an unstoppable force for Jesus Christ and God’s kingdom. His experience illustrates the importance of wise and godly ministerial training and education.