A passionate preacher and an educated Jew. A man who knew the scriptures well who eventually became a leader in the church. These were some of the defining characteristics of this man, Apollos. The New Testament does not detail his actions extensively, but his work significantly aided many in the burgeoning first-century church. As we look at his life, there are two simple goals: to help you know who he was and to help you make his life relevant to you today.
Where is Apollos Mentioned in the New Testament?
We are first introduced to Apollos in Acts 18, where this Jewish man shows up in Ephesus preaching the scriptures. The way scripture describes him paints a clear picture of who he is.
Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt (Acts 18:24, NLT).
In this one verse, we discover Apollos was a Jew from Alexandria, which means he was likely a Hellenistic Jew (more on that later). He had an extensive education along with command of the Scriptures. Because he was an eloquent speaker, he could communicate well with others. From this introduction in Acts and his other mentions by Paul in 1 Corinthians and Titus, this Alexandrian Jewish man would become a powerful leader in this growing early church.
What Does Apollos’ Background Tell Us About Him?
Since the Bible does not tell us a lot about Apollos, we can attempt to make some inferences, especially when we consider he came from Alexandria. Most likely, this played a major role in how he gained his education and why he came to Ephesus with an excellent knowledge of Scripture.
At this time in the first century, Alexandria was the largest city in Egypt and one of the largest in the world. It was a city that had economic significance to the Roman empire because of its location on the Mediterranean Sea. Beyond that, Alexandria was a center of learning and culture, and it contained diverse religions.
The city also had a large, Hellenistic Jewish population. These were Jews who could speak Hebrew and Greek, so they could engage in Greek culture, while holding on to their Jewish roots and traditions. This is most likely where Apollos received his education, and because this was a city with lots of religious diversity, he had ample opportunities to engage with people who may have had opposing views to the scriptures.
How Did Apollos’ Ministry Begin?
Acts 18 gives us the insight into the beginning of Apollos’ ministry, at least as it relates to his influence on the church.
"Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately" (Acts 18:24-26).
Apollos shows up in Ephesus and begins telling people about Jesus. He goes to the synagogue and confronts the Jews, teaching them the truth about Jesus. The Bible mentions he only knew the baptism of John, which was a baptism of repentance. While he believed Jesus to be the Messiah, he was not aware of the full work of salvation that Jesus made available to all believers, which included the baptism and indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
What is wonderful about Apollos’ story is the work of Priscilla and Aquila in his life. They recognized his knowledge and zeal for the scriptures. In seeing this, they helped him understand salvation and the work of Jesus completely. This was an exquisite example of how discipleship should look and it further advanced Apollos’ ability to represent the gospel well.
From Ephesus, he continued to Achaia, where he helped those new believers in their understanding of scripture.
"When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah" (Acts 18:27-28).
What Made Apollos a Powerful Teacher?
Apollos came to Ephesus with a mission to preach about Jesus in the synagogues. He left Ephesus with another mission to further the message of the gospel to other regions and to strengthen believers in those areas. Because he grew up in Alexandria, among many religions, he seemed very comfortable engaging in debate with others, especially Jews, and proving to them from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah. You must remember, all they had at this time was the Old Testament. This is an encouragement to us today to know that you can prove Jesus is the Messiah right from the Old Testament.
Did Apollos Cause Division in the Corinthian Church?
Over time, Apollos grew to become a prominent leader in the church, helping many. However, because Apollos was such an outstanding leader, one result of his leadership was it created division in the Corinthian church.
"My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, 'I follow Paul'; another, 'I follow Apollos'; another, 'I follow Cephas'; still another, 'I follow Christ' (1 Cor. 1:12-13).
What was happening in the Corinthian church was an unintended consequence of leadership. When you lead, people will follow. Even terrible leaders have followers, so this problem only magnifies when there are good leaders. The evidence seems to show that Apollos was a good leader. In response to this crisis of division, Paul put the emphasis of the people in Corinth back on Christ and not on Apollos or any other earthly leader.
What Can We Learn from Apollos’ Life and Ministry?
How do you progress from Hellenistic Jew, knowing only about John’s baptism to becoming a leader in the church, helping people grow in their faith? While all this reflects Apollos’ life, let’s make this personal to see what lessons we can apply to our lives from his.
Prepare when no one is watching
If you want to pursue any type of public ministry, whether teaching, preaching, singing, or you want to pursue any type of career, it is important to recognize that training and preparation often happen in obscurity. It is the hours of reading, studying, practicing, and learning that happen outside the public eye that are most critical for your development. When you read how they described Apollos, it is clear he put in years of learning and study before he appeared on the scene and started preaching.
No one just arrives and is instantly good at what they do. There are hours in the dark, behind the scenes, out of the view of everyone that is necessary for you to develop and get ready for what you are about to do. Whatever you are looking to pursue, whether it is working in ministry or in the secular space, you must prepare yourself when no one is watching. If you don’t, then you won’t be ready when everyone is watching.
You don’t know everything
The Bible tells us that Apollos came to Ephesus as an educated man and a gifted speaker. He knew what he knew, yet he was humble enough to recognize he didn’t know everything. We don’t know the education level of Priscilla and Aquila, and it is quite possible they were less educated than Apollos. However, when they took Apollos aside to disciple him, he did not reject them. He welcomed their instruction and because he was humble enough to do that, it made him better at what he did. In the same way, be humble enough to know God sends people into your life for you to learn from them. Whether they have more or less education or experience than you is irrelevant, you can learn something from them. Forgetting this is one thing that will stunt your growth and development.
Use your gifts to serve others
Apollos had a gift for speaking, teaching, and debating and he used his gifts to serve others and advance the gospel. Whatever gift God has placed in you, it is not just for your benefit. He wants you to use it to serve others. Don’t just use your gifts to serve your own purposes or build yourself up. Recognize God has gifted you to serve him, serve the body of Christ, and to serve those in the world around you. Apollos’ desire to serve the body of Christ and build others up is possibly what made him an influential leader.
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