Apollos

(Teaching the Teachers)

                                                                                                    —Woodrow Kroll

When a liberal theologian and an old deacon were asked to recite the twenty-third Psalm, the theologian’s recitation was perfect.  But the deacon’s brought tears to everyone’s eyes.  Why?  Because the theologian knew the psalm, but the old deacon knew the Shepherd.

NAME “Destroyer”

DATE: 1^st Century AD

IDENTIFICATION: Eloquent Jewish teacher in the early church

STORY LINE:  Apollos was instructed by Aquila and Priscilla in doctrine

READ IN THE BIBLE: Acts 18:1-28

You don’t have to be a formally trained scholar to understand the Bible.  Simple people who are intimate with God can teach scholars a thing or two about their Creator.

Priscilla and Aquila were like that.  They were thoroughly familiar with God’s Word.  As they labored making tents they were taught by the best theologian around—the apostle Paul—and they needed this knowledge and understanding when Apollos arrived.

Apollos was a learned and eloquent Jew from Alexandria in Egypt.  He was well-versed in the Old Testament, but as a disciple of John the Baptist, “he knew only the baptism of John” (Acts 18:25).  Apollos was unaware of the teachings of Jesus the Messiah or His redemptive work.  Apollos’ message was accurate, but incomplete.  So when he came to Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila discretely took him aside and tutored him privately about Jesus.  Apollos left Ephesus and traveled to Achaia where he skillfully refuted the Jews using his great knowledge of the Old Testament to prove that Jesus was the Messiah.

Apollos proves that even the scholarly can benefit from the insights of those who live close to the Lord.

If you read and study your Bible daily, even the “experts” can benefit from your study.  Don’t be shy in sharing what you learn.  You may be surprised at who needs to learn what you have discovered from faithfully mining the gold in God’s Word. END