Apollos

“Apollos” is a shortened form of Apollonius. He was an outstanding preacher in the early church, born in Alexandria, the capital of Egypt. The Bible doesn’t mention how he came to faith, only that he was a devout Christian in Egypt. He was highly educated, zealous, and had a rich knowledge of the Scriptures and a passion for serving the Lord.

When Paul was on his second missionary journey, he first preached in Corinth and then came to Ephesus. After his work in Ephesus concluded, he left Priscilla and Aquila there to continue helping the believers (Acts 18:18–21). It was at this time that Apollos arrived in Ephesus. Apollos, who had already been instructed in the way of the Lord, was fervent in spirit and began to teach accurately about Jesus in the synagogue. His firm tone, sound reasoning, and eloquence attracted the attention of many, including Priscilla and Aquila.

Although Apollos’s message was rich and moving, it was incomplete because he only knew about the baptism of John. He didn’t understand justification by faith in Christ or the crucial role of the Holy Spirit in the work of redemption. Instead of pointing out his shortcomings in public, Priscilla and Aquila invited him to their home afterward to explain things and help him. In this, we see the couple’s wisdom and love, and we also see Apollos’s humility and willingness to learn.

After being fully equipped with the complete gospel message, Apollos immediately began his ministry and was used by God as a powerful advocate for the gospel (Acts 18:28). He traveled through Achaia and eventually reached Corinth (Acts 19:1), where he watered the seeds that Paul had planted (1 Corinthians 3:6). Apollos’s exceptional gifts attracted a group of followers within the Corinthian church. However, this simple admiration led to divisions in the church. Contrary to Apollos’s original intention, a faction of believers in the Corinthian church proclaimed Apollos as their spiritual leader, excluding Paul and Peter. In 1 Corinthians 1:12-13, when addressing the factionalism, Paul said, “Is Christ divided?” We should not love individuals more than the truth. The last mention of Apollos in the Bible is in Paul’s letter to Titus: “Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing” (Titus 3:13). Paul regarded Apollos as a valuable co-worker and friend.

In summary, Apollos was learned, zealous for the Lord, and gifted in evangelism. He worked for the Lord, assisted the apostles’ ministry, and faithfully built up the church. His life encourages each of us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18) and to use God’s gifts to proclaim the truth.