Les Feldick Bible Study

What kind of speaker was Apollos?

Apollos was an eloquent speaker par excellence, with personality and charisma that could magnetize audiences. He was instructed in the way of the Lord, fervent in the Spirit, and taught diligently the things of the Lord, but knew only the baptism of John, being a Jew steeped in the kingdom economy.

Les explains that Apollos was a speaker par excellence, and he probably had the personality and charisma to go with it, so he could literally magnetize his audiences. He was eloquent. However, this man was instructed in the way of the Lord, being fervent in the Spirit, and he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, but knowing only the baptism of John. In other words, he was a Jew still steeped in the kingdom economy and knew nothing of the power of the cross or the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. He was only continuing the message that John the Baptist and Christ and the Twelve had been proclaiming to Israel. Later, he began to speak boldly in the synagogue, where Aquila and Priscilla heard him.

Acts 18:24

And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.

More Questions

What did Apollos's eloquence suggest about his public persona?

Apollos's eloquence gave him the outward appearance of being magnetic and able to hold a crowd.