What did Apollos know when he began teaching about the Lord?
Apollos knew only the baptism of John. He was instructed in the way of the Lord, fervent in spirit, and taught diligently the things of the Lord, but he was mighty only in the Old Testament Scriptures, since no New Testament was yet written. He did not yet know the full Christian Gospel.
Les explains that Apollos was an eloquent man, mighty in the Scriptures, and likely well educated from Alexandria, connected to the group that translated the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek. He came to Ephesus and was instructed in the way of the Lord, fervent in the Spirit, speaking and teaching diligently the things of the Lord. However, he knew only the baptism of John. Les points out that the early church had only the Old Testament Scriptures; nothing of the New Testament was written yet, not even the Gospels, and Paul's letters were not yet circulated as the Bible. So the only Scriptures they could preach from were the Old Testament. Les says Apollos knew none of Christianity in its full sense, because the Gospel of the Kingdom preached by Jesus and the twelve was still basically Jewish and connected with Temple worship.
This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
More Questions
What was Apollos instructed in and what did he still not know?
Apollos, unlike Paul, had been taught by someone, and was instructed in the way of the Lord, fervent in the Spirit, and taught diligently the things of the Lord, yet knowing only the baptism of John.
How much did Apollos know when he came to Ephesus?
Apollos diligently spoke and taught the things of the Lord, but the limit of his knowledge was everything that had happened up to and including John's baptism.
How did Apollos's instruction differ from Paul's?
Apollos had been instructed by someone in the way of the Lord, whereas Paul received his doctrine by revelation and inspiration, not from human instruction in the age of grace.