Yes — Apollos came to understand the gospel of grace when Aquila and Priscilla heard him speak, took him aside, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
Before that meeting, Apollos knew only the baptism of John and was still steeped in the kingdom economy. Aquila and Priscilla had learned the doctrines of grace from Paul while working with him in the tentmaking business, and they passed that teaching on to Apollos. Afterward, when Apollos went into Achaia, he was able to help those who had believed through grace.
Acts 18:26 — This verse records the exact moment Aquila and Priscilla took Apollos and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
Acts 18:25 — This verse shows Apollos's starting point — he was instructed in the way of the Lord but knew only the baptism of John.
Acts 18:24-25 describes Apollos as a Jew from Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the scriptures. He was instructed in the way of the Lord and, being fervent in the spirit, he spoke and taught diligently the things of the Lord — but he knew only the baptism of John. When Apollos began to speak boldly in the synagogue, Aquila and Priscilla heard him. They took him unto them and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly (Acts 18:26). Earlier, Acts 18:2-3 shows why they were able to do this: Paul found Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth, and because they were of the same craft, he abode with them and worked, for their occupation was tentmaking.
Les Feldick contrasts Apollos with Paul. Paul never claimed to be taught by anybody; his gospel came by direct revelation. Apollos, on the other hand, was a man who had been taught by others — he was instructed in the Old Testament and knew only the message of the kingdom, the baptism of John. When Apollos spoke in the synagogue at Ephesus, Aquila and Priscilla heard him. Les pictures them taking him home for dinner and, across the table, letting him know everything he was missing. They expounded the way of God more completely because Paul had spent extended time with them in the tentmaking business and had unloaded on them the tremendous gospel of grace. Les explains what they told Apollos: the cross made all the difference in the world, they were no longer under the kingdom economy, and they were no longer under the law. Apollos, though highly educated and eloquent, received it from these two common tentmakers. When he later went to Achaia, he helped those who had believed through grace — which is where he had gotten the message: from Priscilla and Aquila, who got it from Paul.
Scripture says Apollos was instructed in the way of the Lord but knew only the baptism of John (Acts 18:25). Les says Apollos 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 continuing the message that John the Baptist, Christ, and the Twelve had been proclaiming to Israel.
Acts 18:26 says that when they heard Apollos speaking boldly in the synagogue, they took him unto them and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. Les describes them taking him home for dinner and, across the table, explaining detail by detail everything he was missing. The word 'expound,' Les says, means detail by detail, leaving no stone unturned.
Acts 18:2-3 shows that Paul found Aquila and Priscilla, and because they were of the same craft he abode with them and worked as a tentmaker. Les says they spent weeks with Paul, who unloaded on them the tremendous gospel of grace and drummed the doctrines of grace into them. This is the knowledge they passed on to Apollos.
Les emphasizes that Paul received his gospel by revelation — he was never taught by another human being. Apollos, by contrast, was instructed — he was taught by someone. In the age of grace, Paul had no one teach him, but Apollos learned from Aquila and Priscilla, who had learned from Paul. Revelation and instruction are therefore two completely different ways of receiving truth.
Revelation vs. Instruction
Les shows that Paul's gospel came by revelation, not by being taught by another person, and he introduces the tentmaking partnership of Paul, Aquila, and Priscilla.
Paul Unloading the Gospel of Grace
Les says the couple had sat with Paul for weeks while he unloaded the tremendous gospel of grace, and Apollos knew none of it when he came on the scene.
Apollos Picked It Up From Priscilla and Aquila
Les explicitly traces the chain: Apollos learned from Priscilla and Aquila, and they learned from working with Paul; Apollos's later ministry in Achaia showed he had received the grace gospel.
A Position to Tell Apollos Something New
Les notes Aquila and Priscilla were in a position to tell Apollos what he did not know, and he points back to where they got their knowledge.
Steeped in the Kingdom Economy
Les explains Apollos knew nothing of the power of the cross or Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, and he reminds us Paul had drummed the doctrines of grace into Aquila and Priscilla.
Took Him Home for Dinner
Les pictures Aquila and Priscilla listening to Apollos in the synagogue, then taking him home and expounding the way of God more completely to him.
What They Told Apollos
Les says Aquila and Priscilla communicated everything they had learned from Paul — that the cross made all the difference and believers were no longer under the kingdom economy or the law.
Instructed, Not Revealed
Les stresses that Apollos was instructed by others, unlike Paul who was not taught by anyone in the doctrines of grace, and that Apollos knew only the baptism of John.
Acts 18:24: And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.
This introduces Apollos and his credentials before he meets Aquila and Priscilla.
Acts 18:25: 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.
This establishes what Apollos knew and the limitation he had to overcome.
Acts 18:26: And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
This is the pivotal verse showing how Apollos came to understand the gospel of grace.
Acts 18:3: And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
This shows how Priscilla and Aquila had access to Paul's teaching.
From Paul. Acts 18:2-3 records that Paul abode with them because they were of the same craft, tentmakers. Les says Paul unloaded the tremendous gospel of grace on them over the weeks they were together, and they in turn passed it on to Apollos.
No. Les says Paul received his gospel by revelation and was not taught by any man, while Apollos was instructed by others — first in the Old Testament and the baptism of John, then more perfectly by Aquila and Priscilla.
Les says they communicated detail by detail everything they had learned from Paul — that the cross made all the difference, that believers were no longer under the kingdom economy, and that they were no longer under the law.
Watch the Teaching: Revelation vs. Instruction: How Paul Received the Gospel