Priscilla and Aquila, who had been taught by Paul, took Apollos aside and expounded to him the way of God more completely.
Apollos was an eloquent, Scripture-trained man who knew only the baptism of John and the kingdom gospel. Priscilla and Aquila had spent time with Paul and learned the doctrines of grace. They took Apollos home and taught him everything Paul had taught them—that the cross made all the difference and believers were no longer under the kingdom economy or the law. Apollos listened and learned, and his whole mind was opened to the gospel of grace.
Acts 18:26 — Aquila and Priscilla 'expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly'—the pivotal moment when Apollos's understanding grew.
Acts 18:27-28 — After receiving the fuller explanation, Apollos helped believers who had trusted through grace and publicly proved from the Old Testament that Jesus was the Christ.
Acts 18:24-25 introduces Apollos as an eloquent man from Alexandria, mighty in the scriptures, instructed in the way of the Lord. He spoke and taught diligently the things of the Lord, but he knew only the baptism of John. Acts 18:26 records that when Aquila and Priscilla heard him speaking boldly in the synagogue, they took him unto them and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. Then, according to Acts 18:27-28, Apollos went to Achaia, where he helped those who had believed through grace and mightily convinced the Jews, showing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
Les Feldick points out that Apollos, though eloquent and mighty in the Old Testament Scriptures, knew nothing more than the Old Testament program. He had not heard the gospel of grace; he only knew the baptism of John and the kingdom gospel that Jesus and the Twelve had preached to Israel [Clip 0][Clip 2][Clip 4][Clip 6]. Les says Apollos knew essentially none of Christianity as we understand it, because the Gospel of the Kingdom was still basically Jewish [Clip 6]. Priscilla and Aquila had spent a long time with Paul in the tent-making business, and Paul had drummed the doctrines of grace into them [Clip 2]. When they heard Apollos in the synagogue, they took him home and 'let the old boy know everything that he was missing' [Clip 7]. They expounded—or communicated, detail by detail—the way of God more completely [Clip 1][Clip 7]. Everything they told him came 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 [Clip 7]. They also explained that temple worship had been set aside because Christ had died, been buried, and risen from the dead [Clip 3]. Apollos was willing to listen and learn from these ordinary lay people, showing himself to be a gentleman despite his fame [Clip 1]. His whole mind was opened up [Clip 3]. When he later went to Achaia, he was able to help believers who had believed through grace [Clip 1][Clip 3]. Later, in Corinth, he taught much the same thing Paul did, though with a more Jewish flavor, which drew some Corinthian believers to prefer him over Paul [Clip 3].
According to Les Feldick, Priscilla and Aquila taught Apollos everything they had learned from Paul. Paul had taught them that the cross made all the difference in the world, that believers were no longer under the kingdom economy, and that they were no longer under the law. They also explained that temple worship had been set aside because Christ had died, been buried, and risen from the dead.
Apollos was instructed in the way of the Lord and knew the Old Testament well, but he knew only the baptism of John. Les says he was steeped in the kingdom economy and had not heard the gospel of grace. He knew Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, but nothing of the power of the cross or the death, burial, and resurrection.
Apollos was willing to listen and learn from these two lay people who had been with Paul. He accepted their explanation, and his whole mind was opened up to the gospel of grace.
Because he had been taught the things of Paul, Apollos was able to help believers in Achaia who had believed through grace. He had learned that Christ died, was buried, and rose again, and that the cross had changed everything.
Apollos Knew Only the Baptism of John
Les shows that Apollos, despite being intelligent, well taught, and eloquent, knew only the message of John the Baptist—that Jesus was the Christ. He had been instructed by others, unlike Paul who received revelation.
Humble Learner
Priscilla and Aquila could expound the way of God more completely because they had been with Paul. Apollos was humble enough to listen and learn from these two lay people.
Kingdom Economy Background
Apollos was steeped in the kingdom economy and knew nothing of the power of the cross or the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Priscilla and Aquila had learned the doctrines of grace from Paul.
No Longer Under Temple Worship
The fuller instruction included that temple worship had been set aside since Christ died, was buried, and rose from the dead. Apollos's whole mind was opened, and he later helped grace-believers in Achaia.
Had Not Heard the Gospel of Grace
Apollos was seminary-taught and mighty in the Old Testament, but he knew only the baptism of John and had never heard the gospel of grace.
Telling Apollos What He Didn't Know
Priscilla and Aquila were in a position to tell Apollos something he did not know—the way of God more perfectly.
The Kingdom Gospel Was Still Jewish
Les says Apollos knew essentially none of Christianity because the Gospel of the Kingdom preached by Jesus and the Twelve was still basically Jewish.
Everything Learned From Paul
Priscilla and Aquila took Apollos home for dinner and, detail by detail, told him everything they had learned from Paul—that the cross made all the difference and believers were no longer under the law or kingdom economy.
Acts 18:24: And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.
Introduces Apollos's background as an eloquent man mighty in the scriptures.
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.
Shows Apollos's knowledge was limited to the baptism of John.
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.
The direct verse showing how Apollos came to understand more—Priscilla and Aquila explained the way of God more perfectly.
Acts 18:27: And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:
Shows Apollos then helped believers who had believed through grace.
Acts 18:28: For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
Demonstrates Apollos's newfound effectiveness in proving Jesus was the Christ.
Priscilla and Aquila—a married couple who had been with Paul—took Apollos and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. They were able to do this because Paul had taught them the doctrines of grace.
Apollos knew the Old Testament well and was eloquent, but he knew only the baptism of John. He was still steeped in the kingdom gospel and knew nothing of the cross, or Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
They took him home and 'expounded' the way of God more completely, detail by detail. They told him everything they had learned from Paul—that the cross made all the difference and believers were no longer under the law or kingdom economy.
He went to Achaia, where he helped believers who had believed through grace, and he publicly convinced the Jews from the Old Testament that Jesus was the Christ.
Watch the Teaching: Paul's Gospel of Grace: From Acts to Romans Explained