Priscilla and Aquila taught Apollos the fuller gospel of grace they had learned from Paul—the way of God more perfectly, centered on the cross, Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
Apollos was an eloquent and capable man, mighty in the Scriptures, but he knew only the baptism of John. Priscilla and Aquila had been with Paul and learned the doctrines of grace from him, so they took Apollos aside and expounded the way of God more completely. Les explains that they told Apollos everything Paul had taught them, including that the cross made all the difference and that believers were no longer under the kingdom economy or the law.
Acts 18:24-28 — This is the biblical account in which Priscilla and Aquila take Apollos aside and expound unto him the way of God more perfectly.
Acts 18:24-25 introduces Apollos as a Jew from Alexandria, an eloquent man mighty in the Scriptures. He was instructed in the way of the Lord and taught diligently the things of the Lord, but he knew only the baptism of John. Verse 26 records that when Aquila and Priscilla heard Apollos speaking boldly in the synagogue, they took him unto them and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. Verse 27 says that when Apollos was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote exhorting the disciples to receive him, and that when he came, he helped them much which had believed through grace. Verse 28 says he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
Les explains that Priscilla and Aquila had been with Paul in Corinth and had worked with him in the tent-making business. Paul had drummed these doctrines of grace into them, so they were in a position to tell Apollos something he did not know. When Apollos came to Ephesus, he knew nothing more than the kingdom gospel that John the Baptist, Christ, and the Twelve had been proclaiming to Israel. He knew nothing of the power of the cross or the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Priscilla and Aquila took Apollos home, likely over dinner, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly and more completely. They communicated to him everything they had learned from Paul: that the cross made all the difference in the world, that believers were no longer under the kingdom economy, the law, or temple worship, and that everything man needed was accomplished on the cross and through the power of His resurrection. Apollos listened, learned, and later helped those who had believed through grace. Les also notes that when Apollos later came to Corinth, he preached much the same thing Paul did, though with a more Jewish flavor, and many Corinthian believers attached themselves to Apollos rather than Paul.
Priscilla and Aquila had been with Paul. Paul met them in Corinth and worked with them in the tent-making business. Les points out that Paul just drummed these doctrines of grace into Priscilla and Aquila, so they knew Paul's gospel. When Apollos came to Ephesus, they were in a position to tell him something he did not know. Les pictures them taking Apollos home, probably for dinner, and across the dinner table letting him know everything he was missing.
According to Acts 18:25, Apollos knew only the baptism of John. Les adds that Apollos was a Jew still steeped in the kingdom economy and was continuing the message that John the Baptist, Christ, and the Twelve had been proclaiming to Israel. He knew nothing of the power of the cross or the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and he was not yet proclaiming the gospel of grace.
Acts 18:27-28 says that when Apollos went to Achaia, he helped them much who had believed through grace and mightily convinced the Jews from the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ. Les says that Apollos later preached much the same thing Paul taught, but with a more Jewish flavor. At Corinth, many of the believers sort of glued to Apollos as the one they would listen to rather than Paul, showing that the problem was personalities rather than a different gospel.
Priscilla and Aquila learned from Paul and could teach Apollos
Les explains that Priscilla and Aquila were in a position to tell Apollos something he didn't know because they had gained their knowledge while working with Paul in Corinth.
They expounded the way of God more completely
Because Priscilla and Aquila had been with Paul, they were able to explain the way of God to Apollos more perfectly; Apollos listened and later helped grace-believers.
Apollos took to heart what he learned
Les says Apollos took heart the things he learned from this Jewish couple, and later helped those who had believed through grace.
Apollos knew only the kingdom gospel
Les says Apollos was steeped in the kingdom economy and knew nothing of the power of the cross; Priscilla and Aquila had learned the doctrines of grace from Paul and filled that gap.
Taking Apollos home and explaining it fully
Les pictures Priscilla and Aquila taking Apollos home and expounding the way of God to him more perfectly or more completely.
Communicating everything from Paul
Les says they expounded detail by detail everything they had learned from Paul, telling Apollos that the cross made all the difference and that believers were no longer under the kingdom economy or the law.
Paul's gospel of grace unloaded to Apollos
Paul had taught Priscilla and Aquila the tremendous gospel of grace—everything man needed accomplished on the cross and the power of the resurrection—which Apollos knew none of.
Apollos preaches the same gospel of grace
Afterward Apollos helped those who believed through grace and taught much the same thing Paul did, though with more Jewish flavor, leading some Corinthians to attach to Apollos rather than Paul.
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 as the man Priscilla and Aquila would later instruct.
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 shows what Apollos knew before Priscilla and Aquila taught him.
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 key verse describing exactly how Priscilla and Aquila taught Apollos.
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:
This shows the result of Apollos being taught the way of God more perfectly.
Acts 18:28: For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
This demonstrates how Apollos used what Priscilla and Aquila taught him.
Priscilla and Aquila were a Jewish couple whom Paul met in Corinth. They worked with Paul in the tent-making business, and Paul taught them the doctrines of grace. Because they had been with Paul, they were able to explain to Apollos what he was missing.
Les says the word 'expound' means detail by detail, leaving no stone unturned. Priscilla and Aquila gave Apollos the fuller truth they had received from Paul, so that he would understand the way of God more completely.
Les says Apollos was a Jew still steeped in the kingdom economy. He was continuing the message that John the Baptist, Christ, and the Twelve had been proclaiming to Israel. He knew nothing of the power of the cross or the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
Yes. Les notes that Apollos was a great, eloquent, seminary-taught speaker, but he was gentleman enough to listen to these two lowly tent makers. He took to heart what they taught him, and later helped grace-believers.
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