Apollos: A Teachable Heart with a Mighty Impact

In my sermon last week, I mentioned that the author of the book of Hebrews is unknown. Many people assume Paul wrote it but given that it does not tell us he did, we have no way of knowing for sure. Scholars are still trying to make educated guesses, though. Some think maybe Barnabas or Luke wrote it, others have suggested Priscilla could have written it. There is one other candidate who may have written it, but I’d be surprised if very many people know much about this man. If I were to ask people to name important people found in the Bible, I doubt his name would be mentioned. But even if he didn’t write Hebrews, he is someone I think we should know more about and emulate. Just who is Apollos?

The first time Apollos is mentioned is in Acts 18:24-28 (CSB), which says, “24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native Alexandrian, an eloquent man who was competent in the use of the Scriptures, arrived in Ephesus. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately about Jesus, although he knew only John’s baptism. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. After Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately. 27 When he wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers and sisters wrote to the disciples to welcome him. After he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating through the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.”

If this was the last time we heard of him, we might think there isn’t all that much to learn, yet, even in this passage, we can learn quite a bit. Looking at the first verse, we see he was Jewish, a native of Alexandria, and he was “an eloquent man, competent in the use of Scriptures.”

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance tells us this word eloquent is, “from logos; fluent, i.e. an orator — eloquent.” That means that Apollos was a highly gifted speaker. Not only that, but the word for competent is the Greek word dunatos, and it means, “Powerful, mighty, able.” So, he was a gifted teacher, mighty in the use of Scripture.

Not long after I became a Christian, a pastor told me that God uses our individual qualities and personalities to reach other individuals. God made us each unique, and He will use our uniqueness to reach other people for Him. In Apollos’ life, he was a Jew and a scholar. Being from Alexandria, which was a center of learning and Jewish thought, he had a strong background in Old Testament Scripture. He had a strong foundation; and God used Apollos’ unique qualities to reach others for Him.  

Let’s read the next two verses to find out more. Verse 25 tells us, “He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately about Jesus, although he knew only John’s baptism.”

This tells us that while he had a lot of zeal for the Lord, and he was “teaching accurately about Jesus,” he was still missing something, for Apollos only knew John’s baptism. That detail is important to note, and if we keep reading, we find out why.

Verse 26 tells us, “He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. After Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately.”

So, while Apollos was eloquent and mighty in Scripture and was teaching accurately about Jesus, his understanding was still lacking something. Thankfully, he was humble and teachable. Priscilla and Aquila recognized this and “took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately.”

Scripture doesn’t tell us how Apollos came to be in Ephesus, but clearly, he was exactly where God wanted him to be. And providentially, God had arranged for Priscilla and Aquila to overhear his preaching so they could help him and explain the way of God to him. Don’t you wonder what they said to him?

To answer that question, we should try and discover what Apollos was lacking. While we are not told what Priscilla and Aquilla said to him, it seems likely that he had not yet experienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Because Apollos only knew John’s baptism, it is very likely that he had not received the baptism in the Holy Spirit as poured out on the Day of Pentecost. Like others in Acts who had a similar background, Apollos was still waiting for the power from on high.

We still have two verses left to look at in this passage, and we’ll come back to them. But to understand why I think Priscilla and Aquila were explaining the Holy Spirit to Apollos, we first need to skip over those verses to what immediately follows: Acts 19:1–7, which says, “While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples and asked them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ 

‘No,’ they told him, ‘we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’

‘Into what then were you baptized?’ he asked them.

‘Into John’s baptism,’ they replied.

Paul said, ‘John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.’ When they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy. Now there were about twelve men in all.”

Jesus explains about this baptism before He ascended to Heaven. Acts 1:4-5&8 tells us, “While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. ‘Which,’ he said, ‘you have heard me speak about; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’”

Jesus was explaining that this baptism of the Holy Spirit is different from John the Baptist’s baptism. And we see the first example of the first baptism of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:1-4, which says, “When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and rested on each one of them. Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them.”

Then in Acts 10:44-46 we see the Holy Spirit being poured out on Gentile believers, too. It says, “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came down on all those who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and declaring the greatness of God.”

I think this encounter with Priscilla and Aquilla was pivotal for Apollos, because they explained the way of God to him more accurately, and I believe it is plausible that they explained to him about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and that he received power from the Holy Spirit, enabling him to be an even more effective preacher and teacher. In both Apollos’ situation, and with the disciples that Paul encountered, we see that it took Spirit-filled teachers to lead these new believers into further understanding of true Christian faith.

But what if Apollos had not been open to correction? Even though he was eloquent and sincere, he would have taught people errors. Thankfully, he was humble enough to receive correction from Priscilla and Aquila and he changed his way of thinking and became even more effective because of it.

I think there are a lot of lessons in this for us today. Being knowledgeable or gifted in speaking doesn’t mean we’ve arrived. We must ask ourselves, are we teachable? Are we open to learning? Are we humble enough to receive correction? And most importantly, are we open to experiencing more of the Holy Spirit?

This encounter with Pricilla and Aquilla wasn’t the end for Apollos, though. This was only the beginning of his ministry. Now, knowing more of the way of God, he was launched into an even greater ministry, with a much wider reach.

Let’s go back to those two verses we skipped over, Acts 18:27-28, which say: “When he wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers and sisters wrote to the disciples to welcome him. After he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating through the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.”

We know the Holy Spirit is essential for effective ministry. And Apollos’ experience is a pattern we see throughout the Book of Acts: The Holy Spirit transforms people into powerful workers for God. For after learning more, Apollos went on to powerfully preach Jesus, and his ministry greatly expanded. He became a leader among these early Christian believers. Achaia was a Roman province, and that is where Corinth was located. God was widening Apollos’ reach. The encounter in Ephesus transformed his ministry.

Apollos didn’t fade away and become a side note in the Book of Acts. Now, filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered to teach, we see him mentioned again, this time in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. Look how different it is now. 1 Corinthians 1:12-13 says, “What I am saying is this: One of you says, ‘I belong to Paul,’ or ‘I belong to Apollos,’ or ‘I belong to Cephas,’ or ‘I belong to Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in Paul’s name?”

Wait a minute, Apollos is being mentioned alongside Paul and Peter? Why would Paul say this? He goes on, too, and tells us even more. 1 Corinthians 3:4-6 & 21-23 says, “For whenever someone says, ‘I belong to Paul,’ and another, ‘belong to Apollos,’ are you not acting like mere humans? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth… So let no one boast in human leaders, for everything is yours—whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come—everything is yours, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.”

These verses tell us that Apollos was such a respected teacher in Corinth that people were becoming divided into camps, calling themselves by his name even. But of course, Paul says that they should not do this; instead, they should all belong to Christ and not take the name of mere humans.

We see Apollos mentioned again 1 Corinthians 4:6 which says, “Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying: ‘Nothing beyond what is written.’ The purpose is that none of you will be arrogant, favoring one person over another.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges says, “We know from 1 Corinthians 1:12, &c. that he came to be regarded by some Corinthians as the equal of St Paul, and that there arose some strong party feeling in that Church, which is rebuked in St Paul’s letter to them. We cannot suppose that this was brought about by Apollos, for St Paul speaks of him as watering what he himself had planted, and it may be that the knowledge of the existence of such a spirit accounts for the unwillingness of Apollos to come back to Corinth (1 Corinthians 16:12) which we read of somewhat later.”

1 Corinthians 16:12 says, “Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to come to you with the brothers, but he was not at all willing to come now. However, he will come when he has an opportunity.”

Finally, we see Apollos mentioned in Titus 3:13, which says, “Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey, so that they will lack nothing.” So, we know that Apollos continued to be active in ministry and was held in high regard. Look how far he has come from that day in Ephesus when he needed to be taken aside and instructed by Priscilla and Aquilla.

Now that we’ve looked closer at Apollos and seen the scope of his ministry, do you see why he is a candidate for having written Hebrews?

The author of Hebrews reflects someone mighty in Scripture, Jewish, and well-trained in Greek rhetoric. And while the author remains anonymous, Apollos ticks those boxes.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this sermon, some scholars think Paul wrote Hebrews, but there are a few reasons why I don’t think he did. As I mentioned last week, in all his letters, Paul clearly identifies himself, but the author of Hebrews does not. Second, Paul never explicitly refers to Jesus as a priest in any of his letters. He is focused on showing how Jesus has ended the old system. This is a major contrast between Paul and Hebrews, where Jesus as high priest is the central theological theme (e.g., Hebrews 4:14–5:10; 7:1–28). Third, Hebrews 2:3 says, “how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation had its beginning when it was spoken of by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us by those who heard him.” That tells us that the author of Hebrews was not a personal eyewitness to the Lord but was told second-hand by those who heard Jesus directly. That description could fit Apollos, but not Paul, who states in Galatians 1:12, speaking about how he came to know Christ, “For I did not receive it from a human source and I was not taught it, but it came by a revelation of Jesus Christ.” Paul was explaining that the Gospel he received came directly from the Lord, he was not taught it second-hand. So, all that should make it clear to us that he was not the author of Hebrews.

Apollos, on the other hand, is described as a Jewish man from Alexandria, “eloquent and mighty in the Scriptures.” That background would explain his deep knowledge of the Old Testament and his emphasis on the Jewish priesthood. Whoever the author is, Hebrews quotes from the Greek Septuagint and not the Hebrew Bible. This suggests someone with a Hellenistic Jewish background. I don’t know that you could find a more Greek name than Apollos, so again, that points toward Apollos.  

While the exact date of Hebrews is uncertain, many scholars believe it was written before A.D. 70., because it talks about temple worship and ongoing sacrifices (Hebrews 10:11), which suggests the temple was still standing—meaning it hadn’t been destroyed yet. So, most place it in the early to mid-60s A.D.

But if Apollos was the author, it may have been written even earlier, possibly before A.D. 55., because Hebrews doesn’t mention any of the divisions between Paul’s and Apollos’ followers that we see in 1 Corinthians, which was written around A.D. 55.

So, all that to say, while we can’t be completely sure, Apollos seems like a strong candidate. At the same time, I must mention that there is still one other likely candidate. Barnabas is also a possible author of Hebrews. Barnabas was a close associate of Paul, and in the early 3rd century, Tertullian wrote in his work, On Modesty, that Hebrews was written by Barnabas. Barnabas was a Levite, and so that could explain the focus on the priesthood and temple imagery that the author of Hebrews uses. But Clement of Alexandria, who lived at the same time as Tertullian, in his work, Eusebius, wrote that Hebrews was written by Paul in Hebrew and then translated into Greek by Luke. So, we can’t always rely on the early church historians: they often contradict one another.

One last clue within Hebrews itself is the simple fact that it is anonymous. Back in 1 Corinthians 16:12, we saw that Paul mentions that Apollos was not willing to return to Corinth, despite Paul’s urging. Maybe Apollos didn’t like the division and popularity, and he wanted to keep a lower profile, just as the author of Hebrews does. That is speculation on my part, though.

What we know for sure is, the author was a highly educated Greek writer, deeply familiar with Jewish scripture and temple theology, not a direct eyewitness of Jesus, and as the end of Hebrews includes a greeting to Timothy who was Paul’s close companion, so it seems clear that the author was part of Paul’s circle of people. While that could be Apollos, at the end of the day, I must agree with Origen, who in the early 3rd century wrote, “But who wrote the epistle, in truth God knows.”

So, now that we know all there seems to be known about Apollos, what can we learn that we can apply to our lives today? Whether or not he wrote Hebrews, he clearly helped build the early church.

First, we should strive to become knowledgeable about Scripture. More than ever, we need to know God’s word so we can counteract all the false information that bombards us each day.

Second, we should remain teachable. We need to be open to correction from those who are more spiritually mature than us. If you don’t know anyone who can mentor you, there are many excellent books by Christians who have gone before us; we should read them so they can speak into our lives and teach us.

Third, we should seek to receive more of the Holy Spirit’s power in our lives. The works of the Holy Spirit that we see so evidently throughout the Book of Acts are still for today. The Holy Spirit has not stopped working. He is alive and active, giving spiritual gifts to all believers who seek them. We are to desire these gifts and seek the Lord for them, as Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 12.

Finally, we should use our giftings to build others up in the faith. God has given each of us unique giftings and strengths. We aren’t given gifts just for our benefit. God wants us to use our gifts to help others. We all have a role to play in the body of Christ. How might God use your uniqueness to lead others to Him?

Apollos is a great example of someone who, because he had learned God’s word, was humble and teachable, and God used him mightily. Let us strive to learn God’s word, and pray to remain teachable and open to the leadings of the Holy Spirit, so we, too, can be used by the Lord to help others.

Pray: Heavenly Father, we thank You for giving us the Bible so we can see so many examples of how we are to live. We pray that You would help us to be humble and teachable. Please fill us with the Holy Spirit and give us spiritual gifts so we can make a difference in the world, advancing Your Kingdom. We ask all this in the name of Jesus our Savior. Amen.