Read Acts 18:24-28; 1 Corinthians 3:5-8

Understanding The Way Of God Accurately

How do you respond when you are told that you are wrong? Most people get defensive. It’s not a good feeling to be wrong about something. We must be humble, however, and realize that we don’t always have all the answers. We are not always right. Sometimes we are wrong.

Apollos was “born at Alexandria” (Acts 18:24), a city known for good education. Apollos was very likely an intelligent man. He was also “eloquent” (Acts 18:24). He was able to clearly communicate ideas in such a way that people could understand what he meant. Not only that, but he was “mighty in the Scriptures” (Acts 18:24). He had a grasp on the Old Testament Law, the history of the Jewish people, the poetry of David, and the prophetic works.

“This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John” (Acts 18:25). Now we’ve got a problem. He knew what he needed to know up to a point, but his knowledge stopped short of all that he needed to know.

Thankfully, Aquila and Priscilla saw the deficiency in his knowledge and set out to complete it. Privately, without embarrassing Apollos, they “explained to him the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26). Had this couple made a public spectacle of Apollos’ ignorance, he may have doubled down and refused to listen. But because of their humility and tact, they were able to set the record straight and help the cause of the kingdom.

Armed with more accurate knowledge, Apollos went to Achaia and “greatly helped those who had believed through grace; for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ” (Acts 18:27-28).

Apollos was such an asset to the Lord’s church that in his letter to Corinth, Paul commended his work while reminding the Corinthians that preachers are God’s servants, and it is God who ultimately causes growth in the gospel.