I recently read the passage below about Apollos. I think I wrote a note about it. I’ve read this passage so many times, but it came alive when I later realized how often Apollos was mentioned after this event.

Correcting the Teacher

Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ. (Acts 18:24-28)

Apollos was eloquent and knew the Old Testament Scriptures well. He spoke boldly and passionately about the Messiah. We can all learn a lot about Jesus from the Old Testament passages about the Messiah. On the road to Emmaus, Jesus explained everything about Himself using only the Old Testament Scriptures. (I’d do just about anything to be able to hear that sermon. Hopefully I can in heaven.)

At the same time, these Old Testament Scriptures did not tell all that people needed to know to be saved. Apollos was eloquent and passionate, but he did not know the whole truth about Jesus. Any time only a partial truth is taught, people are misled. Priscilla and Aquila saw the error. They knew Apollos taught from faith and fervency and a right spirit, but he didn’t know everything he needed to know to be a teacher.

They did not publicly confront Apollos. They pulled him aside and corrected him gently and lovingly. They then encouraged him to continue teaching and spreading the gospel.

Not only did Priscilla and Aquila address Apollos’s error in the right way, Apollos took it in the right way. He didn’t argue that he was right. He didn’t fight the correction. He didn’t try to win the argument. He listened with an open heart and mind, so he could correct the error. Too often we fight correction or anyone with whom we disagree, even if in only one point.

If Priscilla and Aquila didn’t speak up or if they had corrected Apollos in a harsh manner, Apollos may have continued teaching error and done it eloquently, misleading many (despite that not being his intention). If Apollos did not receive the correction, he would have continued teaching error. Since both acted in a godly manner, Apollos made a huge difference and led many people to Jesus.

A Corrected Teacher

Because Apollos had been teaching error, his followers/students/disciples did not have the knowledge necessary for Salvation.

It happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.” Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying. (Acts 19:1-6)

Paul had to correct some of the followers of Apollos who had been unintentionally taught error. When they were taught correctly, many believed and were saved.

Because Apollos took correction, he became a huge asset in the church and led many people to faith in Jesus. From this passage, it looks as if Apollos became almost as important and effective as both Paul and Peter (Cephas).

For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Corinthians 1:11-13)

People identifying with their teacher instead of Jesus is wrong, but this passage does show the influence that Apollos had on the people. Imagine the harm he could’ve done if he had not been corrected. Because he was corrected, he led large crowds to Jesus.

For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men?

What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. (1 Corinthians 3:4-7)

A Teacher’s Judgment

By correcting Apollos, Priscilla and Aquila also saved Apollos from judgment as a false teacher.

Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. (James 3:1)

We all should seek the truth; we should all study the Bible and learn all that it has to say; we should all seek the leading of the Holy Spirit to understand the whole truth in the Bible, so that we can live lives honoring to our Savior and God; but it is extra critical for a teacher/preacher to know the Bible and make sure that every word he speaks is according to the Scriptures. Teachers that teach falsehood, even when it isn’t intentional, will be judged harsher. Just as a man who accidentally kills another is judged for murder (although not as harshly), the teacher who accidentally teaches falsehoods will be judged (although not as harshly as the one who misleads intentionally).

Today many would call what Priscilla and Aquila did “judgmental,” but by correcting Apollos, Priscilla and Aquila saved Apollos from judgment.

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! (Galatians 1:8)

A teacher who teaches a false Gospel is to be accursed. The correction was good for Apollos and the people who heard him teach.

Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:19) {emphasis mine}

Error can be teaching something that is totally untrue, but it can also be teaching only part of the truth, or adding to the truth. Telling someone to obey a command that wasn’t given is almost as bad as telling someone to not obey a command that was given. Correcting error is not necessarily being judgmental. It can be the most loving thing you can do, if done in love and respect.

The Teaching Call

Despite the warning to teachers, we need more teachers of God’s word. This may not be just as a pastor or missionary. It may just be a church member who answers a visitor’s question about Jesus or the church. It may be a person who shares the Gospel with their family or friends. We are all called to witness and to disciple someone who is less mature in the faith than we are.

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!” (Romans 10:14-15)

There are instances when God appears miraculously to a person (like He did to Paul) and calls them to Himself without any help from us, but the overwhelming majority of the time He uses human believers to tell others about Him. Romans 10:14-15 (above) tells us of the need for us to witness, so people can hear about Jesus and believe. Hebrews 5:12 reprimands us for not preparing to be used to teach and to disciple others.

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. (Hebrews 5:12) {emphasis mine}

We all need to know “the elementary principles of the oracles of God,” that are found in the Bible. We all need a firm Biblical foundation, so we can share with others the truth about Jesus.

but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; (1 Peter 3:15) {emphasis mine}

We are told to be “ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you.” The best way to be ready is to know the Bible and to have a close relationship with Jesus through prayer and obedience.

I was recently talking about how even most of the greatest teachers and preachers seem to have at least one area of blindness and error. They know and understand the Bible so well and have helped so many, and yet in the one area, they are totally unbiblical (this area varies from person to person). It made me wonder, “what is my area of blindness? What is my area of error?” I can’t see them, but if these greats, modern and historical, had error and blindness, it is hard to believe that I don’t have some area of error as well. One of my new prayers is that God will show me the errors in my beliefs and actions.

May our Lord Jesus help us to know Him and His word accurately, give us a hunger for His word and His truth, and guide us as we teach and disciple those around us, so that we may help others to know, follow, and serve our God forever. May He help us to see the errors in our beliefs and help us to take correction where ever we need it. May He give us the wisdom to know when another is teaching error and know when and how to offer correction. May He lead us in truth because His “word is truth.”

Trust Jesus

FYI, below are a few more of the verses related to the subject that didn’t fit into the flow of the article, but have been included for your study:

Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way so that nothing is lacking for them. Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. (Titus 3:13-14)

Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other. For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? (1 Corinthians 4:6-7) {emphasis mine}

This verse was the inspiration for the title to this article

But concerning Apollos our brother, I encouraged him greatly to come to you with the brethren; and it was not at all his desire to come now, but he will come when he has opportunity. (1 Corinthians 16:12) {emphasis mine}

Let me know what you think of the formatting. I am trying out new editors. This was composed on Yakihonne.com . I am especially worried because Yakihonne doesn’t specifically allow formatting subheadings. I used html formatting, which showed right in preview, but may not show correctly in other