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Context No. 1660 of 4322 · Acts

Context · Reflection

Acts 18:22-28: in context

22When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the assembly, and went down to Antioch. 23Having spent some time there, he departed and went through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples. 24Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus. He was mighty in the Scriptures. 25This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John. 26He began to speak 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. 27When he had determined to pass over into Achaia, the brothers encouraged him; and wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he had come, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; 28for he powerfully refuted the Jews, publicly showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

Apollos, a learned Jew from Alexandria, comes to Ephesus. He is eloquent, well versed in the Scriptures, fervent in spirit, and teaches accurately about Jesus, though he knows only the baptism of John. He begins to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila hear him, they do not correct him publicly; they take him aside privately and explain the way of God to him more accurately. Apollos receives it, and goes on to Achaia, where he greatly helps the believers and ably refutes those who opposed the gospel.

There is wisdom on both sides of this small scene. On one side, Priscilla and Aquila, an ordinary tradesman couple, notice that the eloquent, learned Apollos has gaps in his understanding; and rather than expose him in front of the synagogue, they take him aside privately and fill in what he lacks. That is a gracious way to correct someone: not to shame him publicly, scoring a point at his expense, but quietly, privately, in a way that builds him up rather than tears him down. On the other side is Apollos himself. Here is a gifted and learned man, eloquent, fervent, well versed in Scripture, already teaching effectively, and yet he does not bristle when an ordinary couple offer to instruct him further; he humbly receives what they have to teach, and is the better for it. It would have been easy for a man of his gifts to resent correction from tentmakers, to assume he had nothing to learn; instead he stayed teachable, and went on to serve God more fruitfully because he did. There are two lessons to carry away. When we must correct someone, the grace of Priscilla and Aquila is worth imitating: do it privately, to build up, not publicly, to shame. And when we are corrected, even by those we might think beneath our learning, the humility of Apollos is worth imitating: to receive it, to stay teachable however gifted we are, knowing there is always more to learn.

When I must correct someone, do I do it privately and graciously to build them up, as Priscilla and Aquila corrected Apollos, rather than publicly to shame them; and when I am corrected, even by those I might think have less to teach me, can I receive it with Apollos's humility, staying teachable however gifted I am?

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