Acts 18:22-28: a reflection

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 comes to Ephesus: an eloquent man, well versed in the Scriptures, fervent in spirit, teaching accurately about Jesus, but knowing only the baptism of John. He is gifted and earnest, but his understanding is incomplete. When Priscilla and Aquila hear him, they do not publicly correct or embarrass him; they take him aside privately and explain the way of God more accurately. And Apollos, gifted as he is, receives their instruction, and goes on to help many believers.

Notice two graces in this scene. First, Priscilla and Aquila's gentleness in teaching: they do not humiliate the eloquent Apollos publicly, but take him aside privately to fill in what he lacks. And second, Apollos's humility in receiving it: though gifted, eloquent, and fervent, he does not resent being taught by this ordinary couple, but receives their correction and grows. The gifted teacher still had more to learn, and was humble enough to learn it; and his teachers were gracious enough to teach him gently.

Both graces are worth learning. On one side, when we see someone gifted but incomplete in their understanding, we can correct them gently and privately, as Priscilla and Aquila did, rather than publicly embarrassing them. And on the other, when we ourselves are corrected, even by those we might think beneath us, we can receive it humbly, as Apollos did, recognizing that even the gifted have more to learn. Be gracious, then, in how you help others grow, correcting gently and privately rather than to shame; and be humble in receiving correction yourself, whoever it comes from, knowing that gifting and fervor do not exempt you from having more to learn. Apollos was gifted, yet teachable; be both gracious in teaching and humble in learning, as this scene commends.

Lord, Apollos came to Ephesus eloquent, fervent, and well versed in the Scriptures, but with an incomplete understanding; and Priscilla and Aquila took him aside privately and explained the way of God more accurately, and he, gifted as he was, humbly received it and went on to help many. Teach me both graces in that scene. When I see someone gifted but incomplete in their understanding, help me correct them gently and privately, as Priscilla and Aquila did, rather than publicly embarrassing them. And when I myself am corrected, even by those I might think beneath me, help me receive it humbly, as Apollos did, recognizing that even the gifted have more to learn. Make me gracious in how I help others grow, correcting gently and privately rather than to shame; and humble in receiving correction myself, whoever it comes from, knowing that gifting and fervor do not exempt me from having more to learn. Apollos was gifted, yet teachable; make me both gracious in teaching and humble in learning, Lord.