The book of Acts
Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos
Chapter 18:18 to 28
Due to the time spent in Corinth, even many days after the incident before Gallio, it is possible that Paul wrote from there his second letter to the Thessalonians. Finally he took leave of the brethren of the church formed in Corinth and sailed the Aegean sea to Ephesus, intending to return to Antioch in Syria. Priscilla and Aquila went along with him.
Paul had his hair cut off at Cenchrea for he had taken a vow, but we have no further details or explanation for the vow. It was probably something special between him and the Lord. As a Jew, Paul continued to observe certain ceremonies of Judaism, although he was freed from the dictates of the Law of Moses by grace received through faith in Jesus Christ, but he never imposed them on the Gentiles.
Eventually a church was established in Cenchrea, because in his Epistle to the Romans (cap.16:1,2) Paul commends a believer called Phoebe in glowing words, who was a great help to many people, including him, and she came from the church in that city.
Just passing through Ephesus before boarding again, Paul had the opportunity to go to the synagogue to debate with the Jews. They were interested, and asked him to stay for some more time. He refused, because he needed to continue the journey, but promised to return if it was God's will.
The expression "God willing" was common among the Jews and among the Gentiles, just as it is in the world today. Paul used it again in 1 Corinthians 4:19 and 16:7. James even recommended us to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that" because we do not know what will happen tomorrow (chapter 4:14,15). It is not a mantra to be repeated according to a prescribed ritual having in mind a magical purpose to have good luck, but we do recognize that we are in God's hands, and He acts by His sovereign will.
The ship took Paul to Caesarea, from where he went up to Jerusalem, greeted the church, and went down to Antioch, thus completing his second missionary journey. Verse 23 tells us about the beginning of the third voyage, continuing in the next chapter.
Priscilla and Aquila stayed in Ephesus, where they attended the synagogue, and could testify to their faith. They were there when a Jew called Apollos, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures arrived from Alexandria, then capital of Egypt in North Africa. Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great in 332 BC, and had by this time a large colony of Jews - about one third of the population - as well as a large university and an extensive library.
Apollos “had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in spirit spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he only knew the baptism of John.” Though a powerful and zealous preacher, Apollo was still a bit deficient in the knowledge of the Christian faith. He was apparently well educated in the ministry of John the Baptist and knew how John had called the nation of Israel to repentance in preparation for the coming of the Messiah.
He also would have known that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah of the many prophecies he, as great scholar, knew very well, and would have learned of his sacrificial death as the Scriptures promised, even possibly of His resurrection and ascension, for the news had already spread to the Jewish world, although few believed.
Apparently, as he knew nothing about Christian baptism, he was ignorant of some other basic Christian doctrines. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him speak in the synagogue, they realized the gap in his knowledge, and took him with them to expose more accurately the way of God.
The fact that this great master was willing to learn from a simple tent maker is evidence of an open mind to new knowledge, and his acceptance of the facts exposed is proof that the Gospel is perfectly consistent with the teaching of the Old Testament. He never would have accepted if it were not so.
Then Apollos was ready to go to Achaia: it is south of Corinth, where Cenchrea and Sparta were located. Priscilla and Aquila came from Corinth, so would be very well known in the region, being therefore the right people to provide him with letters of recommendation to the brethren there. Undoubtedly, they would have written a letter outlining their experience with him, praising his intellectual ability and his knowledge. Apollos stayed in Corinth, as we see at the beginning of the next chapter.
Upon arriving, Apollo "greatly helped those who had believed through grace": being mighty in the Scriptures (still limited to the Old Testament) he "vigorously refuted the Jews publicly” because he was able to prove conclusively that "Jesus is the Christ", i.e., the Messiah promised by God in so many prophecies.
R David Jones
18 So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow.
19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.
20 When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent,
21 but took leave of them, saying, "I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing." And he sailed from Ephesus.22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up and greeted the church, he went down to Antioch.
23 After he had spent some time there, he departed and went over the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.
24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus.
25 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.
26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
27 And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;
28 for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
Acts chapter 18, verses 18 to 28