Lesson 1959

(Lesson 1959)(03-05-17) Acts 18:24-28

"And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ."

This lesson contains some very important information that is often overlooked, or neglected, by many, so called, bible scholars.

We should specifically note what Paul said about Apollos and what was done to set him straight with the gospel.

Although Apollos was a devout and obviously sincere man, who was trying to forward the work of the Lord, Paul described him as being undereducated as to the full gospel of Jesus Christ and was, therefore, misleading those to whom he preached as to the true doctrine.

Paul justified his description of Apollos' capability by saying that he, (though obviously well educated in the ways of Jewish law), had known "ONLY" the "baptism of John", the message that John taught as well as a water immersion ritual that, so far as John and those he taught were concerned, applied to repentance and preparing the way for the Lord.

We know from previous study that the "baptism of John" had nothing to do with, nor was it a part of, the doctrine laid out by Jesus Himself whereby a lost soul may achieve eternal life. The doctrine established by Jesus had nothing to do with water baptism but rather was the method of eternal salvation by grace through faith in His virgin born life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension. The baptism of John was a water cleansing ritual demanded by the laws of the Jews, whereby any new convert to Judaism, or a Jew who was about to enter a holy place to pray or offer a sacrifice, was to cleanse him/herself.

John himself said, "I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost." (Mark 1:8) The baptism of the Holy Ghost is the baptism that empowers those who believe to become the children of God.

In summary, Paul took Apollos aside and taught him "the way of God more perfectly". Paul taught Apollos that "by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9 in part)~