Jump Start # 863

Acts 18:25-26 “He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He 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.”

I recently taught a class about this passage. Apollos is impressive. He was smart, skilled and passionate. He knew the Bible. He was gifted and was using his talents to further the kingdom of God. The compliments that fill this passage are something that every teacher of God should aspire to, “Fervent in spirit,” “taught accurately the things concerning Jesus,” spoke “boldly.” Earlier in this section it says that he was “mighty in the Scriptures.” Those are amazing tools in the hands of the right person.

Our passage brings us to an interesting intersection, he didn’t know about the baptism of Jesus. He was right, but he was wrong. He was good, but… Then we meet Priscilla and Aquila who taught him more accurately. There are two parallel themes running between these people.

First Apollos. Serious teachers of God’s word want to be accurate. What good is it for people to be amazed at the teacher but mistaken about the subject? Accuracy with what is taught is first and foremost for all Bible teachers. Study time, meditation, chasing down ideas, hitting the books are the keys to being accurate. To know that you missed it somewhere eats at the heart of someone like Apollos. He’d rather be dull and accurate, than sharp and wrong. Finding out that he was wrong and didn’t know about the baptism of Jesus was a big deal. Baptism of Jesus is how one is saved. Christ commanded baptism. The apostles had been preaching that everywhere. How did he miss that? He was not finishing the story without telling of Jesus’ baptism. Once he realized this, that must have really bothered him. He must of thought of all those people who he did not tell the complete story to. Horror, fear and disappointment would fill the heart of someone who wanted to be accurate. Finding out that you had not been accurate is enough for some to quit. Embarrassment and shame would make some hide. Apollos didn’t do that. He listened to Priscilla and Aquila. He learned. He grasped the idea. He accepted. He continued to teach, but now he taught the complete story. Pride didn’t offer excuses. Pride didn’t keep him from learning. Apollos, many of us can learn from him. Most preachers have had an Apollos moment. After a sermon, someone explains something that you left off, missed or didn’t understand. What you do then determines what you are made of. Do you dig the heels in and make a big fuss about someone correcting the preacher or are you thankful, prayerful and open to learning, like Apollos was.

Priscilla and Aquila. They heard Apollos preach. They heard him fail to mention baptism in Jesus. They knew something was missing. They could have gone home and done nothing. They could have found the apostle Paul and told him and made a big deal out of it. They could have told others to shun Apollos because he wasn’t right. Or, they could have, as they did, talk to him. They took him aside, privately. They took time. They were kind. They were not trying to destroy Apollos, but inform, instruct and teach him. They wanted Apollos to continue on. Their manner, attitude and approach had a lot to do with what Apollos would do next. Had they been harsh, condemning, name calling, labeling and exposing a false teacher, Apollos would most likely have quit. They would have ruined and destroyed a good teacher. Many would rejoice with that kind of approach, thinking that there would be one less false teacher hanging around. Instead, this couple, spent time and helped Apollos.

All of this is useful for us. We often sit in both seats, the seat of Apollos—someone who says something that is not accurate; and the seat of Priscilla and Aquila– someone who hears something that is not accurate. Our attitudes and how we approach things often determine whether someone continues with a greater understanding or they are driven away. Is our attitude one of driving out and destroying or reaching out and saving? I am impressed that Priscilla and Aquila went directly to Apollos. That doesn’t happen much today. Usually it hits the gossip circuit before an Apollos ever finds out about it.

These things work at home as well as with brethren. When kids say wrong things, do we help them or destroy them? When your spouse says something incorrect, do you help him/her or do you embarrass them and shame them? Some seem to thrive in finding fault with others. That seems to be their life mission. When they find faults, they make a big deal about it and wound the wrong party. They think they are doing good. They are not. They think that they are just telling the truth. Some think that presenting faults in others is an occasion to be mean, rude and unkind. That’s not what Priscilla and Aquila did. That’s not what Jesus did.

How we deal with mistakes—our own and those of others, says a lot about what we are made of. Character and truth are not opposites. They go together.

We need to be thankful for the Apollos’ out there who are trying their best. We need to be thankful for the Priscilla and Aquila’s who are helping the Apollos’ be accurate in a kind, private and helpful manner. Shouting is not the approach. Threatening is not the right way. Helpful. Kind. Practicing the golden rule. That’s what was done in Acts 18.

Roger