Day 1216: Competent, but not complete. - Acts 18:24 – 19:7

24-25 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 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. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27-28 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

1-3 And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland (highland) country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.” 4-7 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in (into) the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. There were about twelve men in all. Acts 18:24-19:7 English Standard Version

The Holy Spirit truly guided Luke in what he wrote as today's incident could’ve opened up much debate in the following years. We read of Apollos again in 1 Corinthians where he had become extremely popular, probably because of the skilful manner he refuted Jewish arguments against Christ. (vs 27-28) The Corinthians had become divided in their loyalty with some saying they followed Paul, and others saying they followed Apollos. Paul's response was to say “What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. ” (1 Corinthians 3:5-6)

It seems that Apollos was already a most competent communicator, as well as being on fire to tell others what he knew. (vs 24-25) But his message was not yet complete. As a Jew he had only heard about John the Baptist's preaching about the Messiah. It seems he had not yet heard the final instalment of what Jesus had accomplished. He had only half the gospel. And that's where Priscilla and Aquila stepped in. They carefully explained to him the rest of the story. (How Apollos’ heart must have leapt for joy!) It says much for him that, clever and competent as he was, he was willing to be taught more about Jesus. But what of his disciples? (Chapter 19 vs 1-3)

God did not leave them where they were! Paul came across them and immediately noticed the incomplete gospel they had. They’d not heard about the ascension of Christ, and how the Holy Spirit had been given to the Church. And, like Apollos, they were taken further on in the teaching of Jesus, and were baptized into Him. And then God did something remarkable. They received the Holy Spirit with the same signs that had accompanied His coming on the day of Pentecost. This is one of three occasions where tongues accompanied the gift of the Holy Spirit. (The other two were in Acts 2:4 and 10:44)

While more common in those days, it was one of the signs of an apostle that Paul speaks of in 2 Corinthians 12:12. He says: “The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.” Hebrews 2: 3-4 says God's salvation “Was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will.” We must be careful then of people who say our gospel is incomplete if we haven't spoken in tongues. The New Testament gives the full picture of all that Jesus did for sinners. So when anyone hears the gospel of salvation, and believes in Christ, they are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, the guarantee of their inheritance until they acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory.” (Ephesians 2:13-14) And such a believer is complete in Christ .