Did Priscilla Teach Apollos?
There is only one verse in the entire Bible which disallows a woman from teaching a man – 1 Timothy 2:12. Some Christians see this single verse as comprehensively declaring a universal and permanent ban on every woman teaching any man, in almost every conceivable situation, for all time! This view, however, is called into question by another verse from scripture – Acts 18:26. This verse gives the Biblical example of Priscilla who, along with her husband Aquila, explained the doctrine of Christian baptism to Apollos. Some people, trying to justify their stance against women teachers and leaders, try to explain away the significance of this verse.
This article will briefly look at who Priscilla and Aquila were; and it will explore the meaning of the word explain used in the statement: “they [Priscilla and Aquila] . . . explained to him [Apollos] the Way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:24-26, NASB). This article will also answer the question: Did Priscilla, a woman, teach Apollos, a man?
Priscilla, Aquila and Paul
Priscilla (or Prisca)[1] and Aquila are mentioned by name six times in the Greek New Testament. Significantly, in four of those occurrences, Priscilla’s name is mentioned first. This unconventional order of the wife’s name before her husband’s is an indication that Priscilla’s ministry was more prominent than Aquila’s. [I have included all verses which speak about Priscilla and Aquila in endnote [2] below.]
Priscilla and her husband, Aquila, were devoted friends and ministry colleagues of Paul.[3] At some point they even risked their lives for Paul’s sake (Rom 16:3-5).
Paul first met Priscilla and Aquila when he went to Corinth as part of his second missionary journey. Priscilla and Aquila had just arrived in Corinth from Rome.[4] Paul spent eighteen months working together[5] with them in Corinth (Acts 18:1-3,11,18); and they became firm friends. After Corinth, Priscilla, Aquila and Paul travelled together to Ephesus (Acts 18:18). Paul had confidence in the abilities of both Priscilla and Aquila as church leaders, and he left them in Ephesus to lead a church that met in their house (1 Cor 16:19). It was while Priscilla and Aquila were overseeing the church at Ephesus that they met Apollos.
Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos
Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; and he began to speak out 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. Acts 18:24-26 (NASB, my emphasis)
In Acts 18:24-26, Luke, the author of Acts, introduces his readers to Apollos. Apollos was a Jewish Christian from Alexandria. Alexandria was a renowned centre of learning in the ancient world and famous for its monumentally impressive and extensive library. Apollos is literally described by Luke as a “man of words”. This indicates that Apollos was an eloquent speaker, trained in rhetoric; or it may mean that Apollos was very well read and highly educated. From Luke’s description of Apollos, both definitions fit very well. Luke clearly portrays Apollos as both an eloquent orator and as someone with a thorough (literally “powerful”) understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures. Apollos would go on to become an outstanding minister of the gospel (1 Cor 3:3-6 & 22).
Despite Apollos’ notable credentials, something was lacking in his theology. Apollos was ignorant of Christian baptism. Priscilla and Aquila recognised this lack, and as leaders of the local church, they took Apollos aside[6] and explained to him “The Way”, that is, the Christian faith, more accurately.[7]
The word “explain” is plural[8] indicating that both Priscilla and Aquila were involved. However because Priscilla’s name is listed first, before her husband’s in Acts 18:26 - and due to this being very unusual – this order of names seems to indicate that Priscilla was more active in giving the explanation than Aquila.
Teach-didaskō
Many different verbs[9] are commonly used in the New Testament in the context of someone communicating aspects of the gospel message and the Christian faith. Much of this type of communication would include some degree of teaching and instruction. Some people quibble about the meaning of the word “explain” (ektithēmi) used in Acts 18:26. They claim that it does not mean “teach”. Didaskō is the Greek word usually translated as “teach” or “instruct”. BDAG (p241) defines didaskō as “(1) to tell someone what to do, tell, instruct; . . . and (2) to provide instruction in a formal or informal setting, teach.”
In chapter 19 of Acts – the chapter following the passage about Priscilla and Aquila’s “explaining” – Luke writes about Paul’s three month speaking ministry in the synagogue at Ephesus. Luke uses the cognates of three different verbs in reference to Paul’s speaking about the Kingdom of God: (1) parrēsiazomai-speak boldly/freely, (2) dialegomai-discuss/reason and (3) peithō-persuade (Acts 19:8-9). Luke does not specifically use the word teach-didaskō here, and yet there can be no doubt at all that during those three months at Ephesus Paul did in fact teach. He taught using discussion, reasoning and persuasion.
It is unreasonable to suggest that Paul’s ministry in Acts 19:8-9 did not include teaching simply because Luke did not use the word didaskō. It is equally unreasonable to suggest that Priscilla and Aquila’s explanation to Apollos did not include teaching because Luke did not use the word didaskō. Priscilla and Aquila did in fact teach Christian doctrine to Apollos. This becomes very clear when you look at the meaning of “explain” (epitithēmi) and the circumstances where Luke uses it elsewhere in Acts.
Explain-ektithēmi
Luke is the only New Testament author to use the Greek word ektithēmi. He uses it four times, and only in the book of Acts. There are two basic meanings for the word ektithēmi. In its most literal sense it means to “place outside” or “expose”. BDAG (p310) gives the first definition of ektithēmi as “withdraw support or protection from”. Luke uses the word in this sense in Acts 7:21 where he recounts Stephen speaking about the baby Moses who was placed outside and left exposed on the Nile.
In a more metaphorical sense, ektithēmi means “to put forth, declare, explain”. (Perschbacher 1990:131)[10] BDAG (p310) gives the second definition of ektithēmi as “to convey information by careful elaboration”. This sounds a lot like teaching to me. Luke uses the word in this sense three times in Acts: of Peter in Acts 11:4, of Priscilla and Aquila in Acts 18:26, and of Paul in Acts 28:23. It is important to note that there is nothing at all trivial in these three instances where “explain” is used.
Peter’s Explaining in Acts 11:4
But Peter began and explained it to them point by point, saying . . . Acts 11:4 (NIV, my emphasis)
In Acts chapter 10, we read that the very first gentiles had become Christians and were baptised through Peter’s ministry. The apostles and brothers in Judea were disturbed by this turn of events and when Peter went to Jerusalem they “took issue with him” (Acts 11:3 NIV). Peter responds to their criticism, and in Acts 11:5-17 he explains (ektithēmi) the remarkable events that he had personally been involved with, point by point (NIV), in an orderly sequence (NASB). Peter does not merely relate his recent experiences, he persuasively presents his own conclusion (Acts 11: 17-18). Peter’s speech about the inclusion of the gentiles in God’s plan for salvation was a monumental turning point for the Christian church which up to that point was completely Jewish. And Luke uses the word ektithēmi in this context.
Paul’s Explaining in Acts 28:23
When they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe. Acts 28:23-24 (NASB, my emphasis)
In Luke’s final use of the word ektithēmi we read that Paul was explaining and testifying and trying to persuade many people about Jesus using the Old Testament scriptures. While Luke again does not use the word didaskō in this passage, we can see that Paul was in fact trying to teach his visitors about Jesus.
An Objection to Priscilla “Teaching”
Daniel B. Wallace disagrees that Priscilla “taught” Apollos. In his article Did Priscilla “Teach” Apollos? An Examination of the Meaning of ἐκτίθημι in Acts 18:26, he writes:
“The word [ektithēmi] is actually somewhat of a vanilla term, basically meaning “lay out,” or “expose.” It can be used in various contexts, but in collocation with information being passed on it tends to be restricted to simple explanation without concomitant urging or rhetorical persuasiveness.”
It is unclear why Wallace regards ektithēmi as a “vanilla term”, especially considering the context of its usage in Acts. It is highly unlikely that Peter told his audience the amazing events recounted in Acts 11:5-17 dispassionately, with no desire or intention to change the minds of those present. And in Acts 28:23 there is unmistakable evidence of “rhetorical persuasiveness”.
Wallace also states that:
“From the primary data and the lexical tools that interpret [ektithēmi], there was seen to be almost no unusual meaning, virtually no sense that could be viewed as approaching didaskō and its cognates in the NT. . . the force of ektithēmi never seemed to transgress into the realm of exhortation.”
It is a straightforward exercise to translate ektithēmi into English as there are “almost no unusual meanings”; however it is difficult to understand why Wallace believes its meaning cannot be viewed as approaching didaskō. “Explain” can often be practically synonymous in meaning to “teach” and “instruct”, whether in English or Greek. Furthermore, it is very unclear why Wallace implies that didaskō involves exhortation and ektithēmi doesn’t.
Conclusion
Typically, most English dictionaries define explain as “make plain and comprehensible”. This is surely one of the major aims in teaching. I would be very happy if my teaching was described as explaining. To discount Priscilla and Aquila’s “explaining” as true teaching simply because Luke didn’t use the word didaskō is unwarranted; especially when considering the meaning[11] and context of ektithēmi in the book of Acts.
Did Priscilla, with her husband, teach Apollos “the Way of God more accurately”, including the doctrine of Christian baptism? Did a woman, Priscilla, teach a man, Apollos? Of course she did!
As a church leader, there would have been many occasions for Priscilla to teach, either informally or in church meetings. Neither Luke nor Paul give any hint of censure or disapproval about Priscilla’s teaching Apollos, or her role as a church leader. In light of the fact that Priscilla did instruct a man in Christian doctrine, the blanket ban by some, of women teaching men, must be reassessed and redressed.
Endnotes
[1] “Paul always refers to her as ‘Prisca’, the more respectful form of her name; Luke always adds the diminutive ending in ‘Priscilla’.” (Payne 2009:64)
[2] The Scriptures which mention Priscilla and Aquila:
There he [Paul] met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them (Acts 18:2-3, NIV).
Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila . . . They arrived at Ephesus, where he [Paul] left them [Priscilla and Aquila]. . . . (Acts 18:18-19). Some translations such as the NIV repeat the names in Acts 18:19 for clarity, but the names are not repeated in the Greek texts.
He [Apollos] began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him The Way more accurately (Acts 18:26).
Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co- workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them (Romans 16:3-4).
The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house (1 Corinthians 16:19).
Greet Priscilla and Aquila . . . (2Timothy 4:19)
Non-Biblical and speculative ideas about Priscilla and Aquila:
Tradition holds that Priscilla and Aquila were both martyred; however the accounts of their martyrdom are vague, sketchy and contradictory.
Some theologians, such as Adolph von Harnack and Ruth Hoppin, speculate that Priscilla may have been the author of the book of Hebrews. An interesting article about this subject, here.
In the Constitutions of the Holy Apostles, Aquila and a man named Nicetas are listed as the first bishops of Asia.
An Orthodox Church tradition states that Aquila was one of Jesus’ 70 disciples in Luke 10:1-24. (This is highly unlikely.)
[3] Twice Paul refers to Priscilla and Aquila as his colleagues (co-workers) (Rom 16:3-5; 2 Tim 4:19).
[4] Seutonius wrote that Claudius had expelled all the Jews (which included Priscilla and Aquila) from Rome in AD49. Priscilla and Aquila later returned to Rome (probably from Ephesus) after the death of Claudias.
[5] Aquila, Priscilla and Paul were all tentmakers by profession. During Paul’s third Missionary tour, Paul stayed with Priscilla and Aquila at Ephesus for three years. They were all still living in Ephesus when Paul passed on Aquila and Priscilla’s greeting to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 16:19. Aquila and Priscilla returned to Rome by AD57 where they became church leaders again. Paul had no problem with a woman being a church leader!
[6] The Greek does not specify that Priscilla and Aquila invited Apollos into their home.
[7] In its earliest days, Christianity was often referred to as “The Way”. (See Acts 9:2; 19:9,23; 24:14,22; etc.)
[8] Exethento (from ektithēmi) 3rd person aorist middle indicative plural.
[9] All of the following words are used in the New Testament to describe the transmission and teaching of the gospel and aspects of Christianity: Parrēsiazomai means “speak openly, boldly or freely”; peithō means “persuade”; martureō means “testify” or “bear witness”; legō or laleō simply means “speak” or “talk”; dialegomai means “discuss” or “reason”; parakaleō means “exhort” or “encourage”, keryssō means “proclaim” or “preach”; euaggelizomai means “proclaim the good news or gospel”; ektithēmi means “put forth” or “explain”; disdaskō means “teach”; etc.
[10] Strong defines ektithēmi as “declare” and “expound”. (Strong’s number 1620)
[11] As previously stated, BDAG (p310) defines ektithēmi as “to convey information by careful elaboration”.
Bibliography
Scriptures marked (NIV) are taken from: The Holy Bible, New International VersionCopyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Scriptures marked (NASB) are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.”
Aland, Barbara, et al (Ed), The Greek New Testament, Fourth Revised Edition, Stuttgart: Biblia-Druck for the United Bible Societies, 1998.
Anon (attributed to Clement of Rome), Constitutions of the Holy Apostles, James Donaldson (ed), Christian Classics Ethereal Library, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf07.ix.viii.iv.html accessed 9/09/2010
Bauer, Walter, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd Edition, revised and edited by F.W Danker, University of Chicago Press, 2000. [Known as BDAG for short.]
Belleville, Linda L., “Women Leaders in the Bible” in Discovering Biblical Equality: Complementarity without Heirarchy, Ronald W. Pierce and Rebecca Merrill Groothous (ed), Leicester:InterVaristy Press, 2004.
Blue, B. B., “Apollos” in Dictionary of Paul and his Letters, Gerald F. Hawthorne (ed), Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1993.
Payne, Philip B., Man and Woman, One in Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Study of Paul’s Letters, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.
Perschbacher, Wesley J., (Ed) The New Analytical Greek Lexicon, Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 1990
Strong, James, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, McLean, Virginia: Macdonald Publishing Company, n.d.
Wallace, Daniel B., Did Priscilla “teach” Apollos? An Examination of the Meaning of ἐκτίθημι in Acts 18:26, Bible.org. http://bible.org/article/did-priscilla-teach-apollos accessed 08/09/2010
© 11th of September, 2010; Margaret Mowczko
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Tags: Bible women, Biblical equality, can a woman be a pastor, New Testament Women, Paul and Women, Priscilla, women in ministry debate, Women in the early church
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There's been 19 comments so far...
Great article! I guess the only real reason why the meaning of “explain” is in question at all is because of 1 Timothy 2:11-12 which you mention in your intro. There is an interesting article you might like to look at on 1 Tim 2 if you have not done so already.
http://www.achurchinryde.com/blog/?p=262
Dave
Thanks Dave.
I wonder what the church (and society) would be like if people did not use 1 Timothy 2:12 as the proof text and starting point for forming their ideas about women in ministry. There’s no other verse in the Bible that forbids a woman teaching a man.
I read the blog entry that you linked to. I like these thoughts of Cheryl’s:
Cheryl and I have exchanged a few emails about the grammar and meaning of 1 Timothy 2:11-15.
I have also written about this enigmatic verse:
http://newlife.id.au/equality-and-gender-issues/1-timothy-212-in-context-1/
Marg,
I appreciate this study. Indeed, since Paul says nothing against Pricilla as a teacher, who corrected a man teacher, the I Tim verse does need to be reconsidered.
The usage of words like teach and explain elsewhere in the NT also make a very good point.
Thanks Waneta.
The main problem with 1 Timothy 2:12 is that many Christians use it as their starting point and proof text on the issue of women in leadership ministries. If Christians used Acts 18:26 (Priscilla), Romans 16:1-2 (Phoebe), or Colossians 4:15 (Nympha), etc, as their starting points, I believe we’d have a whole different outcome.
Romans 16:1-2 in the Greek New Testament is the closest thing I have to a proof text.
If certain circles of men didn’t look to the bible to justify their entitled tower of power this wouldn’t even be a question. I personally will never understand how they can’t see that their definition of their position stinks to high heaven! God doesn’t wish people to use ‘head’ and ‘authority’ and all the rest to thwart others from sharing the message. Sharing the message of Christ is ‘teaching’.
My Aunt and Uncle were missionaries for most of their lifes. They traveled all over the place, and their children were born in different parts of the world. My uncle always truly treasured her contributions, and saying she should have placed them on ‘hold’ until he was present is just legalism pure and simple.
We are to be lead by the Holy Spirit, and keep close in our relationship with God. He is the one that will move to us ‘teach’ or not, and YES at times that includes men. At times God will tell you ‘not now’, and other times he will guide you the opposite way.
I feel at times certain circles truly need to get out on the mission field, and experience the ‘less spoiled’ parts of the world. Places where it is clear you need all hands on deck! I mean does a missionary’s wife NOT share the gospel with someone that has traveled to them for help when he is not present? Does she ignore the leading the Holy Spirit due to certain ‘camps’ being enraged over this?
I’m thankful that there are men that can see that common sense can be used at times. I’m thankful for men like my uncle whom truly appreciated his spouse for the gifts she had to share on their travels for the Lord.
Its very short sighted for people to say that women should keep their gifts to themselves. Those are the men that truly need our prayers. Their blinders need to be taken off, and see that leading others to the Lord is for his Glory. It has nothing to do with stepping on their toes and ego. It has nothing to do with stepping in their headship, or over their authority.
Seriously. lol do they not see its not about them?
why women forbid to teach in church 1 Tim 2:12 and the truth as well in v13,For it was Adam who was first created,and than Eve,And it was not Adam who was deceived but the woman being deceived,fell into transgression. In 1 Corinthians 11:3 we read,But I want you to under stand that Christ is the Head of every man,and the man is the head of a woman,and God is the head of Christ. There is work to do for woman,to teach the younger woman read please Titus 2:3,4. But sorry to know many woman like to do the man”s Job.But that is not from God.Ephesians 5:23 for the husband is the head of the wife,as Christ also is the head of the Church.He Himself being the Saviour of the body.But as the Church is subject to Christ,so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.If woman are preaching in Church,the church is not subject to Christ,
Hi Alida,
Thanks for commenting and sharing your concerns. I’ll just reply to your comments that relate to marriage for now. And I’ll reply about your comment about women church leaders later. I’m pressed for time at the moment.
Submission
The Bible teaches that our relationships should be characterised by humility, love and respect. These are the hallmarks of submission.
I do believe that I am submissive to my husband. I love my husband very much and want to do what is in my power to enable him to have a good and happy life. (My husband also does what is in his power to enable me to have a good and happy life.)
I have written an article about Submission in Marriage here.
The Husband is the Kephale of the Wife
I also believe that, as Paul says, my husband is my metaphorical “head”. It is important to note, however, that “head” – kephale can mean different things. Rarely, if ever, in New Testament Greek (and Hellenistic Greek in general), is the word kephale used to mean a “leader” or an “authority”.
In the past many people have just assumed that kephale could mean a “leader” or “chief person” in the same way that head can mean a “leader” or “chief person” in English and other languages. Yet, this is simply not true. (Our knowledge of Hellenistic Greek has improved dramatically with the discovery of truckloads of ancient papyri in the late 1800s and early 1900s.)
If you look at Ephesians 5:21-33 Paul never hints that he is using the word “head” in the sense of leadership or authority. He never tells the husbands to lead or be in authority; rather Paul urges husbands to sacrificially love and care for their wives.
There are plenty of Greek words used in the New Testament that mean “leader”, “ruler”, “authority”, etc, yet these words are never used for a husband in regard to his wife. Never! Furthermore, there is no command or instruction in the entire Bible that says that husbands are to lead their wives. (The idea of a husband ruling or lording over his wife came as a consequence of sin entering the world; see Genesis 3:17d. This idea is not picked up in the Bible again. Moreover, Jesus came to deal with sin and its consequences.)
Also, the Bible never says that the husband is either the head or the leader of the home. More on the meaning of “head” here:
Finally let me add, Jesus is my Saviour, and not my husband!
You may want to read my article about Bible Women with Spiritual Authority here.
Hi Alida,
I have included the full entry of the defintions of kephale “head” from Scott and Liddel’s Intermediate Greek lexicon. This is a highly respected lexicon of ancient Greek words from many sources, not just the New Testament. (The entry from the exhaustive Greek-English Lexicon is here.)
As you will see “authority” or “leader” is not one of the meanings of kephale-head in the Ancient or Hellenistic Greek.
Kephale
I. the head of man or beast, Hom., etc.; κατὰ κεφαλῆς, epic κὰκ κεφαλῆς, over the head, id=Hom.; κὰκ κεφαλήν on the head, Il.:— ἐς πόδας ἐκ κεφαλῆς from head to foot, id=Il.:— ἐπὶ κεφαλήν head foremost, head downwards, headlong, Hdt., Plat., etc.
2. the head, put for the whole person, Hom.; ἶσον ἐμῇ κεφαλῇ like myself, Il.; φίλη κ., Lat. carum caput, id=Il.: in bad sense, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί Hdt.; ὦ μιαρὰ κ. Ar.
3. the head, i. e. the life, παρθέμενοι κεφαλάς setting their heads on the cast, Od.:—in imprecations, ἐς κεφαλὴν τρέποιτ᾽ ἐμοί on my head be it! Ar., etc.
II. generally, κ. σκορόδου a head of garlic, id=Ar.: the top or brim of a vessel, Theocr.: the coping of a wall, Xen.:—in pl. the head or source of a river, Hdt.
III. metaph., like κεφάλαιον, the crown, completion of a thing, Plat.
Henry George Liddell and Robert Scott, An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1889. Copied from the Perseus Project. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0058%3Aentry%3Dkefalh%2F Accessed 17th of February, 2011.
Hi Alida,
The last few days I have been very busy, but I am now able to reply to your comments about women teaching (preaching) in church services.
As you are probably aware I have written more than a few articles about New Testament women who were church leaders and I do not want to rehash what is clearly stated elsewhere on this site.
Let me just say that I do not think that the real reason Paul disallowed a woman from teaching and domineering a man in the Ephesian church was because women are more easily deceived then men, or because of Eve’s deception in particular.
Alida, as I was writing my reply to you I realised that it would make a good article. So my full reply to you can be found in this article here: Women, Teaching and Deception
Lastly let me say that nowhere in the Greek New Testament, or in accurate translations, does it state that preaching in a church service is a “man’s job”.
Thanks again for your comment. I hope I hear from you again.
Your sister
Marg
[...] I do believe that Priscilla, Chloe, Nympha, Euodia and Syntyche, the Chosen Lady, and other NT women, were female church church leaders [...]
[...] When I got home I checked my New Testament and, sure enough, Acts 18:3b says of Aquila and Priscilla that “they were tentmakers by trade.” Priscilla, as well as her husband Aquila, were artisans; they were workers, skilled in a trade. [...]
In 1 Cor 4:6, 9-13 Paul describes Apollos as an apostle who had shared the privations of the traveling apostolic life. Apollos must have been active in Corinth prior to 55 CE when Paul wrote his letter, as by the time of writing he is back in Ephesus with Paul (1 Cor 16:12). Apollos is also mentioned by Luke in a retrospective account of his time in Ephesus in 52 CE recorded in Acts 18:24-28. He speaks highly of Apollos as an ‘eloquent man’ who had a ‘thorough knowledge of the Scriptures’ and ‘taught about Jesus accurately’ from them (thus using the earliest Christian exegetical method taught by Christ to the apostles post resurrection; Lk 24:27, 32, 44; Acts 1:3; 1 Cor 15:3-8). Luke also says that Apollos wished to go to Achaia and was sent with letters of recommendation from the elders (Acts 18:27) where he is called an apostle by Paul, and is on a par with other apostles, Peter and Paul. All this evidence suggests that Apollos was a well known and respected leader of the nascent church, who was also an apostle.
As an apostle Apollos certainly appears to be driven by a commission to preach the Gospel which would accord with him being amongst the disciples from the time of the baptism of John (Acts 1:22). As an apostle he was witness to everything that had occurred (Lk 1:1-2; 24:33, 48). Paul, who calls Apollos an apostle, thinks of himself alone as an apostle who was ‘untimely born’ which suggests that he thought Apollos became an apostle in the regular way. Apollos also seemed to be preaching throughout the world, appearing in Ephesus again later (1 Cor 16:12), and even later in Crete with Zenas, the lawyer (Tit 3:13).
Luke says that Priscilla and Aquila heard something in Apollos’ preaching at the synagogue in Ephesus that they wished to clarify (Acts 18:26), so they took him aside and enhanced his already ‘accurate’ understanding of Jesus with a ‘more accurate’ understanding. The comparative, as an elative ἀκριβέστερον is used adverbially here, as it is in Acts 26:5 to describe ‘the straightest sect’ or most precise and rigorous faction in interpreting Mosaic law cf. Acts 23:15, 20; 24:22)and the same idea of minute attention to detail is conveyed by other derivates of ἀκριβής as noun in Acts 22:3, as superlative adjective in Acts 26:5, and as verb in Matthew 2:7, 16).
Their exposition (Gk. ἐκτιθημι) probably had something to do with the baptism of John and the need for Apollos to more powerfully refute from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah, for that is the difference in Apollos’ teaching post their instruction (Lk 24:27, 32, 44; Acts 1:3; 18:25, 28). Priscilla and Aquila also expounded to him from ‘the way of God’ (Acts 18:26) which I argue is a variant oral/textual tradition to that held by Apollos called ‘The way of the Lord,’ (Acts 18:25) which only knew of the baptism of John. Derivatives of ἐκτιθημι give the sense of this word when it is used in relation to Peter’s and Paul’s teaching in Acts 11:4 and 28:23. In the case of Paul, ‘he witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining (ἐκτιθημι) about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus.’
In sum, Priscilla and Aquila expound (ἐκτιθημι) to an apostle named Apollos (these 3 are also synergos with Paul) a very accurate Christian understanding which Apollos then used in Corinth to powerfully refute from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah. This must be weighed against Paul’s once only prohibition of ‘a (singular) woman’ teaching ‘a (singular) man’ in 1 Tim 2:12. Certainly ἐκτιθημι and other words that describe persuasion, refuting, proving, etc are more powerful than didasko in the contexts where they appear together (Acts 18:25-28; Acts 28:23-31). Also when ἐκτιθημι is used of Paul it is an expounding that runs from morning till night where some are persuaded and others are not.
Priscilla therefore taught an apostle.
N.B. Commentators that think Apollos is an apostle are: E. Earle Ellis, ‘Paul and His Co-Workers,’ New Testament Studies 17 (October–July 1970–71), pp. 437-452 (439); F. W. Grosheide, Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians: The English Text with Introduction, Exposition and Notes (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1953), pp. 103 and 106 refers to Paul and Apollos as apostles and states this is the general use of the word; Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, NICNT (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987), p. 174 states that Paul definitely includes Apollos and Peter in the apostles mentioned in 4:9; William F. Orr and James Arthur Walther, 1 Corinthians, AB 32 (New York: Doubleday, 1976), p. 178 say that Paul includes Apollos in the description of apostles; and David E. Garland, 1 Corinthians, BECNT (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2003), p. 132 comments that the problem in Corinth was competing loyalties towards the apostolic leaders Paul, Apollos, and Peter. Thiselton, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, pp. 140, 296, and 306 does not directly address the issue of whether Apollos was an apostle, but he does not hesitate to quote other authors who call him one.
Hi Merrilyn,
It certainly seems that Apollos was an apostle. So, as you say, Priscilla taught an apostle, and, with her husband, provided a more accurate explanantion of baptism.
PS. I see that you studied history at Macquarie. I’ve applied to do a MA at Macquarie in 2012 specialising in Early Christian and Jewish Studies. How was Oxford? Wow!
Oxford was about the most awesome experience I have ever had. A dream come true. Your MA in Christian and Jewish studies will be fantastic. All the best with it.
Merri
Thanks Merri. Just in case you’re interested: Please check my News page for info about a CBE chapter in Sydney.
Wow I’d love to come … How cool!
RSVP through the CBE-Sydney website or through our facebook page.
Or better still, email us: info@cbesydney.org.au
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