“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” (Acts 18:26).
Priscilla and Aquila were New Testament workers who helped Paul in his ministry. They were missionaries and church planters, too. One phase of their work was teaching new converts.
Our verse speaks of a very zealous convert named Apollos. As one commentary put it, “Apollos had previously been in Egypt when someone told him about John the Baptist and his teachings about Jesus. That’s all he knew at that point but he went with what he knew about Jesus. He just needed to hear the rest of the story that Jesus was the Messiah.”
In Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila heard Apollos preach a dynamic message. However afterwards they, in love, took Apollo aside to fill in the blanks of what had happened to Jesus since John the Baptist. Obviously, what they shared only added to Apollos’ boldness in spreading the gospel. Apollos was encouraged by others to keep preaching.
As we work with others, we must be willing to forbear with others as they learn the truths of God’s Word. You didn’t learn what you now know overnight. Your patience will be rewarded as you see those you teach mature in the Lord. Patient teaching is not a new concept in missions work. What is new is that Christians aren’t practicing this as in times past. Where would you be in the work of the Lord if someone hadn’t taught you?
Sue Winchester
Missouri
PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for college students as they prepare to begin a new phase of their life.
