APOLLOS ə pŏl’ əs (̓Απολλῶς, G663, perhaps an abbreviated form of Απολλώνιος. Douay VS form Apollo, in agreement with Vul.). A gifted, scholarly, zealous preacher in the early Christian church (Acts 18:24-28; 19:1; 1 Cor 1:12; 3:4-6, 22; 4:6; 16:12; Titus 3:13).
Apollos was a Jew, “a native of Alexandria” (Acts 18:24), and presumably grew up in that noted center of the Hel. world where Gentile and Jewish learning met and interacted. He possessed a keen mind and had received thorough educational training. He was “an eloquent man,” possessing not only a well-stored mind but also a natural facility of speech. He was “well versed in the scriptures,” possessing a mastery of the OT. He was proficient in their use in teaching and debate. He had also developed the valuable trait of accuracy in study and teaching (18:25).
Apollos “had been instructed in the way of the Lord” (18:25), but his teacher is not known. He may have been a disciple of John the Baptist; Codex D adds that he had been instructed “in his native land.” The knowledge of Apollos was limited, for “he knew only the baptism of John.” He knew enough to be convinced that Jesus was the Messiah. That he “taught accurately the things concerning Jesus” implies that he did have a general acquaintance with His ministry and teaching, but he was uninformed concerning the outcome and spiritual results of Christ’s mission. Yet his limited knowledge concerning Jesus made him “fervent in spirit,” bubbling with enthusiasm and zeal to share it with others. It set him to itinerating.
Upon his arrival in Ephesus, Apollos “began to speak boldly in the synagogue” (18:26). He had the courage to present his convictions to his Jewish audience. In the audience were two lay Christians, Priscilla and Aquila. They doubtless were impressed with the fervor of Apollos but noted his imperfect message. “They took” Apollos, apparently to their home, and tactfully “expounded to him the way of God more accurately,” explaining to him the Gospel in its fullness as they had learned it from Paul. That it included instruction in the significance of Christian baptism may be assumed, but Luke gives no hint that Apollos was baptized. If he had received John’s baptism before Pentecost, his baptism, like that of the Twelve, would be accepted as valid.
The desire of Apollos to work in Achaia received the warm support of “the brethren” at Ephesus (18:27). They gave him a letter of recommendation to the disciples there. Codex D adds the gloss that the decision of Apollos was made at the urging of certain Corinthians resident at Ephesus.
The ministry of Apollos had great value for the Corinthian church, for he “greatly helped those who through grace had believed.” His powerful preaching strengthened the development of uninstructed believers. Thus Apollos “watered” the work that Paul had planted (1 Cor 3:6). His dynamic apologetic ministry also aided the church in silencing Jewish opposition in that “he powerfully confuted the Jews in public, showing by the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus” (Acts 18:28). The ministry went beyond the confines of the church, as he aggressively pressed the claim that Jesus was the Messiah through his skillful use of the OT Scriptures.
The strong ministry of Apollos at Corinth also produced some undesirable reactions in the church. Deeply impressed with his eloquent preaching, certain Corinthians began to make him the focus of partisan loyalty for one of the four factions into which the church divided (1 Cor 1:12). In dividing the church over their favorite preachers, they forgot that all of them were but “fellow workers for God” (3:9). Paul’s rebuke of their factions (chs. 1-4) was not aimed at Apollos but at the Corinthians themselves (4:6).
When Paul wrote 1 Corinthians, Apollos was with him at Ephesus (16:12). The Corinthians had indicated a desire to have Apollos return to Corinth. Paul had urged him to return, but Apollos had refused to do so at the time in order to avoid reviving the party spirit in the church. That he had been made the center for one of their factions doubtless was as distasteful to Apollos as to Paul.
Nothing further is heard of Apollos until Titus 3:13. Paul instructed Titus “to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way.” They had met Paul in some unnamed place. Since their journey was taking them through Crete, Paul apparently asked them to deliver his letter to Titus.
It would seem that Apollos did not feel called to the pioneer work of planting new churches. He apparently devoted his efforts to the strengthening of churches already established.
The apt suggestion of Luther that Apollos was the author of Hebrews has found favor with many scholars. While plausible, the suggestion lacks proof.
Bibliography Comms. on Acts and 1 Corinthians. W. M. Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen (1909), 252, 267, 268; H. S. Seekings, The Men of the Pauline Circle (1914), 107-114; J. Hastings, ed., The Greater Men and Women of the Bible, VI (1916), 281-297; H. C. Lees, St. Paul’s Friends (1917), 68-86; A. T. Robertson, Types of Preachers in the NT (1922), 13-29; A. C. McGiffert, History of Christianity in the Apostolic Age (1951), 290-294.