Apollos
(given by Apollo) a Jew from Alexandria, eloquent (which may also mean learned) and mighty in the Scriptures; one instructed in the way of the Lord, according to the imperfect view of the disciples of John the Baptist, (Acts 18:24) but on his coming to Ephesus during a temporary absence of St. Paul, A.D. 54, more perfectly taught by Aquila and Priscilla. After this he became a preacher of the gospel, first in Achaia and then in Corinth.
(Acts 18:27; 19:1) When the apostle wrote his First Epistle to the Corinthians, Apollos was with or near him, (1 Corinthians 16:12) probably at Ephesus in A.D. 57. He is mentioned but once more in the New Testament, in (Titus 3:13) After this nothing is known of him. Tradition makes him bishop of Caesarea.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Apollos
Apollos a-pol'-os (Apollos, the short form of Apollonius): Apollos was a Jew of Alexandrian race (Ac 18:24) who reached Ephesus in the summer of 54 AD, while Paul was on his third missionary journey, and there he "spake and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus" (Ac 18:25). That he was eminently fitted for the task is indicated by the fact of his being a "learned man," "mighty in the scriptures," "fervent in spirit," "instructed in the way of the Lord" (Ac 18:24-25). His teaching was however incomplete in that he knew "only the baptism of John" (Ac 18:25), and this has given rise to some controversy. According to Blass, his information was derived from a written gospel which reached Alexandria, but it was more probably the fruits of what Apollos had heard, either directly or from others, of the preaching of John the Baptist at Bethany beyond Jordan (compare Joh 1:28). Upon receiving further instruction from Priscilla and Aquila (Ac 18:26), Apollos extended his mission to Achaia, being encouraged thereto by the brethren of Ephesus (Ac 18:27). In Achaia "he helped them much tha…
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Apollos
An Alexandrian Jew (Ac 18"). Apollonius, of which Apollos is a natural abbreviation, is the reading of Cod. D, the chief representative of the Western text of the Acts, which is here very interesting, and probably presents a genuine tradition. He is described as 'fervent in spirit' (see lio 12"), as 'an eloquent man' (for Xi^iot means this rather than ' learned '), and as ' mighty in the Scriptures,' i.e. well versed in the Gr. OT. He seems to have been connected with Alexandria by early residence as well as by race, for D records that his religious instruction was received ir rj varplSi. He came to Ephesus in the summer of 54, while St. Paul was on his third missionary journey, and there ' he spake and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John ; and he began to speak boldly in the syna- fogue.' The precise character of his religious nowledge is not easily determined from these few words. It has been generally held that A.'s instruction in 'the way of the Lord' (v.''', see Is 40^ Mt 3') was such as any well-educated Jew might have gathered from t…
Fausset's Bible Dictionary on Apollos
(Apollonius or Apollodorus). An Alexandrine Jew, "eloquent (or learned) and mighty in the Scriptures" (which had been translated into the famous Greek version, the Septuagint, at his birthplace) (Act 18:24-25). "Instructed in the way of the Lord,"so far as John the Baptist could instruct hint; for this had been the main subject of John's ministry, "prepare ye the way of the Lord" (Mat 3:3). Apollos was "fervent in spirit;" and so when he came to Ephesus, "he spoke and taught diligently the things of Jesus" (so the three oldest manuscripts read), as John had pointed to Jesus as the Messiah. But Apollos knew only the water baptism of John; he did not yet know that what John had foretold ("I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He Messiah shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire") had actually come to pass, in the church's baptism with the Spirit on Pentecost, and that graces and gifts were now being bestowed on the several living stones composing "the temple of the Holy Spirit." (Compare Act 19:1-6.) But Aquila and Priscilla, on hearing him, "took him unto the…
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia