Apollos

For the butterflies, see Parnassius.

Saint Apollos (Απολλως; contracted from Apollonius) is an apostle who is also a 1st century Alexandrian Jewish Christian mentioned several times in the New Testament. After the Christian couple Priscilla and Aquila corrected his incomplete Christian doctrine, his special gifts in preaching Jesus persuasively made him an important person in the congregation at Corinth, Greece after Paul's first visit there.[1 Cor. 3:6] He was with Paul at a later date in Ephesus.[16:12]

Contents

Helper to Paul of Tarsus

Paul considered Apollos to be an apostle (1 Cor 4:6, 9-13)[1] who became a leader in the important Corinthian congregation.[1 Cor 3:6] [4:6] [16:12] In harmony with Paul's notices are the statements in Acts that Apollos was a highly educated Alexandrian Jew, who "spoke and taught accurately about Jesus, even though he knew only the baptism of John." [Acts 18:24-28] He came to Ephesus (probably in the year 52-3 CE). After Christians in Ephesus first wrote to their counterparts recommending Apollos to them, he went to Achaia where Paul names him as an apostle (1 Cor 4:6, 9-13) Given that Paul only saw himself as an apostle 'untimely born' (1 Cor 15:8) it is certain that Apollos became an apostle in the regular way (as a witness to the risen Lord and commissioned by Jesus - 1 Cor 15:5-9; 1 Cor 9:1).[1]

Christian doctrine

From Acts 18:24-28 we deduce that Apollos had an 'accurate' understanding of Jesus most likely derived from the Scriptures. He was also boiling in the Spirit which is most likely the Holy Spirit. Apollos only knew of the baptism of John which suggests, as is reflected in Acts, that consistent baptismal practice was still developing in the nascent church. He began to preach boldly to the crowds about Jesus with accuracy and Priscilla and Aquila, who had accompanied Paul to Ephesus, and were still there, though Paul had departed, correctively instructed the eloquent and brilliant Apollos. "When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more adequately."[Acts 18:26] Though already an apostle, Apollos was open to instruction on a fine point of Christian doctrine.

Possible preaching style

Apollos, portrayed as both outspoken and scholarly, may have captivated his hearers by teaching "wisdom" in the allegorical style of Philo. He was evidently a man of unusual magnetic force. This suggestion has been recently repeated by Jerome Murphy-O'Connor: "It is difficult to imagine that an Alexandrian Jew ... could have escaped the influence of Philo, the great intellectual leader ... particularly since the latter seems to have been especially concerned with education and preaching."[2]

Divisions in Corinthian church

In 1 Cor. 1:10-12 are references to four parties in the Corinthian church, of which two attached themselves to Paul and Apollos respectively, using their names (the third and fourth were Peter, identified as Cephas, and Jesus himself). There is no indication that Apollos favored or approved an overestimation of his person. Apollos and Paul were both in Ephesus at the time Paul wrote the letter (55 AD); 16:12 states Apollos was unwilling to go to Corinth yet at Paul's urging, but that he would later when he had an opportunity.

Retirement and bishop status

Jerome states that Apollos was so dissatisfied with the division at Corinth, that he retired to Crete with Zenas, a doctor of the law; and that the schism having been healed by Paul's letter to the Corinthians, Apollos returned to the city, and became its bishop. Less probable traditions assign to him the bishopric of Duras, or of Iconium in Phrygia, or of Caesarea. In the Epistle to Titus, [3:13] Apollos is mentioned with Zenas as bearer of the letter to Crete.

Other

Martin Luther and some modern scholars have proposed Apollos as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, rather than Barnabas, another contender. Both were Hebrew Christians with sufficient intellectual authority.[3] Other than this, there are no known surviving texts attributed to Apollos.

Apollos is regarded as a saint by several Christian churches, including the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, which hold a commemoration for him, Aquila and Priscilla on February 13.

Endnotes

  1. ^ So the Alexandrian recension; the text in \mathfrak{P}38 and Codex Bezae indicate that Apollos went to Corinth. Joseph Fitzmyer, The Acts of the Apostles (New York: Doubleday, 1998), p. 639
  2. ^ J Murphy-O'Connor. Paul: A critical life. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996, p. 275
  3. ^ The NIV study bible, new international version; English (UK) edition; London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1987; p.1817.

References