Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 18:26
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.
26. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue ] For the Jews were not all ready to listen to announcements of the approach of the Messiah. The speaker must be prepared with arguments as well as courage who dwelt on this theme, about which the Jews had been deluded by many impostors.
But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him ] This is the commencement of a new sentence in the original, and the oldest texts put the name of the wife before that of her husband as in Act 18:18. By joining her in this marked way with Aquila in the communications with Apollos, the historian indicates that she was a woman of great power and zeal among the Christians. It has been suggested that she was perhaps a born Jewess and her husband not so, which might account for the prominence given in several places to her name. It may be noted here, as so often, that Aquila and his wife, like the other Judo-Christians, still attended the worship of the synagogue.
they took him unto them ] He would be much more in sympathy with them than with the Jewish congregation. He was prepared to accept the Messiah, but did not yet understand that Jesus was He.
and expounded unto him the way of God more carefully ] The adverb here is the same as in the previous verse, and the use of it seems to shew that the studies of Aquila and his wife in the Scriptures had been of the same earnest kind as those of Apollos. By the “way of God” we must understand God’s further working out of the Old Testament prediction in the closing events of the life of Jesus, and in the gift of the Holy Ghost. That Joel’s prophecy, quoted by St Peter on the day of Pentecost (Act 2:16), had been thus fulfilled, was new learning for the eloquent Alexandrian. As also the newly appointed means of grace in baptism and the breaking of bread, with the promise of salvation to faith in Christ. These also may be included as part of the “way of God,” being means whereby men are brought nearer to Him.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And expounded – Explained.
The way of God – Gave him full and ample instructions respecting the Messiah as having already come, and respecting the nature of his work.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 26. They took him unto them] This eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, who was even a public teacher, was not ashamed to be indebted to the instructions of a Christian woman, in matters that not only concerned his own salvation, but also the work of the ministry, in which he was engaged. It is disgraceful to a man to be ignorant, when he may acquire wisdom; but it is no disgrace to acquire wisdom from the meanest person or thing. The adage is good: Despise not advice, even of the meanest: the gaggling of geese preserved the Roman state.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
If we allow Priscilla to have contributed towards the instruction of Apollos, as doubtless we may, it is certain it was only in private discourse; which being joined with a meek and humble behaviour, might be very effectual for the conversion of souls, 1Pe 3:1,2. Thus Timothy was indebted for his knowledge in the things of God to his mother and grandmother, 2Ti 1:5. But otherwise it is not lawful for a woman to teach, 1Ti 2:11,12.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
26. speak boldly in the synagogue,whom when Aquila and Priscilla heardjoying to observe theextent of Scripture knowledge and evangelical truth which hedisplayed, and the fervency, courage, and eloquence with which hepreached the truth.
they took him untothemprivately.
and expounded unto him theway of God more perfectlyopening up those truths, to him asyet unknown, on which the Spirit had shed such glorious light. (Inwhat appears to be the true reading of this verse, Priscilla is putbefore Aquila, as in Ac 18:18[see on Ac 18:18]; she beingprobably the more intelligent and devoted of the two). One cannot butobserve how providential it was that this couple should have beenleft at Ephesus when Paul sailed thence for Syria; and no doubt itwas chiefly to pave the way for the better understanding of thisepisode that the fact is expressly mentioned by the historian in Ac18:19. We see here also an example of not only lay agency(as it is called), but female agency of the highest kind andwith the most admirable fruit. Nor can one help admiring the humilityand teachableness of so gifted a teacher in sitting at the feet of aChristian woman and her husband.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue,…. Of the Jews at Ephesus; using great freedom of speech, and showing much intrepidity and greatness of soul, and presence of mind; not fearing the faces of men, nor the revilings and contradictions of the Jews:
whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard; they attending at the synagogue, and having observed what he delivered, that there was some deficiency in it, though they took no notice of it publicly; partly on their own account, it not being proper, especially for Priscilla, to speak in public, nor was it allowed in the Jewish synagogues for a woman to speak there; and partly on his account, that they might not put him to the blush, and discourage him; and chiefly on account of the Gospel, that they might not lay any stumblingblocks in the way of that, and of young converts, and give an occasion to the adversary to make advantages: wherefore
they took him unto them; they took him aside when he came out of the synagogue, and privately conversed with him; they had him “to their own house”; as the Syriac version renders it;
and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly; these two doubtless had received a considerable measure of evangelical light and knowledge from the Apostle Paul, during the time of their conversation with him; and as they freely received from him, they freely imparted it to Apollos, with a good design to spread the truth of the Gospel, and to promote it and the interest of Christ in the world: and as on the one hand it was a good office, and a kind part in them, to communicate knowledge to him, so it was an instance of a good spirit, and of condescension in him, to be taught and instructed by them; especially since one of them was a woman, and both mechanics, and made but a mean figure: and from hence it may be observed, that women of grace, knowledge, and experience, though they are not allowed to teach in public, yet they may, and ought to communicate in private, what they know of divine things, for the use of others.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
They took him unto them (). Second aorist middle (indirect) indicative of , old verb, to their home and heart as companion (cf. the rabbis and the ruffians in 17:5). Probably for dinner after service.
Expounded (). Second aorist (effective) middle indicative of seen already in 11:4, to set forth.
More carefully (). Comparative adverb of . More accurately than he already knew. Instead of abusing the young and brilliant preacher for his ignorance they (particularly Priscilla) gave him the fuller story of the life and work of Jesus and of the apostolic period to fill up the gaps in his knowledge. It is a needed and delicate task, this thing of teaching gifted young ministers. They do not learn it all in schools. More of it comes from contact with men and women rich in grace and in the knowledge of God’s ways. He was not rebaptized, but only received fuller information.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
More perfectly [] . The comparative of the same word. More accurately.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue,” (houtos te erksato parresiazesthat en te sunagoge) “Then this man (Apollos) began to speak boldly in the synagogue,” of the Jews at Ephesus, regarding sin, repentance, and faith in Jesus Christ, as requisites of the baptism of John, before one could enter into the program of worship and service of the messiah, Jesus Christ; Repentance and faith, the one way to salvation, must precede heaven sanctioned baptism, Act 10:43; Act 20:21; Joh 4:1-2; Mat 28:18-20.
2) “Whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard,” (akousantes de autou Priskilla kai Akulas) “Then when Aquila and Priscilla heard him,” witnessing so fervently of the one way of salvation that all true prophets had preached, to the time of John the Baptist, the forerunner or herald of Jesus, the Messiah, Act 10:43; Mat 3:1-12; Joh 1:1-34.
3) “They took him unto them, and expounded unto him,” (proselabonto auton kai akribesteron auto eksethento) “They took him (to themselves) and explained to him more accurately or carefully,” with more clarity, as they for near two years had been instructed by Paul, concerning Jesus Christ and His New Covenant church, her call, her mission, her anointing or empowering, or her special Spiritual gifts, Act 18:1-3; Act 18:11.
4) “The way of God more perfectly.” (ten hodori tou theou) “The way of God,–( ‘ akribesteron) “More clearly, accurately, or explicitly,” than when John the Baptist had preached. It was not different from, but in harmony with, and supplemental to the preaching of John, since the church had been established, instructed, commissioned or mandated, and empowered of the Holy Spirit and special spiritual gifts since the preaching of John, some of which Apollos did not know, Mat 4:19-21; Mat 16:18; Mat 28:18; Mat 28:20; Joh 15:16; Joh 15:26-27; Joh 20:21; Luk 24:44-52; Act 1:8; Act 2:1-12.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
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26. Whom, when Priscilla. By this it appeareth how far Priscilla and Aquila were from the love of themselves, and from envying another man’s virtue, in that they deliver those things familiarly and privately to an eloquent man, which he may afterward utter publicly. They excelled not in the same grace wherein he did excel, and, peradventure, they might have been despised in the congregation. Moreover, they most diligently help him, whom they see better furnished as well with eloquence as the use of the Scripture; so that they keep silence, and he alone is heard. −
Again, this was no small modesty which was in Apollos, in that he doth suffer himself to be taught and instructed not only in [by] an handy-craftsman, but also by a woman. He was mighty in the Scripture, and did surpass − (350) them; but as touching the accomplishment of the kingdom of Christ, those do polish and trim him who might seem to be scarce fit ministers. Also, we see that at that time women were not so ignorant of the word of God as the Papists will have them; forasmuch as we see that one of. the chief teachers of the Church was instructed by a woman. Notwithstanding, we must remember that Priscilla did execute this function of teaching at home in her own house, that she might not overthrow the order prescribed by God and nature. −
(350) −
“
Illis longe superior,” and far superior to them.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(26) Whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard . . .Many of the best MSS. put Priscillas name first, as in Act. 18:18. The fact mentioned is interesting as showing (1) that Aquila and his wife continued to attend the services of the synagogue, and (2) that Apollos appeared there, as St. Paul had done, in the character of a Rabbi who had a message to deliver, and was therefore allowed, or, it may be, requested (as in Act. 13:15), to address the people.
And expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.Better, as maintaining the right relation of the comparative to the positive adverb of the previous verse, more accurately. The prominence given to Priscilla in this instruction implies that she was a woman of more than ordinary culture, a student of the older Scriptures, able, with a prophetic insight, to help even the disciple of Philo to understand them better than he had done before. It follows of necessity that the way of God which they expounded to him was the gospel as they had learnt it from St. Paul, perhaps as they had learnt it, at an earlier stage, from the lips of Stephen or his followers. (See Note on Act. 18:2.) It would include, to put the matter somewhat technically, the doctrines of salvation by grace, and justification by faith, and the gift of the Spirit, and union with Christ through baptism and the Supper of the Lord. It would seem to follow almost necessarily, as in the case of the twelve disciples in the next chapter (Act. 19:1-6), that Apollos, who had before known only the baptism of John, was now baptised into the name of the Lord Jesus.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
26. Began Opened his ministry in Ephesus after he came.
Expounded more perfectly The Greek word for diligently in Act 18:25 more properly signifies accurately. The same Greek word here is used in the comparative. But if Apollos preached accurately at first, how could he be taught to preach more accurately? The first accuracy, we suppose, was the proper accuracy of a Johnite; than which the accuracy of a Christian was more accurate.
Aquila and Priscilla unfolded to Apollos the wonderful fact of a Messiah already come. They gave him the history of the incarnation, the miracles, the crucifixion, the resurrection, the ascension, the pentecostal affusion, and the commission to convert the world. This pupil was soon superior to his teachers. Aquila and Priscilla remained at Ephesus long enough to salute Paul on his return to that city, and to have him send their salutations thence to the Church at Corinth in the first epistle, (1Co 16:19.) The faithful pair had a “Church in their house.” Afterward, (Rom 16:3,) residing at Rome, they are greeted by the apostle himself as having been ready to sacrifice their lives to his, as worthy the thanks of all the Gentile Churches, and as still possessing a “Church in their house.” Again they return to Ephesus, and are again greeted by the great apostle. (2Ti 4:19.) This is their last New Testament record; but tradition reports their martyrdom by the axe.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him to them, and expounded to him the way of God more accurately.’
In God’s goodness he began to proclaim his teaching in the synagogue in Ephesus which was attended by Priscilla and Aquila. When they heard what he had to say they took him to one side and updated his teaching, explaining to him ‘the way of God more accurately’. In other words they filled him in on what was lacking in his teaching through lack of knowledge, telling him about the death of Jesus as Messiah, and His resurrection and enthronement through which men could be saved and as a result of which He had sent the full blessing of the poured out Holy Spirit. And he seemingly responded to such an extent that the Ephesian believers then felt able to recommend him to the churches in Achaia.
We may see in all this a re-enactment of John’s ministry and its blossoming into the full revelation of Jesus Christ.
For ‘the way of God’ compare Mat 22:16 where it refers to the teaching of Jesus, Mar 12:14 where it refers to the teaching of Jesus as paralleled with the idea of the best of Jewish teaching, and Luk 20:21 where it very much emphasises the special nature of Jesus’ teaching. It does not directly appear in the Old Testament, but compare ‘the way of holiness’ (Isa 35:8). We must also keep in mind the description of Christianity as ‘the Way’ (compare Act 16:17; Act 19:9; Act 22:4; Act 24:22)
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 18:26 . ] to which afterwards corresponds, see Winer, p. 409 [E. T. 548]; Khner, ad Xen. Anab. v. 5. 8.
] beginning of the . . Immediately afterwards Aquila and Priscilla, who had temporarily settled in Ephesus (Act 18:18 f.), and had heard him speak from which they could not but learn what he lacked took him to themselves for private instruction.
] the same as . , Act 18:25 , inasmuch as the whole work of Christ is the work of God . That, also, Christian baptism was administered to Apollos by Aquila, is neither to be assumed as self-evident (Erasmus, Grotius, and others), nor is it to be arbitrarily added, with Olshausen, that he first received the Holy Spirit at Corinth by Paul (?). Ewald correctly remarks: “there could be no mention of a new baptism in the case of a man already, in a spiritual sense, moved deeply enough.” See on Act 19:5 . The Holy Spirit had already taken up His abode in his fervent spirit, a relation which could only be furthered by the instruction of Aquila and Priscilla.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
26 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.
Ver. 26. And expounded unto him ] A humble man will be glad to learn of the meanest that is. “A little child shall lead him,” Isa 11:6 . One man may, for counsel, be a God to another, as Moses was to Aaron.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
26. ] The former accuracy was only in facts : this is the still more expanded accuracy of doctrine . That was merely , as He lived and ministered on earth: this included also the promise of the Spirit, and its performance.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 18:26 . , see above on p. 242; whatever was the exact form of the belief of Apollos, he had at all events the courage of his convictions. showing that Priscilla and Aquila had not separated themselves from their fellow-countrymen. , cf. Act 17:5 , i.e. , for instruction in private. : on its use by St. Luke see above on Act 18:25 . The word is used by Dioscorides in his preface to his De Materia Medica : see Weiss-Meyer’s Kommentar on Luk 1:1 , and Vogel, p. 17, as an instance of medical language. : we are not told whether he was baptised, but Act 19:5 makes it probable that he was; see Zckler’s note. “Qui Jesum Christum novit, potentes in Scriptura docere potest,” Bengel, and Vogel u. s.
he = this one.
speak boldly. Greek. parrhesiazomai. See note on Act 9:27.
expounded. Greek. ektithemi. Set out before him. See note on Act 7:21.
more perfectly = more accurately. Comp. of akribos, Act 18:25.
26. ] The former accuracy was only in facts: this is the still more expanded accuracy of doctrine. That was merely , as He lived and ministered on earth: this included also the promise of the Spirit, and its performance.
Act 18:26. , he began) To him who hath it shall be given.-, having heard) They thus distinguished what was wanting in him.-, expounded) by private instruction. He who knows Jesus Christ, can teach those powerful in the Scripture; and the latter are readily taught by the former.
to speak: Act 14:3, Isa 58:1, Eph 6:19, Eph 6:20
Aquila: Act 18:2, Act 18:3
expounded: Act 8:31, Act 28:23, Pro 1:5, Pro 9:9, Pro 22:17, Pro 22:18, Pro 25:12, Mat 18:3, Mat 18:4, Mar 10:15, Luk 19:26, Luk 24:27, Joh 7:17, 1Co 3:18, 1Co 8:2, 1Co 12:21, Heb 6:1, 2Pe 3:18
Reciprocal: Pro 31:26 – openeth Act 13:10 – the right Act 16:17 – the way Act 19:23 – that Act 22:4 – this Rom 16:3 – Priscilla 1Co 3:6 – Apollos 1Co 16:19 – Aquila 2Ti 4:19 – Prisca 2Pe 2:2 – ways
6
Act 18:26. Aquila and Priscilla had been instructed by Paul (verses 2, 3), and were able to supply the points that Apollos lacked. It should be noted that they expounded the way of God, showing an instance where a woman helped to get a preacher better acquainted with the teaching of the Gospel.
Act 18:26. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. This was a usual custom with strangers. Our Lord, we know, was in the habit of thus speaking in strange synagogues, as was also Paul in the course of his many journeys.
Whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard. The presence in the Jewish synagogue, so long after their conversion to Christianity, of persons known to be so earnest, devoted to the faith, reminds us how close and intimate at the first were the bonds between the synagogue and the church. The Christian Priscilla and Aquila had no intention of deserting the old ancestral religion they loved so well. They were still Jews, only they knew Messiah had come.
They took him unto them, and expounded onto him the way of God more perfectly. It would be indeed interesting if we could see now some document containing the exposition of the way of God by Priscilla and Aquila. They had, we believe, first learned the story of the Cross and the doctrines of Jesus at Rome from some pilgrim who had most likely been present at the first Pentecost at Jerusalem. They are the earliest members that we are acquainted with by name of the Church of Rome; and besides this early knowledge of the faith, they added a deep experience of the teaching and doctrines of Paul, whose intimate friends and associates they were.
See notes on verse 24
26. While Apollos, the most eloquent preacher in the world, having come from Africa by way of the Mediterranean to Ephesus, the metropolis of Western Asia, is holding the multitude spell-bound by his inimitable oratory, Aquila and Priscilla, an humble layman and his wife, having been wonderfully sanctified while associated with Paul in tent-making and evangelistic work in Corinth, perceive by spiritual discernment (1Co 12:10) [reading the preacher like a book] that he is yet alien to the glorious experience of Christian perfection. Therefore taking him home with them they expounded unto him the way more perfectly, thus honored by the Holy Ghost to lead this humble brother, so wonderfully enriched with the rare gift of native eloquence, into the glorious experience of entire sanctification, thus leading him forward out of the Johanic into the Pentecostal dispensation of grace, and thus congenializing him to the grand open field of the Pauline churches.
18:26 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 {o} way of God more perfectly.
(o) The way that leads to God.
Luke named Priscilla here before her husband. He did not explain the reason for this unusual order in the text. [Note: See my comment on Act 18:2 above.] This couple wisely took Apollos aside and privately instructed him in subsequent revelations about "the way of God" (i.e., the gospel) that he did not know.
"Before the encounter with Aquila and Priscilla, it is best to regard Apollos in the same class as OT saints. They too hoped for salvation in Messiah and had not rejected him. The entire Book of Acts depicts the transition from Judaism to Christianity. It is not surprising, therefore, to find imperfect forms of faith during those epochal days." [Note: Kent, p. 149.]
Another possibility is that Apollos was a New Testament Christian who had not yet learned as much as Priscilla and Aquila had about their faith.
Priscilla and Aquila were an outstanding couple who give evidence of having a strong marriage. They always appear together on the pages of Scripture. They were selfless and brave and even risked their own lives for Paul (Rom 16:4). They were hospitable and hosted a church in their home (1Co 16:19), and they were flexible, as seen in their moving twice (Act 18:2; Act 18:18). They worked together as leather-workers (Act 18:3). They were committed to Christ and to teaching others about Him, which their instruction of Apollos illustrates.
"It is a needed and delicate task, this thing of teaching gifted young ministers. They do not learn it all in schools. More of it comes from contact with men and women rich in grace and in the knowledge of God’s ways." [Note: Robertson, 3:308.]
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)