When Apollos resolved to cross over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On his arrival, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. When Apollos resolvedThe phrase "resolved" indicates a firm decision or determination. In the Greek, the word used is "βουλεύομαι" (bouleuomai), which implies a deliberate and thoughtful decision. Apollos, a learned man and eloquent speaker, made a conscious choice to continue his ministry in Achaia. This reflects the importance of intentionality in ministry and the guidance of the Holy Spirit in directing our paths. to cross over to Achaia
Achaia was a region in Greece, and crossing over signifies a transition or movement. The Greek word "διαβαίνω" (diabaino) means to pass through or go across. This movement symbolizes the spread of the Gospel beyond local boundaries, emphasizing the missionary nature of the early church. Achaia, being a significant cultural and economic center, highlights the strategic importance of spreading the Gospel in influential regions. the brothers encouraged him
The term "brothers" refers to fellow believers, indicating the close-knit community of the early church. The Greek word "ἀδελφοί" (adelphoi) is often used to denote spiritual kinship. Encouragement, from the Greek "παρακαλέω" (parakaleo), means to exhort, comfort, or urge. This shows the supportive role of the Christian community in empowering individuals for ministry, underscoring the importance of mutual support and affirmation in the body of Christ. and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him
Writing letters was a common means of communication in the ancient world. The Greek "γράφω" (grapho) indicates the act of writing, which was crucial for maintaining connections between distant communities. The instruction to "welcome" Apollos, from the Greek "δέχομαι" (dechomai), means to receive or accept warmly. This reflects the hospitality and unity within the early church, as well as the recognition of Apollos' gifts and calling. On his arrival
This phrase marks the beginning of Apollos' ministry in Achaia. The Greek "παραγίνομαι" (paraginomai) means to come or appear. Apollos' arrival signifies the continuation of God's work through His servants, reminding us that God prepares the way for His messengers and orchestrates divine appointments for the advancement of His kingdom. he was a great help
The phrase "great help" underscores the significant impact Apollos had on the believers. The Greek "συμβάλλω" (symballo) means to contribute or assist. Apollos' knowledge and eloquence were instrumental in strengthening the faith of the believers, illustrating how God equips individuals with unique gifts to edify the church. to those who by grace had believed
This phrase highlights the foundation of faith as a result of God's grace. The Greek "χάρις" (charis) refers to unmerited favor, emphasizing that belief is not based on human effort but on divine grace. The believers' faith, from the Greek "πιστεύω" (pisteuo), signifies trust and reliance on God. This underscores the transformative power of grace in bringing individuals to faith and sustaining them in their spiritual journey. Persons / Places / Events 1. ApollosA learned Jew from Alexandria, known for his eloquence and knowledge of the Scriptures. He was fervent in spirit and taught accurately about Jesus, though he initially knew only the baptism of John. 2. AchaiaA region in Greece where Corinth was a major city. It was a significant area for early Christian missionary work. 3. The BrothersFellow believers in Ephesus who supported Apollos' ministry and facilitated his journey to Achaia by writing letters of recommendation. 4. The Disciples in AchaiaThe Christian community in Achaia who received Apollos and benefited from his teaching and encouragement. 5. GraceThe unmerited favor of God, which is a central theme in the New Testament, emphasizing salvation and empowerment for believers. Teaching Points The Importance of Encouragement in MinistryThe brothers in Ephesus encouraged Apollos, demonstrating the vital role of support and affirmation in Christian service. We should actively encourage and support those who are called to ministry. The Role of Letters of RecommendationThe early church used letters to introduce and commend believers to new communities. Today, we can apply this principle by providing references and endorsements for those serving in ministry. The Power of Grace in BeliefThe passage highlights that those who believed did so by grace. This reminds us that faith is a gift from God, and we should rely on His grace in our spiritual journey. The Value of Sound TeachingApollos was a great help because of his sound teaching. We should strive to be well-versed in Scripture and seek to teach accurately, benefiting others in their faith. Collaboration in MinistryApollos' ministry in Achaia shows the importance of collaboration among believers. We should work together, recognizing that different people contribute uniquely to the growth of the church. Bible Study Questions 1. How can we, like the brothers in Ephesus, encourage and support those who are called to ministry in our own communities? 2. In what ways can we ensure that our teaching and understanding of Scripture are accurate and beneficial to others? 3. How does the concept of grace influence our understanding of faith and belief in our daily lives? 4. What are some practical ways we can collaborate with other believers to further the mission of the church? 5. How can we apply the principle of providing recommendations and endorsements in our modern context to support fellow believers in their ministry endeavors? Connections to Other Scriptures 1 Corinthians 3:5-6Paul refers to Apollos as a fellow worker in God's service, highlighting the collaborative nature of ministry and the growth of the church through different leaders. Romans 12:6-8This passage discusses the diverse gifts within the body of Christ, encouraging believers to use their gifts for the edification of the church, much like Apollos did. Ephesians 4:11-12Paul speaks about the roles within the church, such as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, for equipping the saints and building up the body of Christ. People Apollos, Aquila, Claudius, Corinthians, Crispus, Gallio, John, Justus, Paul, Priscilla, Silas, Sosthenes, Timotheus, Timothy, TitusPlaces Achaia, Alexandria, Athens, Caesarea, Cenchreae, Corinth, Ephesus, Galatia, Italy, Macedonia, Phrygia, Pontus, Rome, Syria, Syrian AntiochTopics Achaia, Acha'ia, Across, Arrival, Arrived, Arriving, Begging, Believed, Brethren, Brothers, Contributed, Corinth, Cross, Desire, Determined, Disciples, Disposed, Encouraged, Engaging, Exhorted, Exhorting, Faith, Grace, Greatly, Greece, Helped, Kindly, Letters, Mind, Minded, Pass, Purposed, Receive, Rendered, Requesting, Valuable, Wanted, Welcome, Wished, WroteDictionary of Bible Themes Acts 18:27 5262 commendation
6671 grace, and Christian life
7025 church, unity
7742 missionaries, support
8025 faith, origins of Acts 18:24-28 5842 eloquence Acts 18:27-28 5293 defence, human
8415 encouragement, examples Library 'Constrained by the Word'
'And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified.'--ACTS xviii. 5. The Revised Version, in concurrence with most recent authorities, reads, instead of 'pressed in the spirit,' 'constrained by the word.' One of these alterations depends on a diversity of reading, the other on a difference of translation. The one introduces a significant difference of meaning; the other is rather a change of expression. The word rendered here 'pressed,' and by the …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The ActsPaul at Corinth
'After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; 2. And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. 3. And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tent-makers. 4. And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. 5. And when Silas and Timotheus …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts Gallio
'And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong: or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you: 15. But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.'--ACTS xviii. 14, 15. There is something very touching in the immortality of fame which comes to the men who for a moment pass across the Gospel story, like shooting stars kindled for an instant as they …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts The Civil Trial
In the chapter before last we saw the Sanhedrim pass a death sentence on Jesus. Gladly would they have carried it out in the Jewish fashion--by stoning. But, as was then explained, it was not in their power: their Roman masters, while conceding to the native courts the power of trying and punishing minor offences, reserved to themselves the prerogative of life and death; and a case in which a capital sentence had been passed in a Jewish court had to go before the representative of Rome in the country, …
James Stalker—The Trial and Death of Jesus Christ The Old Faiths and the New
SECOND GROUP OF EPISTLES GALATIANS. FIRST AND SECOND CORINTHIANS. ROMANS. PROBLEMS OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY The new faith in Christ made large claims for itself. It marked an advance upon Judaism and maintained that in Christ was fulfilled all the promises made by the prophets of the coming of the Jewish Messiah. It radically antagonized the heathen religions. It had a double task to win men out of Judaism and heathenism. Only by a careful study of these great doctrinal Epistles, and the …
Henry T. Sell—Bible Studies in the Life of Paul Third Missionary Journey
Scripture, Acts 18:23-21:17 [Illustration: Outline map illustrating the third missionary journey of Paul and the voyage to Italy.] …
Henry T. Sell—Bible Studies in the Life of Paul There Also is Said at what Work the Apostle Wrought. ...
22. There also is said at what work the Apostle wrought. "After these things," it says, "he departed from Athens and came to Corinth; and having found a certain Jew, by name Aquila, of Pontus by birth, lately come from Italy, and Priscilla his wife, because that Claudius had ordered all Jews to depart from Rome, he came unto them, and because he was of the same craft he abode with them, doing work: for they were tent-makers." [2549] This if they shall essay to interpret allegorically, they show what …
St. Augustine—Of the Work of Monks. Jewish Homes
It may be safely asserted, that the grand distinction, which divided all mankind into Jews and Gentiles, was not only religious, but also social. However near the cities of the heathen to those of Israel, however frequent and close the intercourse between the two parties, no one could have entered a Jewish town or village without feeling, so to speak, in quite another world. The aspect of the streets, the building and arrangement of the houses, the municipal and religious rule, the manners and customs …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life Flight into Egypt and Slaughter of the Bethlehem Children.
(Bethlehem and Road Thence to Egypt, b.c. 4.) ^A Matt. II. 13-18. ^a 13 Now when they were departed [The text favors the idea that the arrival and departure of the magi and the departure of Joseph for Egypt, all occurred in one night. If so, the people of Bethlehem knew nothing of these matters], behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise [this command calls for immediate departure] and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt [This land was ever the …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel The Kingdom Conquering the World
Acts Page Paul's Epistles Page Outline for Study of Epistles Page I Thessalonians Page I Corinthians Page Romans Page Philippians Page II Timothy Page The General Epistles Page Questions on the Book of James Page Studies in I and II Peter Page I John Page THE ACTS I. Author: 1. Name. 2. Number of …
Frank Nelson Palmer—A Bird's-Eye View of the Bible Sources and Literature on St. Paul and his Work.
I. Sources. 1. The authentic sources: The Epistles of Paul, and the Acts of the Apostles 9:1-30 and 13 to 28. Of the Epistles of Paul the four most important Galatians, Romans, two Corinthians--are universally acknowledged as genuine even by the most exacting critics; the Philippians, Philemon, Colossians, and Ephesians are admitted by nearly all critics; the Pastoral Epistles, especially First Timothy, and Titus, are more or less disputed, but even they bear the stamp of Paul's genius. On the coincidences …
Philip Schaff—History of the Christian Church, Volume I Jewish views on Trade, Tradesmen, and Trades' Guilds
We read in the Mishnah (Kidd. iv. 14) as follows: "Rabbi Meir said: Let a man always teach his son a cleanly and a light trade; and let him pray to Him whose are wealth and riches; for there is no trade which has not both poverty and riches, and neither does poverty come from the trade nor yet riches, but everything according to one's deserving (merit). Rabbi Simeon, the son of Eleazer, said: Hast thou all thy life long seen a beast or a bird which has a trade? Still they are nourished, and that …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life King Herod's Enrollment
THE first enrollment in Syria was made in the year 8-7 BC., but a consideration of the situation in Syria and Palestine about that time will show that the enrollment in Herod's kingdom was probably delayed for some time later. Herod occupied a delicate and difficult position on the throne of Judea. On the one hand he had to comply with what was required of him by the Imperial policy; he was governing for the Romans a part of the empire, and he was bound to spread western customs and language and …
Sir William Mitchell Ramsay—Was Christ Born in Bethlehem? Luke's Attitude Towards the Roman World
The reign of Augustus, as is well known, is enveloped in the deepest obscurity. While we are unusually well informed about the immediately preceding period of Roman history, and for part of the reign of his successor, Tiberius, we possess the elaborate and accurate, though in some respects strongly prejudiced account of Tacitus, the facts of Augustus's reign have to be pieced together from scanty, incomplete and disjointed authorities. Moreover, obscure events in a remote corner of the Roman world …
Sir William Mitchell Ramsay—Was Christ Born in Bethlehem? Paul's Journeys Acts 13:1-38:31
On this third journey he was already planning to go to Rome (Acts 19:21) and wrote an epistle to the Romans announcing his coming (Rom. 1:7, 15). +The Chief City+, in which Paul spent most of his time (Acts 19:1, 8, 10), between two and three years upon this journey, was Ephesus in Asia Minor. This city situated midway between the extreme points of his former missionary journeys was a place where Ephesus has been thus described: "It had been one of the early Greek colonies, later the capital …
Henry T. Sell—Bible Studies in the Life of Paul The Supremacy of Christ
THIRD GROUP OF EPISTLES COLOSSIANS. PHILEMON. EPHESIANS. PHILIPPIANS. THE QUESTION AT ISSUE +The Supremacy of Christ.+--These Epistles mark a new stage in the writings of Paul. The great question discussed in the second group of Epistles was in regard to the terms of salvation. The question now at issue (in Colossians, Ephesians, Philippian+The Reason for the Raising of this Question+ was the development of certain false religious beliefs among which were, "asceticism, the worship of angels, …
Henry T. Sell—Bible Studies in the Life of Paul The Future of Christ's Kingdom First Group of Epistles the First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians Introduction to the Epistles of Paul +Epistolary Writings. + --The
STUDY VII THE FUTURE OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM FIRST GROUP OF EPISTLES THE FIRST AND SECOND EPISTLES TO THE THESSALONIANS INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISTLES OF PAUL +Epistolary Writings.+--The New Testament is composed of twenty-seven books, twenty-one of which are Epistles. Of this latter number thirteen are ascribed to Paul. It is thus seen how largely the New Testament is made up of Epistles and how many of these are attributed to the Great Apostle. In the letters of men of great prominence and power of any …
Henry T. Sell—Bible Studies in the Life of Paul The Candour of the Writers of the New Testament.
I make this candour to consist in their putting down many passages, and noticing many circumstances, which no writer whatever was likely to have forged; and which no writer would have chosen to appear in his book who had been careful to present the story in the most unexceptionable form, or who had thought himself at liberty to carve and mould the particulars of that story according to his choice, or according to his judgment of the effect. A strong and well-known example of the fairness of the evangelists …
William Paley—Evidences of Christianity Moreover, if Discourse must be Bestowed Upon Any...
21. Moreover, if discourse must be bestowed upon any, and this so take up the speaker that he have not time to work with his hands, are all in the monastery able to hold discourse unto brethren which come unto them from another kind of life, whether it be to expound the divine lessons, or concerning any questions which may be put, to reason in an wholesome manner? Then since not all have the ability, why upon this pretext do all want to have nothing else to do? Although even if all were able, they …
St. Augustine—Of the Work of Monks. Here is the Sum of My Examination Before Justice Keelin, Justice Chester, Justice Blundale, Justice Beecher, Justice Snagg, Etc.
After I had lain in prison above seven weeks, the quarter-sessions were to be kept in Bedford, for the county thereof, unto which I was to be brought; and when my jailor had set me before those justices, there was a bill of indictment preferred against me. The extent thereof was as followeth: That John Bunyan, of the town of Bedford, labourer, being a person of such and such conditions, he hath (since such a time) devilishly and perniciously abstained from coming to church to hear Divine service, …
John Bunyan—Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners The Epistle to the Hebrews.
I. Commentaries on Hebrews by Chrysostom (d. 407, hermeneia, in 34 Homilies publ. after his death by an Antioch. presbyter, Constantinus); Theodoret (d. 457); Oecumenius (10th cent.); Theophylact (11th cent.); Thomas Aquinas (d. 1274); Erasmus (d. 1536, Annotationes in N. T., with his Greek Test., 1516 and often, and Paraphrasis in N. T., 1522 and often); Card. Cajetanus (Epistolae Pauli, etc., 1531); Calvin (d. 1564, Com. in omnes P. Ep. atque etiam in Ep. ad Hebraeos, 1539 and often, also Halle, …
Philip Schaff—History of the Christian Church, Volume I Links Acts 18:27 NIVActs 18:27 NLTActs 18:27 ESVActs 18:27 NASBActs 18:27 KJV
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