Lesson 8

Week 8: Setting New Roots in Greece

Monday -- Tuesday -- Wednesday -- Thursday -- Friday

Introduction

Paul’s Second Journey – Part 2

This week we observe Paul as he continues to carry out God’s orders that he received through a vision while he was in Troas. “Come to Macedonia,” the vision said. The part the vision didn’t say was that the Macedonians would really not like Paul very much. Once he reached the capital city of the region – Thessalonica – his preaching caused quite a stir among the people. Many people of all social strata gave their heart to Jesus as the King. This sent the town into turmoil and instigated the great chase. A group of anti-Paul “mobster” chased Paul out of Thessalonica and into Berea. They did not let him stay there long and forced him to flee to the coast, sail south, and hang out in Athens until Silas and Timothy were finished establishing a strong church in Berea. After sharing the resurrection of Jesus with the Greek philosophers, Paul moved on to the capital of Achaia – Corinth.

In Corinth Paul met what would become dear friends from Rome named Aquila and Priscilla. This husband and wife team became a vital aspect of Paul’s life and God’s Kingdom work in the world. They eventually ministered in Ephesus for a while and then returned to Rome to build the church there.

In Corinth Paul experienced a supernatural protection and was able to establish a true ministry hub among the Gentile people. Corinth was a perfect city for this operation since it was located at a crossroads of North/South trade in Greece and East/West trade across the Isthmus (a small land bridge across which sea captains would roll their ships on logs rather than cross the stormy southern coast of Greece.)

At the end of the section we are introduced to a dynamic new teacher and missionary named Apollos. This man would eventually move into Corinth and continue to build Jesus’ Kingdom through his teaching ministry.

At this point of the story our tree has truly grown strong. Not only has the center shifted from Jerusalem to Antioch, but it has actually dropped seeds in Greece and begun a whole new root structure in the city of Corinth. Jesus’ Kingdom was truly beginning to become a Kingdom of the World where Jews and Greeks were equal as its citizens.

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Monday

Acts 17:1-9

What was the heart of Paul's message in Thessalonica?

Describe Paul's following in Thessalonica, both in size and in gender/ethnic mixture.

How did the Jews respond to the following Paul built? What do you think may have been at stake for the Jews (in other words, why did they get so upset with Paul)?

What was the accusation brought against the church?

The Jewish Message – a deeper look

Thessalonica was an important city in the region of Macedonia

In the Thessalonica is referred to exclusively in connection with the apostle Paul’s missionary activities (cf. Acts 17:1-13; 20:4; 27:2; 1 Thess.; 2 Thess.; Phil. 4:16; 2 Tim. 4:10). The political and religious history of the city is important for a proper understanding of these nt references. The city was founded in 316 b.c. by Cassander, a general in Alexander’s army, who gave the city its name in honor of his wife, Thessalonikeia, the daughter of Philip II and the half-sister of Alexander. The new city included the ancient Therme and some thirty-five other towns. When Macedonia became a Roman province in 146 b.c., Thessalonica was made the capital and thus the center of Roman administration. The city supported the victorious Antony and Octavian prior to the battle of Philippi in 42 b.c., an event that ushered in a prosperous new era for Thessalonica. Additionally we know that the Roman statesman and orator Cicero spent part of his exile in Thessalonica in 58 b.c., that the Roman general Pompey took refuge from Julius Caesar in the city in 49 b.c., and also that such prominent literary figures as Lucian and Polyaenus visited the city. The extensive coinage of Thessalonica underscores its prosperity, certainly due to its status as a free city (i.e., one granted certain tax concessions and some other privileges) and its location as a main station on the famous Via Egnatia, which ran through the city on an east/west axis from the Balkans to Asia Minor.

Today we can make two observations about Paul’s ministry in this city.

First, we see a summary of his message to the Jews. Notice how Luke breaks the message down into three parts

He reasoned with them from the Scriptures…

Once again, he spoke the language that they understood. Paul shared a passion for the scriptures (remember, this refers to what we consider the Old Testament) and the Jews were very familiar with the process of discussing scripture on the Sabbath.

Read the following benediction. It was prayed aloud in the Synagogue every Sabbath. Can you see how easy it would be for Paul to use something like this as a launching platform for his message about Jesus?

‘Blessed art Thou, the Lord our God, and the God of our fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob: the great, the mighty and the terrible God, the most high God Who showest mercy and kindness, Who createst all things, Who rememberest the pious deeds of the patriarchs, and wilt in love bring a redeemer to their children’s children for Thy Name’s sake; O King, Helper, Saviour and Shield! Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the Shield of Abraham.’

Explaining and proving that the Christhad to suffer and rise from the dead.

Notice that he has not yet given away the punch line. He first speaks in the generic sense regarding the Messiah and reasons with them that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. This was contrary to the popular view of the coming Messiah. The Jews were looking for a great conqueror who would overthrow the oppressors and establish an autonomous state for Israel once again. Once a Jew was able to see that the Old Testament actually indicated that the Messiah must die and rise from the dead, then Paul was able to deal the final card.

“This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,

Now Paul is able to proclaim the full message of good news that Jesus of Nazareth is, indeed, the long-awaited Messiah who died and rose again to establish the Kingdom of God in the hearts of people.

The second observation is that the message of Jesus will almost always come into conflict with political power. In Thessalonica the people gathered up the rabble of the city and formed a mob to get the attention of the officials. During the 40’s the Roman Emperor had launched a series of attacks against the Jewish population of the Empire because the Jews were not willing to bow to the Emperor and worship him as a god. The Emperor had threatened the provincial rulers to not allow any of these rebellious people to form an uprising or they would pay the penalty themselves. In light of this, it is easy to see why the accusation brought against Paul would have been taken seriously.

Jesus is a serious threat to any human being who claims to have real authority – godlike authority – over the lives of other humans. The Kingdom of God with its stance for allegiance to the one true God, equality of its members, and unconditional love for all people, stands in stark contrast to the self-serving systems of the world. It will almost always come under sharp scrutiny and harsh attack.

Just For Kids

Read this Prayer out loud, together.

This is one of the prayers that the Jewish people would pray in the Synagogue every Sabbath day.

When Paul went into the synagogue, which part of this prayer do you think he could use to begin teaching about Jesus?

We need to always remember that the Jews were God's chosen people for centuries before Christians came on the scene. Jesus didn't start a new religion, he just fulfilled the promise that God made to Abraham.

Spend some time praying for the Jewish people that they might see that Jesus is their Messiah.

Achtemeier, P. J., Harper & Row, P., & Society of Biblical Literature. (1985). Harper's Bible dictionary. Includes index. (1st ed.) (Page 1065). San Francisco: Harper & Row.

Wood, D. R. W. (1996). New Bible dictionary (3rd ed. /) (Page 1143). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.

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Tuesday

Acts 17:10-15

Why did Paul and Silas go to Berea?

Why were the Bereans "of more noble character?"

What scriptures would they have been using?

Describe the demographics of Paul's following in Berea?

Why did Paul head for Athens?

**Epistle Alert!!** It is most likely that somewhere within this time period Paul wrote both letters to the church in Thessalonica (1 & 2 Thessalonians). He probably wrote 1 Thessalonians from Athens and 2 Thessalonians from Corinth. If you have time, read those letters and try to see them in the context of this story.

“More Noble” Bereans

Before we dive into the Bereans, let’s stop and note one important theme in this section of Acts. God used adversity to advance the mission of Paul and spread the Kingdom. In each city Paul plants a vital church, but is then driven out by adversaries. Had this not happened he may have been tempted to stay on in the first city in which he planted a good church. Thessalonica would have been an ideal spot to set up a ministry hub, since it was the capital of Macedonia and at a major cross-road of international travel. Instead, God used persecution to drive him to Berea, which was known by the Romans as “off the beaten path.”

Once again, God uses strange methods that are seemingly incongruent to his nature in order to lead and guide his servants. Then he takes them to very unlikely places. Who would have thought that the truly “noble” people would have been in a place that was “off the beaten path?”

The Bereans were described as “more noble” than the Thessalonians. The Greek term here is “eugenesteroi” and literally means “of noble birth.” However, it also has the connotation of having qualities that would normally be considered representative of those from the nobility. It is translated in different ways

More noble (KJV)

More open-minded (LB)

More noble-minded (NASB)

More willing to listen (NCV)

More noble character (NIV)

More fair-minded (NKJV)

More receptive (NRSV)

What earned them this title? It’s simple. They were not gullible or naïve. They listened to Paul’s message with great eagerness. They observed as he reasoned from the scripture, but they were also aware that it is possible, with the proper power of persuasion, to massage the scripture to get it to say whatever you want it to say. They didn’t commit to Paul’s message right away. They were polite, but they wanted to soak on it and examine the scriptures themselves to make sure that what he was saying held water and that they were not just getting caught up in the moment and being influenced by his power of persuasion.

There is a great lesson in this for all of us. We live in a world full of fast-talking salesmen who want nothing more than to “close the deal” with us. They are skilled in the art of telling us exactly what we need to hear in order to sway us to their position, without disclosing any information that might cast doubt in our mind. The last thing they want you to do is leave their presence before you buy into their pitch. This is true if you are buying a new car and if you are talking to someone about their religion. People know this is true, and as a result, the majority of people have become skeptical of the sales pitch approach to selling anything, whether it is cars or conversions.

We can learn something from this story on both sides of the equation. First, if you are listening to a teacher, be polite, listen well, and be open to what the teacher has to say, but resolve in your heart that you will check it against scripture before you jump in feet first. That means that you need to know scripture well enough to be able to discern whether a teacher is Biblical or not. The challenge is to never get complacent in your study of the Bible. Always keep studying and learning the truth that God has graciously given to you so that you will be ready to test any teaching that comes your way.

On the other side of the equation, we can learn something about how to approach things when we are the one doing the teaching. Be patient with people. Don’t hard-sell it. Speak the truth boldly and lovingly. Clearly present the message from scripture. Then, trust God to do his work. Be open to questions, challenges, and criticisms. Encourage people to look into for themselves. If you have this approach the person you are teaching will be much more likely to want to pursue a dialogue with you if they believe that you love them as a person, are willing to give them space, and aren’t just looking for another notch on your evangelistic shotgun handle. If they do the research themselves, then their faith will not be in your teaching, but in the Word of God, and they will be much more likely to have the roots of the Kingdom set in their heart for real.

Just For Kids

Get a dictionary and look up the word "noble." What did Luke mean when he said the Bereans were more noble?

What did they do that earned them this description?

Here is an important truth that everyone, grown-ups and kids alike, need to remember. There is only one teacher for the Christian; that is God. There is only one source through which God has clearly communicated to us about what we need to know; that is the Bible. As you grow up, always remember that you should never just believe what someone says simply because they are a teacher or a pastor. You need to take the time to check their teaching and see if it agrees with the Bible. That is what the Bereans did when Paul came to tell them about Jesus.

The question is whether you know your Bible well enough to know if someone is teaching the truth or making something up.

What can you do to increase your knowledge of the Bible?

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Wednesday

Acts 17:16-34

What was Paul doing in Athens?

What distress motivated Paul to begin reasoning with the people?

Where did he interact with the people of Athens when he first arrived?

Outline Paul's message to the Greek philosophers of the Aeropagus (Mars Hill). Where did he start? How did he build his case? What was the conclusion and the heart of his message?

Compare/Contrast this message to the one he preached in Pisidian Antioch in Acts 13:13-41.

How was Paul's message received?

Paul on Mars Hill

500 years before Paul visited this city, Athens was the cultural center of the world. It was here that great thinkers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle crafted their philosophies and changed the face of western culture forever. When Paul entered this city it was full of beautiful architecture and an echo of its former greatness. It was still a place of learning and of exchanging ideas. Notice how Luke describes the Athenians, “[they] spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.”

While Paul did enter a Jewish Synagogue in Athens, this is not the point that Luke wished to emphasize. In this city we get to see one of the greatest examples of a purely cross-cultural, evangelistic message. If we step through this message we will learn some excellent tips on how to present the good news of Jesus to people who do not have any background in scripture or the Judeo-Christian culture.

He met them where they were -- with respect. Paul complimented them on their religiousness. It’s not that Paul agreed with them, but he found a common place and acknowledged their desire to know the gods and do whatever they could to please them. That’s something, at least, and he praises them. How much further would he have gotten in the speech if his opening remarks were, “You dirty rotten pagan, idol worshippers. Don’t you know that you are going to rot in Hell for your wickedness?”

He found a common touchstone to use as a springboard. The Athenians were so concerned about pleasing the gods, and averting their wrath, that they covered all their bases by erecting an altar to the “unknown god.” That was like saying, “OK, if there are any deities out there that we may have overlooked, please forgive our ignorance and don’t zap us. We’d worship you too, if we knew who you were.” Paul was able to use this desire to know the gods as a way to bridge the gap and open the door to discuss the idea of different kind of god than the Athenians had ever conceived.

He used common logic and General Revelation to present his case. In Romans 1 Paul expounded on this when he said that

what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.”

He used their own cultural language to emphasize the logic of his point. He didn’t pull out the Bible and prove his argument with book, chapter, and verse – that would have meant nothing to these people. What he did was quote their own literature to show that their own thinkers intuitively acknowledge the truth of his proposition in the very fabric of their culture.

He didn’t hold back the punch line. Many people have attacked Paul’s message as “unchristian” because of its lack of scriptural reference. In the same way, many have attacked some contemporary evangelists’ attempts to reach our own culture through mediums such as literature, drama, and film, as being “unchristian” because it doesn’t look and smell like a church building on Sunday morning. Let’s learn from Paul in that he never “watered down” the Gospel at Athens. He clearly presented the truth that God created all men to worship him, and that God will not stand for people worshipping His creation and calling it a God while they ignore the maker Himself. Yet, out of God’s love, he has made a way for people to repent from their ignorance and be reconciled to their creator. This way is made through the resurrection of Jesus.

Here is an important point that we can learn about the gospel message from studying Paul’s ministry. The gospel is not about religion. The critique that Paul made of the Greeks was the exact same critique he made against the Jews. They exchanged the infinite, Almighty, Creator God for a set of rituals and rules and things made by human hands. The Jews clung to the Law of Moses and the temple ritual, focusing on it instead of the God who gave it to them. The Greeks focused on the air, the wind, the water, and the creatures that God had made rather than on the God who made them. We as humans have a propensity to want to create God in our own image, mandate that he operate according to our set of standards, built an idol or a system through which to “worship” him, and then bow down to it. Paul told the Jews and the Gentiles alike that God does not desire this for his children. He wants them to wake up from their darkness and death and step into the light of the person of Jesus. Through his resurrection he demonstrated his power over nature, sickness, and death and displayed to the world that God was knowable.

The heart of the gospel is the resurrected Jesus. That’s it. Whatever cultural forms and systems you want to wrap around him is irrelevant. If the risen Lord is proclaimed, then the Kingdom of God is present. Through Him we have access to the Eternal Creator and we can call him “Abba, Father.”

Just For Kids

Paul was the master of finding something in a person's culture and using it to talk about Jesus. In Athens he saw that they had an altar to an unknown god, so he started there to talk about Jesus. He also used some popular poetry that everyone knew in order to make a point. He did not use the Old Testament, because the people weren't familiar with it and it wouldn't have made any sense to them.

Spend some time talking about your own culture -- famous stories, movies, songs, historical events, etc. -- and see if there is anything that could be used as a tool to talk about Jesus, his resurrection, and salvation.

Maybe you could use these tools the next time you are talking to your friends who don't yet know Jesus.

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Thursday

Acts 18:1-17

How did Paul spend his time when he was with Aquila and Priscilla? Where was this couple from?

What changed in Paul's daily routines when Silas and Timothy caught up with him in Corinth?

What changed in Paul's perspective toward the Jews? Why?

How was Paul's ministry received after the switch to Titius's house?

What promise did Jesus make to Paul?

How long did Paul serve in Corinth?

How did Gallio respond to the attempts to thwart Paul's ministry through legal action?

The move from the synagogue next door to the house of the gentile God-fearer Titius Justus symbolizes the beginning of the gentile mission proper (Acts 18:7). Reporting the conversion of the prominent synagogue official (v. may be intended to show that in direct competition with the synagogue, Paul’s mission was still effective, even among Jews. In any event, the number of gentile converts (“Corinthians”) swelled (v. 8).

But what happens when the church takes root in a place and becomes more highly visible, when outsiders, especially Roman officials, recognize it as something distinct from the synagogue? Might it lose its legal status and social acceptability? Would such long-term success provoke the authorities to take countermeasures against it, even suppress it? To such fears, Christ’s nighttime vision to Paul appears to be addressed (vv. 9-10). As had his prophetic predecessors (Josh. 1:9; Isa. 41:10; 43:5; Jer. 1:8, 19), Paul receives divine assurance. He is urged to be fearless in proclaiming God’s message and is assured of God’s presence and his own personal safety. Paul’s full compliance is indicated by his staying an unusually long time (eighteen months, Acts 18:11). This also confirms the truth of Christ’s promise. The length of stay attests that “many people” (v. 10) did respond.

Mays, J. L. (1996, c1988). Harper's Bible commentary (Ac 18:1). San Francisco: Harper & Row.

New Roots, Unlikely Place

In chapter 16 we saw that Paul was kept from going to Asia by a “Divine Detour.” We speculated that Paul was probably intending to go to Ephesus where he could establish a nice ministry hub for the region. Instead, he was directed north to Troas, and then through a dream, was called to cross the Aegean Sea and begin planting churches in Macedonia.

Try to imagine what might have been going through Paul’s mind as he made this Macedonian trip.

In Philippi he was flogged and thrown in Jail.
In Thessalonica he was falsely accused and run out of town by a mob.
In Berea the Thessalonian mob chased him and ran him out of that town as well.
He was whisked off to Athens to wait. While he was there he debated with the Greek philosophers, but received only mediocre response. Some scholars even argue that his appearance before the Aeropagus was an arrest and a trial.

“Lord, what is going on? Didn’t you specifically call me to this mission? Why in the world are you making it so difficult for me? If I were in Ephesus I bet I wouldn’t be having half the trouble I’ve had on this mission.”

Perhaps Paul didn’t think these things, but if we were in his shoes, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine us thinking that way.

Now look what happens in Corinth. Jesus came to him in a vision and promised that no harm would come to him. Because of this divine force field placed around Paul’s life in Corinth he was able to stay there for 18 months and really plant a strong church.

Corinth. Who would have thought that God had that city in mind for Paul’s first Gentile ministry hub? Corinth was

A city of Greece at the Greece and the Peloponnesus, in control of trade routes between and the Peloponnese and across the isthmus. The latter was particularly important because much trade was taken across the isthmus rather than round the stormy Peloponnese. There were two harbours, Lechaeum 2.5 km W on the Corinthian Gulf, connected with the city by long walls; and Cenchreae 14 km Saronic Gulf. Corinth thus became a flourishing centre of trade, as well as of industry, particularly ceramics. The town is dominated by the Acrocorinth (566 m), a steep, flat-topped rock surmounted by the acropolis, which in ancient times contained, inter alia, a temple of Aphrodite, goddess of love, whose service gave rise to the city’s proverbial immorality, notorious already by the time of Aristophanes (Strabo, 378; Athenaeus, 573).

Who would have thought that in this sexy, sultry, city of international trade God would choose to establish a strong mission outpost for his Kingdom.

Be encouraged today. Your life may not have taken a path that you initially thought it would take. You may have even gone through some very difficult trials along the way. But, it is possible for God to do great and miraculous things in the most unlikely places. Our job is to keep our eyes and our hearts fixed on him, listen to his instruction, and simply obey. If he tells you to let yourself get beat up as you travel through Macedonia, then keep going. If he tells you to set up a tent shop in Corinth, then settle down and do it. It’s His Kingdom and we are simply following orders.

Just For Kids

Have you ever made a tent out of blankets and chairs? Paul was a tent-maker. In our story today, it says that while Paul was waiting for his friends, Silas and Timothy, to arrive, he made tents with two new friends, a husband and wife team, named Aquila and Priscilla.

Have some fun right now and make a tent out of some blankets and some chairs. Pretend that you are Paul, Aquila, and Priscilla.

Now, have one person pretend to be Paul and get inside the tent.

Have everyone else pretend to be Paul's adversaries. Each person should take a piece of paper, wad it up, and pretend it is a stone or an evil accusation that is ready to be thrown at Paul.

Have someone read Jesus' words,

"Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.

Have all the bad guys throw their paper toward the tent. Did Paul get hit?

The lesson for today is that, when God has called you to a ministry he will protect you. No matter what people say against you, God will protect you.

Wood, D. R. W., & Marshall, I. H. (1996). New Bible dictionary (3rd ed. /) (Pages 223-224). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.

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Friday

Acts 18:18-28

Where was Paul heading? What is in that region?

Why did Paul have his hair cut off?

Describe Apollos.

In what way did Aquila and Priscilla help Apollos?

In what way did Apollos' ministry overlap and intersect with Paul's? Where?

Paul Returns to Antioch

Here are two observations from today’s reading.

Paul took the spiritual disciplines seriously. When he had his hair cut off it is most likely that he had just completed the process of a Nazarite vow.

NAZIRITE (Heb. nāzi’r, from nāzar, ‘to separate, consecrate, abstain’; cf. nēzer, ‘a diadem’, the ‘crown of God’, sometimes identified with the Nazirite’s uncut hair). In Israel the Nazirite was one who separated himself from others by consecration to Yahweh with a special vow.

The origin of the practice is pre-Mosaic and obscure. Semites and other primitive peoples often left the hair uncut during some undertaking calling for divine help, and thereafter consecrated the hair (cf. modern echoes of this among Arab tribes in A. Lods, Israel, 1932, p. 305; see also Jdg. 5:2).

If you would like to learn more about the Nazarite Vow, read Numbers 6.

Many people have said that Paul moved completely away from his Jewish heritage and started a new religion called Christianity. That is not true. Paul did not despise his heritage, nor did he deny the beneficial aspects of the Law that God gave to his people. It’s not that Paul walked away from his religion; he stepped above it to see a broader perspective.

We can learn something from this. Within the Old Testament there is a wealth of practical wisdom that will lead to life and health. The dietary laws were given for protection. The model of the Tabernacle gives us a wonderful visual image of how to approach God in worship. The civil laws give us good guidelines for how to get along with one another. We do not have to follow these laws in order to earn God’s favor, but these laws are still valid and evidence that God has always cared and provided for his people in every aspect of life.

We don’t know why, but we do know that Paul took up the spiritual discipline of the Nazarite. This was a type of fast – from fermented drink and other such things – for a period of time in order to hear more clearly from God and/or fulfill a mission. Paul, even in his state of radical grace, saw the value in tapping into a very ancient spiritual discipline to help him grow deeper in his relationship with God.

Ask God to show you some disciplines that might help you cultivate your walk with him.

Paul wasn’t the only kid on the block. Apollos enters the picture. While he doesn’t get much ink in the book of Acts, Apollos was a major player in the early church. The fact that Luke includes him in the story is evidence of his significant role. One of the reasons that Paul may have included Apollos was to show the connection between Paul and Apollos. While Paul never directly mentored Apollos, Aquila and Priscilla did.

Up to this point in time Apollos had only known the message of Jesus through he lenses of John’s Baptism. It is likely that Apollos heard the message of John’s Jewish rite of water baptism of repentance and then of Jesus’ resurrection, but not of the events of Pentecost. Perhaps Apollos himself had been in Jerusalem prior to Pentecost and heard of Jesus, or a traveler had informed him. Regardless of how it happened, somehow Apollos had an accurate, but incomplete picture of Jesus. It is interesting that Luke does not tell us exactly what was deficient in Apollos’ teaching or what Aquila and Priscilla’s “more adequate” understand was specifically. Based upon the mentioning of the fact that Apollos only knew of John’s baptism, it is probable that Apollos was not aware of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the power of the Spirit along with the power of the Word. He had the Word part down, but perhaps lacked the power of the Spirit. Yet, on the other hand, since this was such a strong theme for Luke, it is curious as to why Luke would not have highlighted this point in Apollos’ ministry.

If you read Paul’s letters to the Corinthians you will discover that after Apollos went to Corinth and preached the gospel there, the church began to divide into factions. Some followed Paul, some followed Apollos, some followed Peter, etc. (1 Corinthians 1:10-17) It is most likely that Luke included this story of Apollos, Aquila, and Priscilla to demonstrate that there was unity between Paul and Apollos and the divisions being created in the church based upon the teaching and theological nuances of different teachers was ludicrous. As Paul wrote in Ephesians, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:3-6)