Have you notice that in some Churches, baptism is a huge issue? In Protestantism, baptism together with the Lord’s Supper are the only two sacraments. Is baptism a big issue to you? We are told to baptize all new converts and—in some churches, like the one I belong to—we baptize infants of believing parents. Will a believer get to heaven without being baptized? If the Bible tells us to baptize, be it in the form of Believers Baptism or Paedobaptism, is it detrimental to eternal salvation to be baptized? And if the answer is … “Yes one needs to be baptized”, what would the formula be? Please read:
Ac 18:24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. 27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
Yesterday we started learning about Apollos. Today we proceed getting to know him better.
1) Apollos, although culturally educated as well as in Judaism, was taught about Jesus.
Ac 18:25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord.
Those who discipled him in Alexandria taught him precisely and with accuracy everything about who Jesus was and did. The word “instructed” is interesting. The New Testament was not available apart from possibly Mark’s Gospel. This means that the instruction was oral. The oral teachings about Jesus and who He was, what He did and how He brought the Old Covenant to an end starting a New Covenant in His blood. It was all word of mouth. The phrase “in the way of” has a forensic touch to it. Think of a forensic crime scene investigator. Such a person will scan the crime scene with a fine toothcomb seeking to find, and then lift that information, item, print, blood, etc., placing it into special containers to take for scientific and technical analysis in their laboratory. It is with that thoroughness that Apollo was taught in the Christian Faith. Anyone wanting to be a pastor or Bible teacher needs specialized training because within our day there are many Churches, preachers and teachers … using words and phrases we Reformed Christians use, but in the context used, they do not mean what we mean as we understand God’s Word. The flock of God always needs to be protected.
2) Why was it so necessary that Apollos be trained the way he was? He had this general knowledge of culture and the arts, he knew about life, he was educated in the Jewish Scriptures (Old Testament) and he was properly schooled in the Christian Faith. Why? Because he was to be used of God as a Christian Apologist and Bible teacher.
Ac 18:25 and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately.
The words “with great fervor” relates to boiling water. You use a fire, generated by gas or wood … and electricity heat water to bring it to boiling point. The “Gospel Heat” within Apollos generated such passion for both the Savior and the lost that he was red hot to get the Gospel out … but note, it was not just hot air! As he preached and taught he did so accurately. This word means “exactly, accurately or diligently.” His passion was for Truth which he expounded exactly as it is. He could take the Old Testament Scriptures and explain what they said, using the Oral Tradition of Jesus he had been taught. This is brilliant! Today we call the flow of the Bible about Jesus, from Genesis through to Revelation … Biblical Theology. The Holy Spirit put this in Apollos’ heart almost 2,000 years ago! It is vital … paramount that the whole of the Bible be used when explaining who Jesus is, what He was sent to do and did as well as the results of what He did. The whole Bible is about God’s rescue plan to save those He chose before creation. This means the whole Bible from cover to cover is all about Jesus. This is the reason preachers, pastors and evangelists need to know the Bible reasonably well if they are to defend the faith and explain God’s plan. It is nothing other than the Gospel according to Jesus. Let me say again … if this is not what happens in your Church, leave it and find one that preachers this!
3) What do we understand about Apollos and baptism?
Ac 18:25 though he knew only the baptism of John.
This sentence has caused debate. Is it that Apollos was baptized by John the Baptist or does the sentence mean he only knew the teaching about Messiah according to John the Baptist? Both are possible and the latter is quite likely! If it is, he was not baptized by John. You see, the Greek meaning of the verse:
Ac 18:25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John
lends itself towards meaning “the teaching of John about Jesus, the Christ”. Here is a further interesting bit of information … nowhere in the New Testament are we informed that Apollos was baptized. Neither in the formula provided by Jesus:
Mt 28:19 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”
Nor as Peter put it:
Ac 2:38 “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.”
This does not mean to say he was not baptized. Though normally we would be told. The Bible speaks of Water Baptism but it also speaks of Spirit Baptism.
Gal 3:26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
The sense of this passage implies a spiritual baptism … as does:
1Co 12:12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
Don’t misunderstand me … Water Baptism is one of the two Christian sacraments. It is a visible demonstration of one changing allegiance from the world to the Church Family on earth belonging to Jesus. It is an outward expression of an inward reality! Where possible it needs to be fulfilled … but the all-important baptism is that of Spirit Baptism where the Holy Spirit incorporates one into the spiritual and eternal family of God. Call it being Born Again, receiving the New Birth or regeneration … it is a work of the Spirit and this work is internal. It is the salvation of the soul. It is being adopted into God’s forever family. Have you experienced the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?
God our Father, thank You that the Gospel’s intention is to lead us to Salvation which is granted by grace to all who are enabled to exercise true faith in Jesus Christ! Amen.