Soap Box 48-Progressive Revelation, and How Truth Unfolds
In Acts 18, there is the story of how Aquila and Apollos met for the first time in a synagogue and became good friends and fellow believers. ( 18:26). Luke sets the stage for this to happen by telling us that Paul came to Corinth and found a certain Jew named Aquila and they became fellow workers together, because they were both tentmakers by trade.
It is not conclusive as to whether Aquila and his wife, Priscilla, were as yet believers, when they befriended Paul. But, in the next year and a half, and for sometime afterwards if they were not believers, at the start of that period, more than likely, by the time Paul left Corinth, they had made a profession of faith. Paul takes this couple with him and travels to Ephesus. Paul ministers in the synagogue for awhile ( and must have informed these Jews that he must soon leave and travel to Jerusalem, because they had not yet become upset and angry at Paul, as other synagogues had done in the past concerning his teaching ministry about Jesus and the Messianic claims and the Prophetic interpretations that support these claims.) They wanted to have Paul stay longer. ( When Paul returns, to Ephesus,( 19:1) as he promised, they soon changed their tune or Paul wore his welcome out through his preaching. (Acts 19:9) In the context of Acts 18:21-23, Paul reached Jerusalem (v.22) and then began a stay in Antioch and shortly thereafter, began a third mission, ministering over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
At this point in Acts ( 18:24 ), Luke begins to introduce Apollos, who is a traveling teacher and preacher. ( cf. Acts 19:13, Matt. 23:15) He is also a certain Jew named Apollos. Luke gives an interesting, informative and insightful description of this certain Jew.
Born at Alexandria
An eloquent man ( a man of letters, education )
Mighty in the scriptures-( these scriptures were the O.T.)
Instructed in the way of the Lord (by word of mouth, orally)
Being fervent in the spirit
He spoke and taught diligently( accurately) the things concerning Jesus
What a wonderful list of qualifications Apollos had that gave him the ability to teach and speak with great effect. But, now notice what Luke tells us about Apollos. We find Apollos in Ephesus, geographically, but dispensationally, he is a disciple of John the Baptist. All of these wonderful characteristics are qualified by the next phrase, knowing only the baptism of John.
John the Baptist's life was taken while he was in prison. Matt. 14:1-12 His ministry was curtailed when he was cast into prison. His faith was rudely shaken also. He sent disciples to the Lord and inquired if Jesus was the one that was to come and/or should they look for another ? Matt. 11:2-3
John did not live to learn about the rejection of the Lord's teaching and healing ministry, which eventually culminated in the people's actions to place the Lord on the cross. John did not see or experience the resurrection or the ascension. John's theological textbook, as it were, lack, several important chapters. But his ministry was not hindered by this nor were these facts needed to complete, on his part, his mission. But there were many important facts and truths that John was knowledgeable about concerning the Lord.
John the Baptist knew :
That Jesus was the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit. Jn. 1:33
That Jesus was the Son of God. Jn. 1:34 This was a Messianic title.
That Jesus was the Lamb of God Jn.1:36
That the message of the Kingdom that John, himself preached, was
continued by the Lord.
John the Baptist and the Lord both performed a ritual ceremony called purification. cf. Jn. 3:25 This was the water ceremony also called baptism. Neither John or the Lord gave any teaching that would indicate that this was some thing other than a ceremonial washing and cleansing. They did not indicate or teach that this cleansing ceremony was a 'death, burial, resurrection' picture of the believer/disciple/confessor. John was an Old Testament prophet with an Old Testament ceremony, given/offered to the Old Testament people, the children of Israel.
*** [We must remove ourselves from the silly and childish handling of the Scriptures, which 'divide' in a totally man-made fashion, Genesis thru Malachi as a unit, called 'Old Testament' (by man) from a portion of the Scriptures called by man, 'The New Testament', as if there is some kind of chasm in-between, with two different revealed religions like Judaism in the O.T. and Christianity in the N. T. On the other hand, this is how the Scriptures are printed, but NOT HOW THEY SHOULD BE INTERPRETED.]
***[ If we had the writings of the so-called New Testament printed chronologically, we would have one of the early epistles of Paul as the FIRST ENTRY. This might be Galatians or I Thessalonians. ( It has not been written in stone as to which epistle was actually written first.) The point being, that as we speak of the times of the life of John the Baptist, the Lord Jesus and Apollos, from the perspective of the historical happening in Acts 18, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were probably not as yet written documents.]
Once we have a handle on where John the Baptist was, not in time, but in time with the amount of revelation given to him for his understanding, we can get a picture, not of John as a so-called first New Testament prophet, but as we indicated, a prophet who is related to the writings of the children of Israel and that John is preaching and teaching a happening that is in a process of being fulfilled. The Coming One is now coming. At one point in John's ministry, he did not know who that Coming One was. After he baptized Jesus, he then knew, for God had indicated who the Coming baptizer in the Holy Spirit would be, as the Holy Spirit descended (during a baptism) on Jesus. Cf. John 1:31-34. This was not called a 'sign', but it certainly was the precise indicator that John was promised, in order to answer his ignorance as found in John 1:31, 33, And I knew him not.
With this brief background, we begin to see the picture of Apollos, as a teacher, understanding only the baptism of John. Peter makes reference to the introductory ministry of John the Baptist, while speaking to Cornelius about the Lord in Acts 10:37, after the baptism which John preached. Paul also refers to John the Baptist in Acts 13:24, saying, '…When John had first preached ( before His, Christ's coming) the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel...' Here we should see that John did not come to the world of humanity, to minister and preach, BUT to the people of ISRAEL. Therefore we see John introducing Jesus, not to the world of humanity, but to the people of Israel. Cf. Matt. 10:5-6 & Matt. 15 :24 )
The scope of Apollos' theology was encapsulated within the framework of this phrase, knowing only the baptism of John. (Acts 18:25). This 'baptism of John' is not just a practice. John did not just practice or perform a religious ceremony or ritual. The Scriptures make it more than plain, that John preached baptism. Cf Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3; Acts 10:37; Acts 13:24. His baptism was not a part of the Mosaic purifications, but came from God, the Father. Cf. Jn. 1:32-34. But neither was the ceremony contrary to those Mosaic instructions.
We might conclude that, whatever John knew, taught, and practiced was also the extent of Apollos' knowledge, teachings and practice. We now can understand the state that Aquila and Priscilla were in, when they first heard Apollos speak boldly in the synagogue. 18:26 Their action was to invite Apollos home for a preacher's meal ( possibly fried chicken), so that they might have him all to their selves in order to share with him their insights. Those insights are said to be, those things they : expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
Apollos was already instructed in the way of the lord. and he spoke and taught diligently/accurately the things concerning Jesus.
Luke mentions how Paul had persecuted the disciples of the Lord Jesus. Acts 9:2 Paul sought out those kind of disciples, any of this way. The Jews of the synagogue at Ephesus became very upset with Paul's message and some spoke evil of that way. Acts 19:9 Acts 19:23 mentions 'there arose no small stir about that way. Paul, in testimony before the Jewish crowd in Acts 22:4 says, 'And I persecuted this way….' Mention is made by Paul before Felix, 'But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers…' Acts 24:14 Another reference ( Acts 24:22) is given about the knowledge that Felix had about this way, 'Having more perfect knowledge of that way.'
A discerning student should be able to see distinctive differences in the several 'ways' that Luke gives to his readers in his Gospel and then in his Acts.
Note: The 'way of the Lord' that Apollos is stated to have known. This was a WAY of the Lord. This way was encapsulated within the teachings that John the Baptist knew, understood and taught.
Note: The 'way of the Lord' that Paul persecuted. This, in a sense, was a book of theology much larger than John's knowledge of the way of the Lord. Paul persecuted those who knew the ministry of the Lord from the baptism of John unto that same day that he ( Jesus ) was taken up. (Acts 1:22 ) This was a WAAY of the Lord.
Note: The 'way of the Lord' that Aquila and Priscilla told Apollos, which they received from Paul, was called 'the way of God more perfectly'. Acts 18:26 This was a WAAAY of the Lord.
Apollos had an 'A', (way) single 'a' rating, knowing only the baptism of John.
The disciples and Apostles had an 'AA' (waay), double 'aa' rating. Their ministry was from the baptism of John unto the day He ( Jesus ) was taken up.
Paul had an 'AAA', (waaay), triple 'aaa' rating. His preaching ministry was a further expansion of knowledge than those who had proceeded him. His 'way of the Lord' was 'more perfect' than the others.
We could expand this 'idea' to each dispensation for each was a 'way of the Lord' at the time when it was revealed. We could say :
The way of the Lord according to the time of Adam & Eve- the Garden
The way of the Lord according to the time of Adam & Eve-After the Garden
The way of the Lord according to the time of Noah-After the Flood
The way of the Lord according to the time of Abraham-The Promises
The way of the Lord according to the time of Moses-The Law Giving
The way of the Lord according to the time of Jesus-Grace under Law cf. Jn. 1:17
Is it too much to say that we might be able to understand the unfolding knowledge and understanding that seems to flow in the progression from John the Baptist through the ministry of the Lord Jesus to his disciples and Apostles ? And then, to see a further development and extension of truth through this 'odd-man-added' Apostle named Paul, who has been given the honor and privilege to write almost half of the so-called New Testament. If he was give the task of writing Hebrews, then he wrote more than half of the so-called New Testament. Percentage-wise, this would be : 13/27 is 48%, while 14/27 is 52%. This is not a contrast between Matthew, Mark, Luke, John versus Paul or even a contrast at all between Jesus and Paul, as some seem to think this comes down to. But, rather this is a recognition of certain distinct differences and development between the teachings of the Lord Jesus while he was on earth and the further teachings of this same Lord Jesus, as the glorified Lord in heaven, who reveals more truth. Yes, the last words of the Lord Jesus were the forty days of instruction given while still here on earth before his ascension, but he began revealing to Paul after his seating in glory all the knowledge that Paul calls 'the mystery'.
If all the words of the Lord are to be in red, then all of the epistles of Paul should be in red, because he was not speaking his own mind, but truth that came to him from the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ.
There is another aspect of progressive revelation that we wanted to briefly have us note.
Apollos is said to have taught diligently or accurately the things concerning Jesus. After Aquila and Priscilla heard Apollos, they were able to expound unto him the way of God more perfectly. Acts 18:25 and Acts 18:26
Many adults can share an experience of helping a child blow up a balloon. Sometimes it takes quite an effort. Apollos is like someone with a balloon not fully blown-up. There was a lack of air in the balloon. Aquila and Priscilla helped Apollos put more air in his balloon. How did they do this ? They were able to bring Apollos' knowledge up to speed. They were able to add a chapter or two to his theological understanding. God was able to use this couple to more fully inform and instruct Apollos, giving him insight into a new understanding and an updating in the progressive unfolding of truth.
Apollos was accurate in the things he knew and taught. After meeting Aquila and Priscilla, he became more accurate. At one time he had a grasp of truth that spanned Genesis through ( let us say ) Matthew 14.( This is around the time of John the Baptist's death, and into the preaching and healing ministry of the Lord Jesus- knowing only the baptism of John ) After his indoctrination dinner with these new friends, he now had a new expanded scope of truth that ( at least ) included revelation found from Genesis through all the life of the Lord as we know from the Gospel records ( which were still unwritten documents) to the revelation given to Aquila and Priscilla, which came from the Apostle Paul, who had received this revelation from the Lord, who was then in Glory.
This was truth being unfolded. This is God's truth being progressively unfolded.
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