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Paul's Third Missionary Journey
…27When 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.28Forhe powerfullyrefutedtheJewsin public debate,provingfromtheScripturesthat JesusistheChrist.

Treasury of Scripture

For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, showing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.

convinced.

Acts 18:5,25
And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jewsthat Jesuswas Christ…

Acts 9:22
But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

Acts 17:3
Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

shewing.

John 5:39
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

was Christ.

Acts 18:5
And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jewsthat Jesuswas Christ.

ArgumentChristClearConfutedConvincedDebateDemonstratingDiscussionForceGreatHolyJesusJewsMakingMightilyOvercamePowerfullyProvingPublicPublicklyPubliclyRefutedScripturesShewingShowingVigorouslyWritingsArgumentChristClearConfutedConvincedDebateDemonstratingDiscussionForceGreatHolyJesusJewsMakingMightilyOvercamePowerfullyProvingPublicPublicklyPubliclyRefutedScripturesShewingShowingVigorouslyWritings1.Paul labors with his hands, and preaches at Corinth to the Gentiles.
9.The Lord encourages him in a vision.
12.He is accused before Gallio the deputy, but is dismissed.
18.Afterwards passing from city to city, he strengthens the disciples.
24.Apollos, being instructed by Aquila and Priscilla, preaches Christ boldly.

For he powerfully refuted the Jews in public debate
This phrase highlights the boldness and eloquence of Apollos, a learned Jew from Alexandria, who was well-versed in the Scriptures. His ability to engage in public debate reflects the Greco-Roman culture of rhetoric and public discourse. The term "powerfully" suggests that Apollos was not only knowledgeable but also persuasive and effective in his arguments. This public setting indicates that these debates were likely held in synagogues or other communal spaces where Jews gathered, emphasizing the importance of open dialogue in the early church. The act of refuting suggests a strong opposition to the message of Jesus as the Messiah, which was a common challenge faced by early Christians.

proving from the Scriptures
Apollos used the Hebrew Scriptures, what Christians refer to as the Old Testament, to demonstrate that Jesus fulfilled the Messianic prophecies. This method of proving was crucial because it connected the new Christian faith with the ancient Jewish tradition, showing continuity and fulfillment. Key prophecies likely referenced includeIsaiah 53, which speaks of the suffering servant, andPsalm 22, which describes the crucifixion in detail. This approach was essential for convincing Jewish audiences who held the Scriptures in high regard.

that Jesus is the Christ
The term "Christ" is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew "Messiah," meaning "Anointed One." By proving that Jesus is the Christ, Apollos was asserting that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah prophesied in the Jewish Scriptures. This claim was central to the Christian faith and was a point of contention with Jewish leaders who did not accept Jesus as the Messiah. The declaration that Jesus is the Christ is foundational to Christian doctrine, affirming His role as the Savior and the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel. This assertion also ties into the broader narrative of the New Testament, where Jesus' life, death, and resurrection are seen as the culmination of God's redemptive plan.

1.Apollos
A learned Jew from Alexandria, known for his eloquence and knowledge of the Scriptures. He was fervent in spirit and taught accurately about Jesus, though initially only knowing the baptism of John.

2.Jews
The Jewish community in Ephesus, who were engaged in public debate with Apollos. They were knowledgeable in the Hebrew Scriptures but did not accept Jesus as the Messiah.

3.Ephesus
A major city in Asia Minor where Apollos engaged in public debate. It was a center of learning and culture, making it a strategic location for spreading the Gospel.

4.Scriptures
Refers to the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), which Apollos used to demonstrate that Jesus fulfilled the Messianic prophecies.

5.Public Debate
The setting in which Apollos refuted the Jews, showcasing his ability to argue persuasively and effectively for the truth of the Gospel.The Power of Scripture
Apollos used the Scriptures to prove that Jesus is the Christ. This emphasizes the importance of knowing and using the Bible to defend and share our faith.

The Role of Debate in Evangelism
Engaging in respectful and informed debate can be a powerful tool for evangelism, as it was for Apollos in Ephesus.

Continuous Learning and Growth
Apollos was open to learning from Priscilla and Aquila, showing the importance of humility and the willingness to grow in our understanding of the faith.

The Importance of Eloquence and Knowledge
Apollos' eloquence and knowledge were instrumental in his ability to refute the Jews. Christians should strive to be well-versed in Scripture and articulate in their communication.

Unity in Diversity of Gifts
Apollos' ministry complements Paul's, illustrating how different gifts and roles contribute to the mission of the church.1.What is the meaning of Acts 18:28?

2.How does Acts 18:28 inspire us to defend our faith effectively today?

3.What methods did Apollos use to "vigorously refute" the Jews in Acts 18:28?

4.How can we use Scripture to "prove that Jesus is the Christ"?

5.In what ways can we strengthen our understanding of Scripture like Apollos?

6.How does Acts 18:28 encourage us to engage in respectful theological discussions?

7.How does Acts 18:28 demonstrate the power of scriptural evidence in debates about Jesus' identity?

8.What historical context supports the effectiveness of Apollos' arguments in Acts 18:28?

9.How does Acts 18:28 challenge modern interpretations of Old Testament prophecies about Jesus?

10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Acts 18?

11.What does the Bible say about Christian debating?

12.What is the Pneumatomachian belief about the Holy Spirit?

13.What are an elder's duties in the church?

14.How did Priscilla and Aquila help Apollos understand Christianity?For he powerfully refuted

Apollos did not rely on slick rhetoric or human charisma; his strength flowed from the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). Just as no one could “stand up against the wisdom and the Spirit by whom Stephen spoke” (Acts 6:10), those in Ephesus found their arguments dismantled.

• Refutation is a necessary ministry when error challenges truth (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).

• Sound preparation undergirds Spirit-empowered boldness (2 Timothy 2:15).

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the Jews

Luke reminds us that the gospel is “first to the Jew, then to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). Apollos loved his own people enough to confront them with truth, echoing Paul’s earlier resolve in Pisidian Antioch: “We had to speak the word of God to you first” (Acts 13:46).

• Jesus Himself reasoned in synagogues (Matthew 4:23), setting the pattern.

• Many opposed, yet some believed (Acts 17:1-4), proving God’s faithfulness to His covenant people.

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in public debate

Apollos chose the open forum. This transparency displayed confidence in the message and invited all to weigh the evidence (Acts 19:8).

• Public defense of the faith is a mandate: “Always be prepared to give an answer” (1 Peter 3:15).

• Courage in the public square emboldens fellow believers (Philippians 1:27-28).

• Marketplace and synagogue alike became pulpits for Paul in Athens (Acts 17:17); Apollos follows the same model.

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proving from the Scriptures

His authority rested on God’s written word, not personal experience. Like Paul in Thessalonica, he was “explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead” (Acts 17:2-3).

• Jesus did the same on the Emmaus road, “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets” (Luke 24:27).

• All Scripture is “breathed out by God” and able to equip the servant (2 Timothy 3:16).

• The Old Testament is not an optional backdrop; it is the foundation for recognizing Jesus as Messiah (Luke 24:44).

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that Jesus is the Christ

The heart of the gospel is a Person: “Therefore let all Israel know … God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). Apollos pressed that same verdict.

• Peter’s confession—“You are the Christ” (Matthew 16:16)—is the decisive line of demarcation.

• John writes, “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31).

• Whoever believes this truth is “born of God” (1 John 5:1).

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summary

Acts 18:28 pictures a Spirit-filled servant dismantling error, honoring God’s covenant people, and doing so openly, with Scripture as the sole authority, all to establish the central claim of Scripture: Jesus is the promised Messiah. The same pattern—Spirit-empowered boldness, love for the lost, public witness, Scripture-saturated reasoning, and Christ-centered proclamation—remains our calling today.

(28)He mightily convinced the Jews.--The conclusion to which he led the Jews was the same as that which St. Paul urged on them. The process was, perhaps, somewhat different, as the line of argument in the Epistle to the Hebrews differs from that in the Epistle to the Galatians. To lead men on, after the manner of Philo, into the deeper meanings that lay beneath the letter of Scripture, to deal with them as those who were pressing forwards to the perfection of maturity in spiritual growth (Hebrews 5:11-14), instead of treating them as children who must be fed with milk and not with "strong meat" (i.e.,solid food), as St. Paul had done (1Corinthians 1:2)--it was natural that this should attract followers to the new preacher, and give him a larger measure of real or apparent success in dealing with the Jews than had attended the labours of St. Paul. As Apollos does not appear again in the Acts, it may be well to bring together what is known as to his after-history. At Corinth, as has been said, his name was used as the watchword of a party, probably that of the philosophising Jews and proselytes, as distinguished from the narrower party of the circumcision that rallied round the name of Cephas (1Corinthians 1:12). Not a word escapes from St. Paul that indicates any doctrinal difference between himself and Apollos, and as the latter had been instructed by St. Paul's friends, Aquila and Priscilla, this was, indeed, hardly probable. It would appear from1Corinthians 16:12, that he returned to Ephesus, probably with letters of commendation from the Church of Corinth (2Corinthians 3:1). St. Paul's confidence in him is shown by his desire that he should return once more to Corinth with Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus. His own reluctance to be the occasion even of the semblance of schism explains his unwillingness to go (1Corinthians 16:12). After this we lose sight of him for some years. These, we may well believe, were well filled up by evangelising labours after the pattern of those which we have seen at Ephesus and Corinth. Towards the close of St. Paul's ministry (A. D. 65) we get our last glimpse of him, inTitus 3:13. He is in company with Zenas, the lawyer (see Note onMatthew 22:35), one,i.e., who, like himself, had a special reputation for the profounder knowledge of the Law of Moses. St. Paul's feeling towards him is still, as of old, one of affectionate interest, and he desires that Titus will help him in all things. He has been labouring at Crete, and there also has gathered round him a distinct company of disciples, whom St. Paul distinguishes from his own; "Letour's also learn to maintain good works" (Titus 3:14). After this, probably after St. Paul's death, he wrote--if we accept Luther's conjecture--the Epistle to the Hebrews, addressed, as some have thought, to the Jewish Christians of Palestine, and specially of Caesarea, but, more probably, as I have been led to believe, to the Christian ascetics, known as Therapeutae, trained, like himself, in the school of Philo, with whom he had formerly been associated at Alexandria. The mention of disciples of, or from, Italy inHebrews 13:24 suggests a connection with some other Italian Christians than those of Rome, probably with those of Puteoli. (See Note onActs 28:14.) . . .Verse 28.- Powerfully confuted formightily convinced, A.V.;the Christ forChrist, A.V.Powerfully confuted;διακατηλέγχετο, one of St. Luke's peculiar compounds, found nowhere else;εὐτόνως here andLuke 23:10 (vehemently), but nowhere else in the New Testament. The adjectiveεὔτονος, meaning "nervous," "vehement," and the adverbεὐτόνως, meaning "vigorously," "with force," are very frequent in medical writers;εὐτόνως is also found in the LXX. ofJoshua 6:7,Σημαινέτωσαν εὐτόνως, "Let them blow a loud blast."Showing by the Scriptures, etc. The same line of preaching as St. Peter and St. Paul always adopted when address-lug Jews (seeActs 2;Acts 13;Acts 17:3;Acts 18:5, etc.). It is remarkable that the success of Apollos at Corinth seems to have been chiefly among the Jews, who had opposed themselves so vehemently to St. Paul (ver. 6). It is one of the many proofs of the singleness of eye and simplicity of purpose of the great apostle, that the success of this novice where he himself had failed did not excite the least jealousy (1 Corinthians 16:12). St. Luke, too, Paul's friend and biographer, here speaks of the powers and work of Apollos with no stinted measure of praise.

Parallel Commentaries ...

For
γὰρ(gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063:For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

he powerfully
εὐτόνως(eutonōs)
Adverb
Strong's 2159:Vehemently, powerfully, vigorously. Adverb from a compound of eu and a derivative of teino; in a well-strung manner, i.e. intensely.

refuted
διακατηλέγχετο(diakatēlencheto)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1246:To effectively (utterly) refute. Middle voice from dia and a compound of kata and elegcho; to prove downright, i.e. Confute.

the
τοῖς(tois)
Article - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Jews
Ἰουδαίοις(Ioudaiois)
Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2453:Jewish. From Iouda; Judaean, i.e. Belonging to Jehudah.

in public [debate],
δημοσίᾳ(dēmosia)
Adjective - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1219:Public, publicly. From demos; public; in public.

proving
ἐπιδεικνὺς(epideiknys)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1925:To show, display, point out, indicate; I prove, demonstrate. From epi and deiknuo; to exhibit.

by
διὰ(dia)
Preposition
Strong's 1223:A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.

the
τῶν(tōn)
Article - Genitive Feminine Plural
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Scriptures
γραφῶν(graphōn)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural
Strong's 1124:(a) a writing, (b) a passage of scripture; plur: the scriptures. A document, i.e. Holy Writ.

[that] Jesus
Ἰησοῦν(Iēsoun)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424:Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.

is
εἶναι(einai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 1510:I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

the
τὸν(ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Christ.
Χριστὸν(Christon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547:Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.


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NT Apostles: Acts 18:28 For he powerfully refuted the Jews publicly (Acts of the Apostles Ac)