Acts 18:18–28: Many Gifts among Many Members
Introduction
As the mission continues, something interesting happens in Acts 18:18. For the first time, we see people who are not full-time ministers of the gospel traveling along with Paul in his journeys. Previously, we have seen Barnabas, John Mark, Silas, and Timothy travel with Paul. In Acts 18:18, we read that Priscilla and Aquila (“tentmakers by trade”; Acts 18:3) traveled with Paul on his journey to Ephesus. These “fellow workers in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 16:3) play an especially important role once Paul must depart from Ephesus soon into his ministry there, even when a gifted minister named Apollos arrives. In Ephesus, Paul does not labor alone, but with fellow ministers and laymen who labor together for the gospel of Christ. Even today, by many gifts among many members, God grows his church.
Discussion Questions
1. What is unique for Priscilla and Aquila to accompany Paul on his journey to Ephesus (v. 18)? Who normally accompanies Paul on his missionary journeys? What gifts and skills do Priscilla and Aquila have (Acts 18:3)? Why do you think that they would make this journey, when their business had been in Corinth? What do we learn here about the ministry of ordinary members in the church? Is this the kind of role we commonly think of ordinary members taking?
2. What might the “vow” have been about that Luke describes in v. 18? How might this relate to Paul’s work among the Jews in the synagogue (v. 19)? Why do you think Paul might have felt that he must leave Ephesus (v. 20)? When Paul leaves, who remains to lead and support the fledgling church? How do you think these individuals felt about their role in caring for this young church? How do you think God ultimately used them?
3. Who was Apollos (v. 24a)? What was significant about Alexandria (v. 24b)? What kinds of gifts and abilities did this man have (v. 24c)? What did he know about Jesus (v. 25a)? What didn’t he know about Jesus (v. 25b)? What ministry and leadership role did he take within the church in Ephesus (v. 26)? How did Priscilla and Aquila serve Apollos in his ministry (v. 26)? What kind of benefit did the whole church gain from their correcting him (vv. 27–28)?
4. What role do you have in serving the body of Christ? What do we learn from this passage about how the Lord uses ordinary members of his church? What was the ministry relationship between Paul and Apollos in Ephesus? How does 1 Corinthians 3 help us to understand how Paul viewed Apollos’s work? What does this tell us about the role of different ministers in a single congregation over time? How does this glorify Christ rather than the ministers?
