Today’s Verse

Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, born in Alexandria, who was an eloquent man and powerful in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus.

Acts 18:24

Monday, September 19

Though there are many examples of empowering others in the Bible, let’s examine a special relationship between a young preacher and a gentle Christian couple. We are introduced to Aquila and Priscilla who empowered Apollos. 

The Bible first describes Apollos as “a Jew.” Like other Jewish boys of his era, he probably vigorously studied the Old Testament Scriptures in the synagogues. No doubt he had memorized vast portions of the Old Testament texts.  

Apollos was “born at Alexandria.” “Alexandria” was a famous city in the Nile Delta of northern Egypt. Part of the fame of “Alexandria” stems from its great educational advancements. During the New Testament era, there was a museum, a university of philosophy, and it was no doubt the world’s largest library at that time. Scholars tell us that before the library was destroyed by fire, it contained over 700,000 scrolls and other documents!

“Alexandria” also had a large Jewish community. In fact, about one-third of the population was Jewish. They held places of prominence throughout the city. The Jews of “Alexandria” also translated the first copy of the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Hebrew Scriptures which was widely used and often quoted in the New Testament. Apollos was the culmination of two mighty ancient cultures, the Jews and the Greeks. He was no doubt widely read and well educated. 

Have you been empowered? Let’s continue to examine Apollos in the coming days.

Weekly Memory Verse

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

II Timothy 2:15

"Tennis taught me to take chances, to take life as it comes. To hit every ball that comes to me no matter how hard it looks, to give it my best shot."
- Thisuri Wanniarachchi

Pastor Armstrong

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