Acts 18:27

Was disposed to pass. That is, wished to go. Into Achaia. Probably to Corinth, the chief city of Achaia. The wording of ch. 19:1 and the reference to Apollos in 1 Cor. 1:12 make this a certainty. His training, natural ability, and recent instruction and experience qualified him to carry on there a work similar to what Paul had undertaken at Athens. There is no record of any apostolic commission to Apollos, but some of the Corinthians came to regard him as equal to Paul (1 Cor. 1:12). Out of this there arose a strong partisan feeling in that church, which Paul rebuked (1 Cor. 3:3-17). There is no reason to suppose that Apollos himself brought about this situation, for Paul speaks of Apollos as watering what he himself had planted (1 Cor. 3:6). It may be that Apollos’ knowledge of the existence of partisanship in the church made him unwilling to return to Corinth (1 Cor. 16:12). The brethren wrote. This is the first record of what became known as “letters of commendation” (see on 2 Cor. 3:1; cf. Rom. 16:1, 2; Col. 4:10) written by one church to another on behalf of the bearer of the commendation. They were the “credentials” of that time. The fact that the church at Ephesus was willing to give Apollos such a letter shows the excellent impression he had made while there. Exhorting. Or, “encouraging.” This passage may also be translated, “encouraging [Apollos], the brethren wrote to the disciples.” Helped them much ... through grace. This passage may also be translated, “through grace helped them much which had believed.” This translation seems preferable, for it was through the grace of God, cooperating with the gifts of wisdom and eloquence, that Apollos was able to lead men to a deeper experience in Christ. This exactly corresponds with what Paul said of Apollos’ relation to his own work: “I have planted, Apollos watered”; “I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon” (1 Cor. 3:6, 10).