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The climax in teaching is when a student is able to take on the role of a teacher and, in the process, pass down the knowledge that will benefit many others. The story of Aquilla and Priscilla demonstrates how God uses their abilities to spread the message of the good news about Jesus during the challenging years of the early Church.

Apollos, a Jewish orator, was a naturally talented and eloquent speaker: “he was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures” (Acts 18:24). Aquilla and Priscilla, through their long and close association with the Apostle Paul had learnt firsthand from Paul the teachings the Lord Jesus had given him to proclaim. While in Ephesus, they heard Apollos speak and were impressed by the persuasiveness of his message. But they discerned that he did not have the complete narrative (his teaching was based on Jewish Scriptures and John the Baptist’s teachings). They invited him to their house and, in the comfort of the home, they shared with him what he needed to know. “The Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful” (2 Tim 2:24). As a result, Apollos (already well-versed in Jewish Scriptures) became more energized, bold and effective in his preaching, now that he was filled with the complete narrative about Jesus. Subsequently, God used Apollos’ gifts greatly in Achaia; and he debated convincingly with the Jews “to prove from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah” (Acts 18:28).

The lessons we can learn today from all these godly characters are: Every believer needs to be well educated in the Christian faith. Besides having the hunger for knowledge, they are to be able to discern right from wrong and therefore able to correct and encourage one another. The home can be conducive for us to share and teach and, in the early days of the Church, it contributed greatly to Christian growth and maturity. We can apply the teaching of Paul to Timothy in 2 Tim 2:2: “be qualified to teach others also” under all circumstances.

Apollos, the dynamic orator and a learned scholar in the Jewish Scriptures, was willing to be a student to become an even better teacher. Possessing a “teachable spirit” is most beneficial to us and God can certainly use Christians in ways we find unimaginable. Be a student for life – a lifelong learner!