Acts 18:24

24. Apollos Contracted from Apollonius, the adjective of Apollo.

Alexandria The city of Alexandria, the birthplace of Apollos, was built near the mouth of the Nile by Alexander the Great, and was intended by that comprehensive genius for a union-point of the eastern and western nations, a centre of the blended civilizations of the earth. The Jews boast that their nation enjoyed his personal favour owing to his having been shown the prophecies of Daniel predicting his great career. Certain it is that they were endowed with the fullest privileges of citizenship, and the fullest enjoyment of their religious rights, in this splendid and liberal capital. The land of their ancient bondage, Egypt, was now the home of their preeminent freedom. Here was made that translation of the Hebrew Scriptures called the Septuagint. Here Philo, the Greekish Jew, wrote those reflections upon the Hebrew Scriptures which prepared the minds of the Hellenists of various sections for the forms of thought presented in Christianity. Similarly our Apollos, an earnest Jew, imbued with the influence of Greek refinement, and trained under the teachings of Grecian rhetoric, would possess an eminent power of handling Christian truth with a pleasing and powerful effect.

Eloquent The Greek word often signifies learned; but that being implied in the clause that follows, the word must refer to his power of oratory.

Mighty It is not merely said that he knew the Scriptures, but he was mighty in bringing out their force impressively upon the hearts of men. The truths burning in his own heart fired the hearts of others.

Came to Ephesus Probably from Alexandria; from the great capital of Africa to a great capital of Asia.