In
Acts 18:24-26, Luke, the author of Acts, introduces his readers to Apollos. Apollos was a Jewish Christian from Alexandria. Alexandria was a renowned centre of learning in the ancient world and famous for its monumentally impressive and extensive library. Apollos is literally described by Luke as a “man of words”. This indicates that Apollos was an eloquent speaker, trained in rhetoric; or it may mean that Apollos was well read and highly educated. From Luke’s description of Apollos, both definitions fit well. Luke portrays Apollos as both an eloquent orator and as someone with a thorough (literally “powerful”) understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures. Apollos would go on to become an outstanding minister of the gospel (
1 Cor 3:3-6 & 22).
Despite Apollos’ notable credentials, something was lacking in his theology. Apollos was ignorant of Christian baptism. Priscilla and Aquila recognised this lack, and as leaders of the local church, they took Apollos aside[6] and explained to him “The Way”, that is, the Christian faith, more accurately.[7]
The verb “explain” is plural in the Greek[8] indicating that both Priscilla and Aquila were involved. However, the fact that Priscilla’s name is listed first, before her husband’s in
Acts 18:26, seems to indicate that Priscilla was more active in giving the explanation than Aquila.[9]
Teach-didaskō
Many different verbs[10] are commonly used in the New Testament in the context of someone communicating aspects of the gospel message and the Christian faith. Much of this type of communication would include some degree of teaching and instruction.
Some people quibble about the meaning of the word “explain” (ektithēmi) used in
Acts 18:26. They claim that it does not mean “teach”. Didaskō is the Greek word usually translated as “teach” or “instruct”. BDAG (p241) defines didaskō as “(1) to tell someone what to do, tell, instruct; . . . and (2) to provide instruction in a formal or informal setting, teach.”
In chapter 19 of Acts – the chapter following the passage about Priscilla and Aquila’s “explaining” – Luke writes about Paul’s three month speaking ministry in the synagogue at Ephesus. Luke uses the cognates of three different verbs in reference to Paul’s speaking about the Kingdom of God: (1) parrēsiazomai-speak boldly/freely, (2) dialegomai-discuss/reason and (3) peithō-persuade (
Acts 19:8-9). Luke does not specifically use the word teach-didaskō here, and yet there can be no doubt that during those three months at Ephesus Paul did in fact teach. He taught using discussion, reasoning and persuasion.
It is unreasonable to suggest that Paul’s ministry in
Acts 19:8-9 did not include teaching simply because Luke did not use the word didaskō. It is equally unreasonable to suggest that Priscilla and Aquila’s explanation to Apollos did not include teaching just because Luke did not use the word didaskō. Priscilla and Aquila did in fact teach Christian doctrine to Apollos. This becomes clear when you look at the meaning of “explain” (epitithēmi) and the circumstances where Luke uses it elsewhere in Acts.
Explain-ektithēmi
Luke is the only New Testament author to use the Greek word ektithēmi. He uses it four times, and only in the book of Acts. There are two basic meanings for the word ektithēmi. In its most literal sense it means to “place outside” or “expose”. In this sense, BDAG (p310) gives the first definition of ektithēmi as “withdraw support or protection from”. Luke uses the word in this sense in
Acts 7:21 where he recounts Stephen speaking about the baby Moses who was placed outside and left exposed on the Nile.
In a more metaphorical sense, ektithēmi means “to put forth, declare, explain”. (Perschbacher 1990:131)[11] In this sense, BDAG (p310) gives the second definition of ektithēmi as “to convey information by careful elaboration”. This sounds a lot like teaching to me. Luke uses the word in this sense three times in Acts: of Peter in
Acts 11:4, of Priscilla and Aquila in
Acts 18:26, and of Paul in
Acts 28:23. It is important to note that there is nothing at all trivial in these three instances where “explain” (ektithēmi) is used.
Peter’s Explaining in
Acts 11:4
But Peter began and explained it to them point by point, saying . . .
Acts 11:4 (NIV, my emphasis)
In Acts chapter 10, we read that the very first gentiles had become Christians and were baptised through Peter’s ministry. The apostles and brothers in Judea were disturbed by this turn of events and when Peter went to Jerusalem they “took issue with him” (
Acts 11:3 NIV). Peter responds to their criticism, and in
Acts 11:5-17 he explains (ektithēmi) the remarkable events that he had personally been involved with, “point by point” (NIV), or ”in an orderly sequence” (NASB). Peter does not merely relate his recent experiences, he persuasively presents his own conclusion (
Acts 11:17-18). Peter’s speech about the inclusion of the gentiles in God’s plan for salvation was a huge turning point for the Christian church which up to that point was completely Jewish. And Luke uses the word ektithēmi in this context.
Paul’s Explaining in
Acts 28:23
When they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe.
Acts 28:23-24 (NASB, my emphasis)
In Luke’s final use of the word ektithēmi we read that Paul was explaining, testifying and trying to persuade many people about Jesus using the Old Testament scriptures. While Luke again does not use the word didaskō in this passage, we can see that Paul was in fact teaching his visitors about Jesus.
An Objection to Priscilla “Teaching”
Daniel B. Wallace disagrees that Priscilla “taught” Apollos. In his article Did Priscilla “Teach” Apollos? An Examination of the Meaning of ἐκτίθημι in
Acts 18:26, he writes:
“The word [ektithēmi] is actually somewhat of a vanilla term, basically meaning “lay out,” or “expose.” It can be used in various contexts, but in collocation with information being passed on it tends to be restricted to simple explanation without concomitant urging or rhetorical persuasiveness.”
It is unclear why Wallace regards ektithēmi as a “vanilla term”, especially considering how Luke uses the word in Acts. It is highly unlikely that Peter told his audience the amazing events recounted in
Acts 11:5-17 dispassionately, with no desire or intention to change the minds of those present. And in
Acts 28:23 there is unmistakable evidence of “rhetorical persuasiveness”.
Wallace also states that:
“From the primary data and the lexical tools that interpret [ektithēmi], there was seen to be almost no unusual meaning, virtually no sense that could be viewed as approaching didaskō and its cognates in the NT. . . the force of ektithēmi never seemed to transgress into the realm of exhortation.”
I agree that it is a straightforward exercise to translate ektithēmi into English as there are “almost no unusual meanings”; however it is difficult to understand why Wallace believes its meaning cannot be viewed as approaching didaskō. “Explain” can often be practically synonymous in meaning to “teach” and “instruct”, whether in English or Greek. Furthermore, it is unclear why Wallace implies that didaskō involves exhortation and ektithēmi doesn’t.
Conclusion
Typically, most English dictionaries define explain as “make plain and comprehensible”. This is surely one of the major aims in teaching. I would be very happy if my teaching was described as explaining. To discount Priscilla and Aquila’s “explaining” as true teaching simply because Luke didn’t use the word didaskō is unwarranted; especially when considering the meaning[12] and context of ektithēmi in the book of Acts.
Did Priscilla, with her husband, teach Apollos “the Way of God more accurately”, including the doctrine of Christian baptism? Did a woman, Priscilla, teach a man, Apollos? Yes, she did.[13]
As church leaders, there would have been many occasions for Priscilla and Aquila to teach, either informally or in church meetings. Neither Luke nor Paul give any hint of censure or disapproval about Priscilla teaching Apollos, or her role as a church leader. In light of the fact that Priscilla did instruct a man in Christian doctrine, the blanket ban by some, of women teaching men, must be reassessed and redressed.
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