Acts 18:28

for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 18:28

In the previous verse, Apollos went off to Achaia. When he went, he was given a letter of introduction. Upon his arrival, it says he greatly helped those who had believed through the grace. At that time, it was questioned whether “the grace” applied to those who had believed or if it referred to the grace bestowed upon Apollos as a gift. What seems most likely is the latter. That appears to be bolstered by the next words, “for he vigorously refuted the Jews.”

The word translated as “refuting” is found only here. It is a long compound word that signifies “to prove downright.” The Jews said one thing and he said another. Also, the adverb eutonós, translated as “vigorously,” is seen for the second and last time. It signifies well stretched, pressed to the limit, or fully extended. Thus, it gives the sense of “mightily,” or “vigorously.”

The subject is Apollos. The grace bestowed upon him was for oratory skills, the ability to understand Scripture, etc. He was able to make a convincing argument against the Jews because of these things. Further, the verb is imperfect, more rightly saying, “refuting the Jews.” He didn’t have just one argument against their interpretation of things. Rather, he was overflowing with points that silenced them time and again. And more, he did this “publicly.”

It is obvious from this that he was accustomed to speaking in front of others and he was able to form arguments that were convincing not just to himself, but to those who heard. He openly challenged the Jews on a continuing basis because of this. And more, these arguments didn’t just come from his head or from hearsay evidence. Rather, he was “showing from the Scriptures.”

The source of the faith, the Hebrew Scriptures, clearly revealed that his arguments were valid and irrefutable. As they are the basis for the Jewish religion, and as he was able to draw from them his evidence, then what he said had to be taken as a valid interpretation unless demonstrated otherwise based on the context. The tenor of Luke’s words, however, is that they could not do this. Thus, Apollos was able to demonstrate, right from the Scriptures, “that Jesus is the Christ.”

There are prophecies in Scripture that when realized would point to only one possibility for fulfillment. For example, the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. He would be from the tribe of Judah. And so forth. By comparing what was prophesied and then placing Jesus side by side with those prophecies, it was absolutely assured that He is the Messiah.

And more, the things that He did validated this fact as well. He would die for sins. He would resurrect. And so forth. The Jews misunderstood the role of the Messiah and had come to faulty conclusions about who He would be and what He would do. Apollos was able to clearly refute the Jews because he grasped these things, understanding what they meant and how they pointed to what Jesus had done.

Life application: When you speak to Jews about Jesus today, it is not as easy to refute them as you might think. The reason for this is that many do not believe in the inspiration of Scripture. Most believe that the later writings of the rabbis that are compiled in the Talmud form the proper basis for their religious and cultural life.

Therefore, you will be arguing apples and oranges. Unless a Jew (or any other person) is willing to accept the authority of Scripture, there isn’t much you can do to convince them of the truth of who Jesus is. It takes a great deal of understanding Scripture and how reliable it is to be able to break through such barriers.

This is why it is so very important to know your Bible and to be able to defend what you believe. Never stop pursuing this marvelous word. It is what is needed to change hearts and minds. By knowing it, and by demonstrating how reliable it is, you can then have a positive impact on those you speak to.

Glorious God, thank You for Your word. Give us wisdom in reading and interpreting it so that we can properly and effectively tell others about the riches contained in it. May we be responsible enough in our lives to read it daily and meditate on it constantly. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.