Priscilla: The Teacher Who Instructed Apollos

The Woman Who Taught a Preacher

There is a story in Acts that most Christians have never heard. It is about a preacher named Apollos who was teaching in Ephesus. He knew the message about Jesus, but he only knew about John's baptism. He did not know about the Holy Spirit.

A couple named Aquila and Priscilla heard him. And they took him aside and taught him the way of God more accurately.

That is remarkable. Apollos was a preacher. He was teaching in public. And a couple, a woman and her husband, took him aside and corrected his teaching. They had knowledge that he did not have. And they shared it.

The Story

Here is the full story from Acts 18: "Then Apollos, a Jewish follower of Jesus who had been taught the Way, started speaking boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the Way of God to him more accurately."

Notice what happened. Apollos was teaching. He was bold. He was eloquent. He was preaching about Jesus. But he was incomplete. He did not know about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He knew the death and resurrection, but not the power that comes after.

Priscilla and Aquila heard him. They did not correct him publicly. They did not embarrass him in front of the synagogue. They took him aside. They explained the Way more accurately. They taught him what he was missing. That is significant. They knew something he did not. And they taught him.

The Significance

What makes this story so significant? Let me break it down for you.

First, Priscilla was a teacher. The text says "Priscilla and Aquila" together explained the Way. But in other places, Priscilla is mentioned first, which was unusual for the time. Some scholars believe she was the more prominent teacher of the two. Not because Aquila was less capable, but because Priscilla had gifts that stood out.

Second, she taught a preacher. Apollos was already teaching when she corrected him. He was already preaching Jesus. He was already a leader in the fledgling church. And yet she had something to teach him. She was not intimidated by his position or his eloquence.

Third, the correction was accurate. They explained the Way more accurately. They had knowledge that Apollos did not have. They were qualified to teach because they knew more. They were not proud of their knowledge. They were generous with it.

Fourth, the correction was kind. They took him aside. They did not embarrass him. They did not correct him publicly. They taught him privately. That is wisdom. Correction done right builds up rather than tears down.

The Partnership

I want to say something about the partnership between Priscilla and Aquila. They are mentioned together several times in the New Testament. They were a team. They worked together. They taught together.

And here is what is interesting. Priscilla is mentioned first in some places, which was unusual for the time. In a patriarchal culture, the man was typically mentioned first. That Priscilla is sometimes mentioned first suggests she was the more prominent teacher. Not because Aquila was less capable, but because Priscilla had gifts that stood out.

Their partnership is a model for marriage. They were equals. They served together. They taught together. And neither one overshadowed the other. They were a team. That is what marriage in ministry should look like.

What Priscilla Teaches Us About Teaching

What can we learn from Priscilla? Let me suggest several things.

First, knowledge is meant to be shared. Priscilla knew something and she shared it. She did not hoard her knowledge or keep it to herself. She used it to help others grow. Are you hoarding what God has given you, or are you sharing it?

This is important because so many of us keep what we know to ourselves. We think we are not qualified to teach. We think someone else will do it. But Priscilla did not think that way. She saw a need and she met it. She saw someone who needed to know more, and she taught them.

You have knowledge that someone else needs. You have insights that someone else is missing. Do not keep it to yourself. Share it. Help others grow. That is what Priscilla did. That is what God is calling you to do.

Second, correction can be kind. Priscilla did not humiliate Apollos. She took him aside. She explained. She taught. Correction done right builds up rather than tears down. Do you know how to correct in love?

This is a skill that many of us lack. We either do not correct at all, or we correct in ways that hurt. But Priscilla shows us a different way. She corrected with care. She corrected with kindness. She corrected in a way that built Apollos up rather than tearing him down.

When you need to correct someone, ask yourself: Am I doing this in love? Am I building them up or tearing them down? Am I helping them grow or just making myself feel superior? Those are important questions.

Third, women can teach. Even preachers. Even in the first century. Priscilla taught Apollos. That is in Scripture. End of discussion. If anyone tells you that women cannot teach, point them to Acts 18.

This is important because there is so much debate about women's roles in the church. Some say that women cannot teach at all. But Priscilla teaches us something different. She taught a preacher. She corrected a leader. And her correction was accepted and appreciated.

Do not let anyone tell you that your voice does not matter. Do not let anyone tell you that you cannot teach because of your gender. Look at Priscilla. She taught. She was effective. She helped someone grow.

Fourth, married ministry is partnership. Priscilla and Aquila were a team. They worked together. They served together. They taught together. That is a model for what ministry marriage can look like.

So many couples in ministry struggle with competition. They struggle with one person being in charge. They struggle with the other person being overlooked. But Priscilla and Aquila show us something different. They were partners. They were equals. They worked together.

If you are married and in ministry, ask yourself: Are we partners? Are we equals? Do we work together? Or does one of us dominate? That is an important question.

The Humility to Be Corrected

There is one more thing I want to share about this story. And it is about Apollos. He was already teaching. He was already preaching. He was already a leader. And yet he was willing to be corrected.

That takes humility. That is not easy. When you are up front, when you are teaching, when you are leading, it is hard to be corrected. It is hard to admit that you do not know something. It is hard to be told that you are wrong.

But Apollos was humble. He accepted the correction. He learned what he was missing. And he became a better teacher because of it. That is the kind of humility we all need.

Are you willing to be corrected? Are you willing to admit that you do not know everything? Are you willing to learn from someone who knows more than you? That is what Apollos modeled. And that is what God is calling us to.

The Gift of Accurate Teaching

Priscilla and Aquila taught Apollos "more accurately." That is an important phrase. They did not just teach him something new. They taught him more accurately. They helped him get the details right.

This matters because accurate teaching matters. It matters what we believe. It matters how we explain it. There is a difference between knowing something and teaching it accurately. And Priscilla and Aquila had the gift of accuracy.

As you teach others, ask yourself: Am I teaching accurately? Am I passing on what God has given me correctly? Or am I adding my own ideas? Am I subtracting from what God said? Accuracy matters. That is what Priscilla modeled.

A Personal Word

I want to speak to you personally now. Maybe you know something that someone else needs to hear. Maybe you have knowledge that someone else is missing. Are you sharing it? Or are you keeping it to yourself?

Priscilla did not wait for someone to ask. She saw someone who needed to know more, and she taught. Be like Priscilla. Share what you know. Help others grow.

And maybe you are on the other side. Maybe you are the one who needs to be corrected. Maybe you are the one who is missing something. Be like Apollos. Be willing to be taught. Be humble enough to learn. That is what will make you a better teacher.

Tomorrow, we are going to talk about Junia. An apostle. A woman. A prisoner for Christ. Hiding in plain sight for centuries. I hope you will join me.