Cultivating a Forever Faith: Lessons from Priscilla and Aquila Δείγμα

Walking in Wisdom

After having been away from the Corinthians for some time, Paul writes a letter to the churches there, in which, as you may remember from Day Two, he mentions Priscilla and Aquila:

“The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 16:19).

While living in Ephesus and hosting a church in their home, Priscilla and Aquila continued to attend the synagogue, which was also Paul’s habit. In biblical times, if a learned visitor came to a synagogue, he was allowed to teach the congregation. One of our most interesting glimpses into Priscilla and Aquila’s ministry is in the context of the visit of a man named Apollos: 

“Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.” (Acts 18:24-28)

Priscilla and Aquila were clearly learned enough to be able to teach a man of Apollos’s abilities. They had access to the forever-trustworthy truths of God. They knew how to correct, exhort, and teach. They had wisdom to recognize his gifting, insight to understand his lack, and grace to correct him without causing him embarrassment or condemnation.

It is hard to be corrected. It is even harder to do the correcting in such a godly fashion that it bears good fruit. Read the following verse:

“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” (Galatians 6:1)

It isn’t enough to be right. More importantly, we have to be armed with the right spirit when we approach another person with the intention to point out a fault or mistake.

I have been in situations where someone who made a mistake was corrected so harshly that instead of bringing healing, the correction caused more woundedness. It takes a lot of gentleness and respect to correct another person’s mistakes and sins. Priscilla and Aquila clearly have the necessary gentleness. The very fact that they draw Apollos apart so that their conversation is private demonstrates how sensitive they were to this man’s feelings. They did not stand up in the synagogue in front of everyone and put him in his place. They waited to give him the benefit of a personal conversation.

Having worked in women’s ministry for twenty years, I have had my share of gentle corrections. The kind that added to my soul and made me a better disciple. I have also had a few corrections that took off a layer of my skin and left scars that still make me wince today. What Priscilla and Aquila demonstrate so beautifully in this passage is how to correct a brother or sister in the faith in such a way that leaves them better than before.  

For his part, Apollos was clearly a teachable man. He received correction and allowed it to enlarge his spirit. Enlarge his influence. Explode his calling in the Kingdom so that we hear about his ongoing ministry in later years (1 Corinthians 4:6; 1 Corinthians 16:12). Not everyone has this quality. There are times when a correction, even gently and rightly done, will only be received with harsh defensiveness. 

Ultimately, it is up to us to prayerfully ask Jesus to give us the gentleness and wisdom to know how to correct without causing further injury. Up to us to prayerfully ask Jesus to give us a teachable spirit. 

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for wanting me to grow in maturity. Thank you that you always approach me with gentleness and respect. Help me grow more like you. Give me a teachable spirit. Impart to me the wisdom to know how to correct with gentleness, and the grace to receive correction with humility. Help me to leave behind all damaging words and harsh, defensive responses. In your name I pray.

Additional Verse and Blessing

“And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 2:24-25).

May the Lord bless you with heavenly wisdom so that you know when to speak up and when to pray. May he fill you with the Son’s holy gentleness in all your undertakings. May he make your spirit teachable. In the power of Jesus’ name.