At the beginning of Acts 18, we are told that through his tentmaking Paul gained a couple, Aquila and Priscilla. Immediately they joined Paul in his vision and in his service. Thereafter, there were meetings in this couple’s house continually. When they were in Rome, the church in Rome met in their house. When they went to Ephesus, the church in Ephesus met in their house (Rom. 16:5a; 1 Cor. 16:19b). Paul praised them for risking their necks for his life (Rom. 16:4). Not only was Paul grateful to them, but all the churches in the Gentile world were thankful to them. The service of Aquila and Priscilla was a service that followed after Paul. Hence, their service was a service under the vision.
At the end of Acts 18, there appeared a man named Apollos. Was Apollos’s service under the vision? It is not safe to say that it was not, for “he was powerful in the Scriptures” (v. 24). He knew the Bible very well, but while he was ministering and working in Corinth, he created some problems. After he left, a division arose in the church in Corinth. Some said that they were of Apollos, and others said that they were of Cephas or of Paul. Another group of people thought that they were superior; they did not consider themselves as belonging to anyone. They claimed that they were of Christ (1 Cor. 1:12). Because of this problem, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 16:12, “Concerning our brother Apollos, I urged him many times to come to you with the brothers; yet it was not at all his desire to come now, but he will come when he has opportunity.” This means that Paul wanted to go to Corinth, and he wanted Apollos to go with him to solve the problem of division in the church in Corinth. The strange thing is that although Paul “urged him many times,” “it was not at all [Apollos’s] desire to come now.” The reason Apollos gave was that the opportunity was not there. This was why he would only come when he had “opportunity.”
Today we all have to admit that Paul was a very spiritual man. Since such a spiritual person had said, “I urged him many times to come to you,” we have to believe that his urging was not of the flesh but of the spirit. Perhaps some may ask, “Does this mean that Apollos was not spiritual?” Many would answer, “Of course, Apollos was spiritual. Otherwise, why would some in Corinth have claimed that they were of Apollos?” The Bible clearly says that Apollos was powerful in the Scriptures and was an eloquent man. Even Paul affirmed Apollos by saying that he planted, but Apollos watered. It is difficult to say that the one who plants is under the vision, but the one who waters is not under the vision. Therefore, we can at most say that Paul was more spiritual than Apollos. We cannot say that Apollos was not spiritual and that he was not under the vision.
Today in Christianity, many Christians claim that they are spiritual, but they do not like to listen to others. Even if Paul were here, they might not listen to him. This attitude has found its way even to us. It seems that in a way we are also “spiritual.” Sometimes we have a feeling concerning a certain matter, but we can only say to the brothers, “I urge you to do this. Perhaps you can pray to the Lord concerning it.” Strictly speaking, this condition is not too normal. If we study the book of Acts and the Epistles of Paul, we can see that many times Paul pointedly told people to do certain things. In 2 Timothy 4, Paul directed people to do a number of things. He told Timothy, “Be diligent to come to me quickly...Take Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for the ministry. But Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. The cloak which I left in Troas with Carpus, bring when you come...Be diligent to come before winter” (vv. 9-13, 21). When Paul charged Timothy in this way, Timothy did not say, “It is not at all my desire to come now, because the weather is somewhat cold, but I will come when I have opportunity.” No, he acted accordingly, following Paul’s instruction.
In the same way, when Paul asked Titus to remain in Crete, Titus remained. When he asked Titus to come to him at Nicopolos, Titus obeyed. When he sent Titus to Corinth, Titus went accordingly (Titus 1:5; 3:12; 2 Cor. 7:6-7). In 1 Timothy 1:3, Paul told Timothy, “Even as I exhorted you...to remain in Ephesus.” Paul told Timothy to stay behind in Ephesus, and Timothy stayed behind. We cannot find a trace where Paul exhorted Timothy in the way of saying, “Timothy, for the sake of those who are teaching differently in Ephesus, I feel that you should stay behind and consider the situation. Please pray to the Lord to see whether or not this is the Lord’s will.” Nor can we find Timothy answering, “Good, I will pray and see. If it is the Lord’s will, I will stay behind.” Acts 17:15 says, “Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible, they went off.” Acts 18:5 says, “Both Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia.” They all obeyed immediately after they received Paul’s command. No one said, “Sorry, I have to pray a little and see if this is the Lord’s leading.”