- APOLLONIA a city of Macedonia between Amphipolis and
Thessalonica, from which it was distant about 36 miles. Paul and Silas
passed through it on their way to Thessalonica (Acts 17:1). - APOLLOS a Jew “born at Alexandria,” a man well versed in the
Scriptures and eloquent (Acts 18:24; R.V., “learned”). He came to Ephesus
(about A.D. 49), where he spake “boldly” in the synagogue (18:26),
although he did not know as yet that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah.
Aquila and Priscilla instructed him more perfectly in “the way of God”,
i.e., in the knowledge of Christ. He then proceeded to Corinth, where he
met Paul (Acts 18:27; 19:1). He was there very useful in watering the good
seed Paul had sown (1 Corinthians 1:12), and in gaining many to Christ.
His disciples were much attached to him (1 Corinthians 3:4-7, 22). He was
with Paul at Ephesus when he wrote the First Epistle to the Corinthians;
and Paul makes kindly reference to him in his letter to Titus (3:13). Some
have supposed, although without sufficient ground, that he was the author
of the Epistle to the Hebrews. - APOLLYON destroyer, the name given to the king of the hosts
represented by the locusts (Revelation 9:11). It is the Greek translation of
the Hebrew Abaddon (q.v.). - APOSTLE a person sent by another; a messenger; envoy. This word is
once used as a descriptive designation of Jesus Christ, the Sent of the
Father (Hebrews 3:1; John 20:21). It is, however, generally used as
designating the body of disciples to whom he intrusted the organization of
his church and the dissemination of his gospel, “the twelve,” as they are
called (Matthew 10:1-5; Mark 3:14; 6:7; Luke 6:13; 9:1). We have four
lists of the apostles, one by each of the synoptic evangelists (Matthew
10:2-4; Mark 3:16; Luke 6:14), and one in the Acts (1:13). No two of
these lists, however, perfectly coincide.
Our Lord gave them the “keys of the kingdom,” and by the gift of his
Spirit fitted them to be the founders and governors of his church (John
14:16, 17, 26; 15:26, 27; 16:7-15). To them, as representing his church, he
gave the commission to “preach the gospel to every creature” (Matthew
28:18-20). After his ascension he communicated to them, according to his
promise, supernatural gifts to qualify them for the discharge of their duties
(Acts 2:4; 1 Corinthians 2:16; 2:7, 10, 13; 2 Corinthians 5:20; 1
Corinthians 11:2). Judas Iscariot, one of “the twelve,” fell by