How does Acts 18:27 illustrate the role of grace in salvation? Text and Immediate Context “When Apollos wanted to go across to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On his arrival, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.” (Acts 18:27) Luke frames Apollos’ transfer from Ephesus to Corinth within a single, crucial clause: “to those who by grace had believed.” The Greek phrase τοῖς πεπιστευκόσιν διὰ τῆς χάριτος (tois pepisteukosin dia tēs charitos) literally reads, “the ones having believed through the grace.” The preposition διά with the genitive signals the instrumental means—grace is the channel through which belief becomes reality. Grace as Salvific Instrument Throughout Scripture, salvation is explicitly “by grace … through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). Acts 18:27 mirrors exactly that Pauline construction. It does not present grace as a mere backdrop but as the active conduit enabling faith itself. In other words, the Corinthians’ belief is not self-generated; it is the product of divine initiative. Luke’s concise phrase reaffirms the monergistic nature of salvation already embedded in Acts 13:48 (“as many as were appointed to eternal life believed,”). Linguistic and Exegetical Insights a) Perfect participle πεπιστευκόσιν (peπιστευκόσιν) marks completed action with a continuing state—these believers remain in a state produced by grace. b) Article τοῖς binds them into a defined group, distinguishing them from the synagogue audience Apollos had earlier addressed. c) διά τῆς χάριτος eliminates human merit. No secondary cause is allowed to rival grace in the ordo salutis (order of salvation). Narrative Illustration Apollos, originally “mighty in the Scriptures” yet incomplete in gospel knowledge (Acts 18:24-26), becomes himself a recipient of grace through Priscilla and Aquila’s private instruction. He then ministers effectively to others “who by grace had believed.” Both teacher and audience are trophies of the same grace, illustrating its cyclical, multiplying effect in gospel advance. The Lucan Emphasis on Grace in Acts • Acts 4:33—“great grace was upon them all” • Acts 11:23—Barnabas “saw the grace of God” in Antioch • Acts 15:11—“we believe it is through the grace of the Lord Jesus that we are saved” • Acts 20:24—Paul’s ministry is “the gospel of the grace of God” Acts 18:27 comes as the fourth explicit grace-salvation pairing in the book, forming a consistent tapestry: wherever the gospel spreads, grace precedes, accompanies, and secures belief. Theological Integration: Synergism or Monergism? While humans exercise faith, Acts 18:27 attributes causality to grace. This harmonizes Luke with John 6:44 (“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him”) and with Paul in Philippians 1:29 (“it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe”). The believer’s will is active but dependent; divine grace is determinative yet non-coercive, effectually wooing the heart (Jeremiah 31:3). Supporting Scriptural Witness • Romans 3:24—“justified freely by His grace” • Titus 3:7—“justified by His grace” • 2 Timothy 1:9—“saved us … because of His own purpose and grace” Acts 18:27 condenses these broader theological affirmations into a historical footnote, grounding doctrine within narrative. Early Church Testimony Clement of Rome (1 Clem. 32) alludes to believers who “became righteous not of themselves but by the will of God through Jesus Christ,” paralleling Luke’s summary. Tertullian (On Grace 3) likewise cites Apollos as an exemplar of gifted grace-empowered service. Practical Implications a) Assurance—If belief springs from grace, security rests on God’s immutable favor (Romans 11:6). b) Humility—Ministers, like Apollos, are “helpful” only because grace already operates in hearers (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). c) Evangelism—Proclaimers sow seed confident that saving efficacy lies in grace, not presentation finesse (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). Worship and Doxology Recognizing belief as “through grace” fuels worship (Ephesians 1:6), directing glory away from the convert to the Giver. The Corinthian church, birthed in Acts 18:27, later sings, “What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). Conclusion Acts 18:27 encapsulates the gospel economy: God’s unmerited favor not only offers salvation but actually produces the faith that receives it. The narrative of Apollos and the Corinthian believers stands as a living commentary on Ephesians 2:8-9, ensuring that from start to finish, “salvation belongs to the LORD” (Jonah 2:9). |
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