This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
This man was instructed in the way of the Lord - that is, the Lord Jesus (according to the usual phraseology of this book), not God the Father, as Lechler understands it, as if Apollos had known little more than God's design to send a Redeemer to Israel.
And being fervent in the spirit. Having a warm heart, and conscious, probably, of his gifts and attainments, he burned to impart to others the truth he had himself received.
He spake and taught, х elalei (G2980) kai (G2532) edidasken (G1321)] - the tense here used implying continuousness from meeting to meeting. This took place at Ephesus, where Apollos had come. And, since the Jews of Ephesus had only gotten as much of the Gospel from Paul on his late visit as he could impart to them while his vessel lay at that port, and which served only to whet their appetite for more (Acts 18:19-21), they would the more readily listen to the expository eloquence and fervour of Apollos, in the same direction, so far, as the teaching of Paul.
Diligently, х akriboos (G199)] - rather 'accurately,' or 'soundly.' (It is the same word as is rendered 'perfectly,' in Acts 18:26.) Of course this means only 'accurately' so far as his knowledge went, as is evident from what follows:
The things of the Lord - but the true reading is, 'the thing of Jesus.' [This is the reading of 'Aleph (') A B D E, etc., of the Vulgate, of both Syriac versions, and most others; and so Lachmann, Tischendorf, and Tregelles. The received reading has only inferior support.]
Knowing only the baptism of John. He was instructed, probably, by some disciple of the Baptist, in the whole circle of John's teaching concerning Jesus, but no more: he had yet to learn the new light which the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost had thrown upon the Redeemer's Death and Resurrection, as appears from Acts 19:2-3.