Apollos was a Cerinthian

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Giuseppe
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Apollos was a Cerinthian

Post by Giuseppe »

The Apollos episode in Acts 18 seems to be a catholic co-optation of Apollos legacy. Note the presence of an Apollos party in Corinth (confirmed by Paul). Note also the preaching "about Jesus" as opposed to a preaching of Jesus.

Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.

Note the insistence about what Apollos did in Corinth: he preached the strict identity Jesus=Christ.

This goes directly against the Cerinthus dogma known as separationism:
Jesus ≠ Christ.

Hence I think that here the author of Acts was a great liar:

He knew that Apollos was a Christian apostle who was a separationist.

But he remembered him falsely as an anti-separationist.

Hence dr. Detering may be right about 1 Corinthians used by the marcionites and catholics against the Cerinthians.

I wonder if even the most beautiful passage of all' the NT, 1 Cor 2:6-8, was addressed against Cerinthus:

The archons of this age crucified the Lord of Glory without knowing him.

Cerinthus would have said:
The archons of this age crucified the man Jesus believing him the Son of the supreme god (not the god of the Jews).
Nihil enim in speciem fallacius est quam prava religio. -Liv. xxxix. 16.
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