I was reading the narrative of Jesus’ birth in Luke 2.8 – 38. It’s interesting whom Luke records as witnessing the coming of the Messiah:

• Shepherds, ordinary working men
• Simeon, a resident of Jerusalem is all we know. We don’t even know that he is old.
• Anna, a widow

None of these people had any status. All shared publicly what they knew. The message is clear.

Compared with Paul’s message in Ephesians 3, what these people knew was limited. They thought Jesus was the Messiah for the Jewish people. It didn’t occur to them that the whole world would be included.

There has never been a generation that has been given the detailed understanding of this glorious and divine mystery until now. He kept it a secret until this generation. God is revealing it only now to his sacred apostles and prophets by the Holy Spirit. Here’s the secret: The gospel of grace has made you, non-Jewish believers, into coheirs of his promise through your union with him. And you have now become members of his body—one with the Anointed One! I have been made a messenger of this wonderful news by the gift of grace that works through me. Even though I am the least significant of all his holy believers, this grace-gift was imparted when the manifestation of his power came upon me. Grace alone empowers me so that I can boldly preach this wonderful message to non-Jewish people, sharing with them the unfading, inexhaustible riches of Christ, which are beyond comprehension. (Ephesians 3.5 – 8, TPT)

Apollos also shared what he knew, even though his knowledge was incomplete also. But Paul to the rescue again. Paul trained Priscilla and Aquilla, ordinary tentmakers (see Acts 18.1 – 3), and they shared with Apollos what they knew!

Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. (Acts 18.24 – 26, ESV)