Acts 18:24
And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.
The word usually rendered here as "scriptures" is γραφαῖς (graphais), which can also refer to writings in general.
Is this passage saying that Apollos was well-versed in the Tanakh, or in literature in general, or something else?
Is it possible to read this to mean that he was a skilled writer?
Related question about γραφή here
In English we make mention of the 'bible' or the good 'book' or the 'scriptures'. None of these words, in their origin, are exclusive to any one body of writing.
In certain circles 'bible' may refer to any central body of reference. Arthur Vogel's extensive production can be referred to as 'the organic chemist's bible'.
But within (let us say) Protestant circles there would be no doubt what was being referred to if one said 'bible' or 'scripture' or 'the good book' or even 'the book'. It would be that collection of writings which begins with Genesis and ends with Revelation.
Go back a hundred and fifty years and it would be very close to a certainty that one was talking about the Authorised Version of 1611 (1769).
Similarly, in the first century, at a time before any apostle had yet recorded anything written, to refer to graphe Strong 1124 (graphais, in Acts 18:24, being the dative plural and conveying a collection of what is written) it would be very obvious what was in view.
My 1,700 page Special American Edition of Liddel & Scott makes it clear that in profane Greek literature the term was not specific and, if anything, would principally refer to pencil work, artwork, or a painting as well as to a piece of writing or a legal document such as an indictment.
But within the writings of the apostles it is abundantly clear that they all use the term graphe to refer to holy scripture. That is to say, at the time of which Luke writes in Acts 18:24, the law and the prophets, as Jesus refers to the Hebrew scriptures, for example in Matthew 22:40.
Later, Peter uses the same term to refer to Paul's writings, 2 Peter 3:16, saying than many are wont to 'wrest' his words, making them seem to be other than they really are.
Paul, himself, then uses another word gramma Strong 1121 in referring to Timothy's upbringing, 2 Timothy 3:15, that, from a 'babe' he had known the 'sacred letters' perhaps conveying that Timothy had been taught to read, learning his letters out of the Hebrew bible, the word being more specifically focussed on what is actually, individually, on the page, rather than graphe which I would suggest refers to the pictorial shape (and therefore, by implication, the sense) of an entire word.
The word graphe occurs 51 times in the TR and in the KJV it is translated 'scripture' or 'scriptures' every single time (1). Glancing down the list it would appear to me that no other word, in context, would be suitable in any of this list.
As to Apollos, he was an eloquent man, mighty in the scriptures, this suggesting that, his eloquence being put first, the following mention of 'mightiness' - in respect of the graphe - would convey the meaning that his eloquence was centred on the Hebrew scripture and it was his spoken word, closely aligned with the holy writings, that was so powerful, so persuasive and so 'mighty'.
(1) Source is Robert Young's Analytical Concordance, 9th edition.
The text seems to imply that he was well-versed in the Tanakh, literature (I'll explain), as well as other disciplines. It's impressive that Apollos was speaking and teaching the things concerning Jesus -- especially only being acquainted with the baptism of John. Had he encountered Christ somewhere before? The NAS reads:
Acts 18:24-26: Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue.
The disciples must have felt this faithful man was a blessing from God ("being fervent in spirit"). There may have been very few as well-versed in New Covenant teaching as is related in the next few verses regarding Apollos:
Acts 18:28: [He] powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
It seems that since he was such an eloquent man, mighty in the Scriptures (the only Scriptures they yet possessed were largely the O/T), and in speaking and teaching, it stands to reason that he was well-educated. That education would surely include writing, no doubt from a prestigious Greek institution. I have often wondered if Apollos was the author of Hebrews.
This is actually quite uncomplicated. The noun γραφή (graphé) occurs 51 times in the NT. In ALL instances, without exception, it refers to "sacred scripture" (BDAG). For example:
Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: "'The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? Matt 21:42 [ = 1st in NT]
This is also true of Matt 22:29, 26:54, 56, Mark 12:10, 24, 14:49, 15:28, Luke 4:21, 24:27, 32, 45, John 5:39, etc.
Thus, γραφή in NT times would presumably refer to:
He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 2 Peter 3:16 [ = last instance in NT]
Therefore, if γραφή applies to anything other than sacred scripture, it is the only such case in all the NT. That γραφή refers to sacred Scripture is confirmed by the very next verse, of Acts 18:24-26 -
Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, well versed in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord and was fervent in spirit. He spoke and taught accurately about Jesus though he knew only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue.
Thus, Apollos was using "Scripture" to prove that Jesus was Messiah.
As you indicate, γραφαῖς (graphais) generically means writings, but in the NT it most often refers to those writings, the Scriptures, which are recognized as authoritative, truthful, God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16), and prophetically-delivered (2 Pet. 1:20–21). In the NT, this term most often refers to OT writings; but (contra BDAG), it is also used to refer to NT writings (1 Tim. 5:17–18; 2 Pet. 3:15–17). Further, in 2 Timothy 3:15, Paul uses "sacred writings" (ESV) to distinguish between OT writings and NT writings, as he shifts from speaking of the OT writings of Timothy's childhood to inclusively speaking of the NT writings ("All Scripture"), which were profitable for training, making complete, and equipping the [Christian] "man of God."1
From within this framework, is there an explanation for how Apollos might have only known of the baptism of John? Indeed there is, if Apollos had been instructed from one of the Gospels, without an awareness of the events of Pentecost which had not yet been published (i.e., in Acts). Elsewhere (here, here, and here), I have argued that Matthew was published well before this encounter in Ephesus; therefore, we can easily explain Apollos' limited knowledge. Hence, to directly answer the OP question, the passage's Scripture reference is referring to "something else"; namely, a Gospel, such as Matthew.
The phrase which follows Acts 18:24 is also pertinent, as the phrase can be understood as elaborating on the Scriptures which were in view; namely, Scriptures which "instructed in the way of the Lord." (Elsewhere, we've established that these kinds of references to "Lord" have Jesus in view.) This echoes Paul's expectation of the role of Scripture, per 2 Timothy 3:16–17, as referenced above.
24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 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. (Acts 18:24–25 ESV)
The OP asked a follow-up question, "is it possible to read this to mean that he was a skilled writer?" Yes, this is a fair speculation, given that he was eloquent and competent in the Scriptures. The best orators of the day taught that orators should be well read and written. For example, Cicero offered this advice:
Write as much as possible. The pen is the best and most eminent author and teacher of eloquence … all the thoughts and expressions … needs flow up in succession to the point of our pen … the actual marshalling and arrangement of words is made perfect in the course of writing, in a rhythm and measure proper to oratory as distinct from poetry.2
Quintilian, in his Institutes of Oratory, also
shows the close relationship between reading, writing, and oratory. In his introduction he asserts that a student may have a good voice, endurance and grace, but, “they are of no profit in themselves unless cultivated by skillful teaching, persistent study and continuous and extensive practice in writing, reading and speaking.”3
1 Swinson does an excellent job of addressing this issue. L. Timothy Swinson, What Is Scripture? Paul’s Use of Graphe in the Letters to Timothy (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2014).
2 Cicero, De or. 1.3, 1.32–33. Also, Cicero, De or. 2.84, 3.44. More broadly, the orator must also devote himself to constant reading and writing, “for the genuine orator must have investigated and heard and read and discussed and handled and debated the whole of the contents of the life of mankind, inasmuch as that is the field of the orator’s activity, the subject matter of his study.” Cicero, De or. 3.14. Also, Cicero, De or. 1.21. As cited in Daniel B. Moore, A Trustworthy Gospel: Arguments for an Early Date for Matthew’s Gospel (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2024), 100.
3 Quintilian, Inst. 1.0.1; 1.0.27. As cited in Moore, A Trustworthy Gospel, 102.
