Now about our brother Apollos—I urged him to visit you with the other believers, but he was not willing to go right now. He will see you later when he has the opportunity. Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.
1 Corinthians 16:12-14
Paul was keen to have this issue resolved. For that reason he calls in “the heavies”. It is clear that Paul called on Apollos because he thought he was the man for the job. “I urged him to visit with the other believers too.” Apollos was a senior man to Timothy, an eloquent preacher, one who had been at Corinth, and was well known to the saints there, and greatly approved by many of them. Apollos was the perfect one to send.
Paul was truly summoning the body to address this issue: Apollos AND the other believers. It is a little reminiscent of Matthew 18:15 and 16. “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.” Paul is calling on the body to address this matter. However Apollos was unwilling to go at that time. He was not averse to going, but some things at that time hindered him. Later when he had the opportunity he would make use of it. Some see another meaning here. Namely, “it was not the will”, that is, “God’s will, for him to come at that time.”
Probably Apollos’ unwillingness to go to Corinth at this time was because, being aware of the undue admiration for his speaking style he did not wish to add to the problem. Paul was free from protecting himself or his name. He did not have a problem with Apollos going, in fact he urged him to go; and, on the other hand, Apollos, having heard of the factions who favoured him over Paul in Corinth steadfastly refused to go. He might have been unwilling to go while their contentions lasted. It is probable that there were matters which detained him, or which required his presence in Ephesus. Jerome wrote later that Apollos did return to Corinth when their divisions were moderated at a later time.
It is probable that the Corinthians had requested either he or Apollos would come and visit them. Paul states in the letter that he had tried to get Apollos to go, but didn’t succeed.
Relationships don’t thrive because the guilty are punished but because the wounded are merciful.
Max Lucado
Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive.
C S Lewis
A pat on the back is only a few vertebrae removed from a kick in the pants, but is miles ahead in results.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox