The Church of Ephesus: A contact between the traditions Johannine and Pauline

Abstract

Ancient witnesses – among them the New Testament – confirm the contact Ephesus, capital of the Roman province of Asia, with the Christian message in the first century after Christ. Classical authors Christians attest to the presence of both Paul and his collaborators, as John, author of the Fourth Gospel in this important urban setting. Therefore, according to ancient traditions and recent studies, Ephesus met two of the most important theological and literary schools of the New Testament: the Pauline and Johannine. It is indeed puzzling historical silent with regard to possible contact between these Christian communities of Ephesus. If indeed there was a Johannine community at Ephesus – which is strong evidence – and adding to the fact that there existed a Christian community of Pauline origin, there would have been a contact between the two? In this sense, the Qumran Manuscripts arise as a possibility to understand this relationship, given that both the Pauline literature as Johannine have contacts with the Essene literature.