During the 1st century A.D. in Ephesus, which was the largest and the most important city in antiquity, the Jews and others practised their own religion freely whether they believed in the Anatolian, Greek Roman or Egyptian religions. Also, a new religion, Christianity, was just getting established in Jerusalem. The apostles who were trying to spread Christianity were expelled from Jerusalem between 37-42 A.D. St. Paul came to Ephesus in 53. For three years, first in the synagogues and then everywhere in the city, he preached the gospel and gained followers. He also established the Church of Ephesus.
St. Paul and Silversmith Demetrius of Ephesus Riot
Christianity rapidly gained popularity in Ephesus. The jeweller Demetrius and others who earned a living by making and selling silver statues of Artemis were quite distressed by the popularity of this new religion. Thousands of people provoked by Demetrius and his colleagues met at the theatre of Éphesus and started shouting, “Great is Artemis Ephesia”.
They dragged St. Paul’s friends Gaios and Aristarchos into the theatre amid the agitation. St. Paul wanted to face the crowd but those around him would not let him. Finally, the official in charge of the security of the city arrived and dispersed the crowd, and announced to those caught that the courts were open for those who had a complaint.
St. Paul Left the City – Christianity in Ephesus
Shortly after this event, St. Paul left Ephesus and went to Macedonia. Luke, the author of “Deeds of the Apostles” did not mention St. John when he wrote about the events which took place between 37-42. St. John was in Ephesus then with the Virgin Mary who had been entrusted to him. In 64, after St. Paul was decapitated outside the city wall of Rome, St. John became the leader of the Church in Ephesus.
In spite of his old age, St. John travelled the steppes of Anatolia and tried to spread Christianity. During the peak of antagonism toward Christianity in Pergamum and Izmir, St. Tohn was taken to Rome tortured and later exiled to the island of Patmos where he wrote the ‘Apocalypse’.
When the Roman emperor Domitian was stabbed to death by one of his servants, Christians were relieved. St. John returned to Ephesus and started writing his gospel. According to his will, he was buried in Ephesus. Today, his grave is in the church that bears his name.
If you like to discover Biblical sites like the Basilica of St. John, and The House of the Virgin Mary with us and learn more about Christianity in Ephesus Turkey, you can join our private biblical Ephesus tours or Jewish Ephesus tours by clicking the link below.