Includes bibliographical references (p. 221-230) and index.

Preliminary Material -- Introduction -- Chapter One: The Prosopography -- Chapter Two: Jesus and the Authorities in Ephesus -- Chapter Three: Embedding John in the City Life of Ephesus -- Chapter Four: Group Formations in John and in Ephesus -- Chapter Five: The Passion Narrative and the God Emperor -- Select Bibliography -- Index of Modern Authors.

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This study describes the embedding of the Gospel of John in the city life of Ephesus. It uses the epigraphical and historical materials of first-century Ephesus as the point of reference for a reading of John. The study is a specific demonstration of the linguistic supposition that the use of the same (combination of) words in different co-texts evokes semantic similarities and dissimilarities which influence the process of giving meaning to a text. Reading John against the background of Ephesus influences its impact. Five topics have been selected: the use of names; the use of the titles for the emperors and Artemis in relation to the titles used for Jesus; the social city life; the group formations; and the function of the high priests in relation to the imperial cult.