John the Baptist

====Influence on Paul====
Many scholars believe there was contact between the early church in the [[Apostolic Age]] and what is called the "[[Qumran]]-[[Essene]] community".<ref name=EDSS>{{Cite encyclopedia| publisher = Oxford University Press| isbn = 978-0-19-508450-4| title = Paul, Letters of| encyclopedia = Encyclopedia of the Dead Sea Scrolls| date = 2008| doi = 10.1093/acref/9780195084504.001.0001| editor1-last = Schiffman| editor1-first = Lawrence H| editor2-last = Vanderkam| editor2-first = James C}}{{subscription required|[[OUP]]}}</ref> The [[Dead Sea Scrolls]] were found at Qumran, which the majority of historians and archaeologists identify as an Essene settlement.<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia| publisher = Oxford University Press| isbn = 978-0-19-506512-1| title = Essenes | encyclopedia = The Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East| date = 2011| doi = 10.1093/acref/9780195065121.001.0001}}{{subscription required|[[OUP]]}}</ref> John the Baptist is thought to have been either an Essene or "associated" with the community at Khirbet Qumran. According to the [[Book of Acts]], Paul met some "disciples of John" in [[Ephesus]].<ref>{{bibleref|Acts|19:1–7|NRSV}}</ref>