The Acts of John is an early Christian text dating to the 2nd century AD that gives an account of the apostle John’s ministry and miracles. It is part of the New Testament apocrypha – texts relating to the apostles that were not included in the canonical New Testament. The Acts of John was likely composed in Asia Minor and while considered heretical or fraudulent by some early Church Fathers, it provides insight into early Christian beliefs and legends surrounding the apostles.
Overview of the Text
The full Acts of John text as we have it today is fragmented, with sections missing. It contains several parts:
- John’s travel to Ephesus – This opening section narrates how John was compelled by God to go to Ephesus, hinting at the beginning of his ministry there.
- John’s ministry in Ephesus – This section, only preserved in fragments, tells of John’s miraculous healings and preaching in Ephesus and surrounding regions.
- The raising of Drusiana – A prominent miracle where John raises a young woman, Drusiana, from the dead after she dies on her wedding day.
- The teachings of John – Lengthy speeches by John on theological topics including docetism, the nature of Christ, and asceticism.
- The story of Callimachus – An Ephesian youth named Callimachus is miraculously transformed to resemble John and then dies in John’s place, allowing John to escape persecution.
- John’s martyrdom – Though he escapes one attempt on his life, John eventually suffers martyrdom at Ephesus.
Scholars believe the Acts of John reached its final written form in the 3rd century AD but contains earlier source material from the mid-2nd century. It was likely composed by an unknown Christian writer in Asia Minor. The text demonstrates unique theological views such as docetism, the belief that Christ only appeared to be human but was fully spirit. This differentiated it from the emerging orthodoxy that emphasized Christ’s human nature.
Major Themes
Some of the major themes that appear in the Acts of John include:
- Asceticism – The text emphasizes an ascetic lifestyle of self-denial, celibacy, fasting, and poverty as the ideal Christian way of life. John and other characters like Drusiana are praised for renouncing earthly pleasures and marriage.
- Docetism – As mentioned, the text promotes a docetic Christology that rejected Christ’s full humanity. John teaches that Christ only appeared to suffer on the cross.
- Dualism – The material world, including the human body, are portrayed negatively as inferior to the true spiritual realm. The goal is for the spirit to transcend the flesh.
- Dance symbolism – Dancing plays a symbolic role, with John leading the disciples in ritual dancing circles meant to represent the heavens and their unity with Christ. This may have ties to ecstatic dancing in mystery religions.
- Miracles – John performs many spectacular wonders and miracles throughout the text, demonstrating his spiritual powers in episodes like the raising of Drusiana.
These themes reveal the Acts of John’s divergence from what would become orthodox Christianity, instead preserving an early mystical Christian worldview from the diverse possibilities of the 2nd century.
Docetism and Christology
One prominent theological perspective emphasized in the Acts of John is docetism, especially in John’s speeches. Docetism taught that Jesus only appeared or seemed (Greek dokeo) to be human, but was fully spiritual – denying his real physical incarnation. The Acts of John stresses this view in a few key ways:
- It contrasts Jesus’ divine nature with his human appearance. He took on human form as a means of revelation, but his spiritual nature remained unchanged (Acts of John 94).
- John says that Jesus allowed people to think they saw him be baptized, but “nothing of the things they say of me happened bodily, but only in appearance” (Acts of John 101). The crucifixion was similar.
- Jesus’ words and behaviors sometimes shift fluidly between human and divine perspectives. After the resurrection, he appears sometimes tangible, other times immaterial.
- The text emphasizes Jesus’ divinity and downplays details that might support his mortal humanity. There is no mention of his temptation, agony, or other human weaknesses.
This docetic view contradicted the emerging orthodox emphasis on Christ’s real humanity as affirmed in texts like Luke-Acts. The Acts of John’s Christology reflects an early flexible, mystical perspective yet to solidify into orthodoxy. Jesus is a mostly divine spirit who only cloaks himself in humanity.
Asceticism and the Rejection of the Material World
Another prominent theme is the idealization of an ascetic lifestyle. Throughout his speeches, John praises:
– Celibacy and virginity (Acts of John 28)
– Fasting and rejecting appetites of the flesh (Acts of John 94)
– Leaving behind wealth for poverty (Acts of John 72)
– Overall rejection of material pleasures and comforts (Acts of John 93)
Characters like Drusiana and Callimachus are praised for abstaining from sex, wealth, and other earthly attachments. John teaches that physical pleasures are temporary and detract from spiritual purity. The spirit is portrayed as good and the material realm evil. This ascetic dualism reflects Platonism and Gnostic influences on the text, reacting against emerging orthodoxy. The Acts of John advocates a rigorous lifestyle devoted to denying bodily needs and detaching from the transient physical world.
John’s Travel to Ephesus
The opening section narrates John’s travel to Ephesus in dramatic fashion. After Jesus was crucified, John lived in Judea fasting and praying frequently. One day, while praying on the Mount of Olives, John has a moving vision of Jesus passing by in glory. Jesus tells John he must go across the sea to Ephesus: “John, to the city of Ephesus thou must needs go and dwell there…lead the people to the light…” (Acts of John 18). John obeys despite his love for the Lord and his peaceful life in Judea.
In Ephesus, the text hints at persecution John will face for converting pagans and performing miracles. But Jesus exhorts him, “Speak the truth openly…I shall be with thee.” John’s ministry in converting Ephesus represents early Christian efforts to spread the faith across the Roman Empire to major pagan strongholds like Ephesus. The Acts of John emphasizes John’s powerful faith in obeying Jesus’ call even though it means giving up his settled life.
John’s Ministry and Miracles in Ephesus
Once in Ephesus, John immediately begins performing miracles to convert people to Christianity according to the fragmented accounts. Examples include:
- He miraculously provides wine at a pagan feast, turning water into wine as at Cana and converting those present (Acts of John 20).
- He heals multitudes of physical illnesses and demonic possessions, gaining fame across Asia (Acts of John 21).
- He revives a Christian named Ariston from deadly illness through prayer (Acts of John 23).
- He casts out demons and idols from pagan temples, angering priests who try to kill him by poisoning his drink. But John blesses the cup and suffers no ill effects, converting many (Acts of John 24-26).
These episodes emphasize John’s spiritual power in performing signs and wonders just like Jesus did. His miracles serve to convert pagans and also encourage faith among Christians. The text highlights active Christian confrontation with remaining paganism in Ephesus, resulting in dramatic clashes and miracles. John’s ministry reflects early legendary expansion on the apostles as miracle workers.
The Raising of Drusiana
One of the most famous episodes is John’s raising of Drusiana from the dead on her wedding day. Drusiana was a beautiful Christian girl engaged to a pagan man, Andronicus. John urged her not to marry him, but she proceeded with the wedding. Just as Drusiana was about to be kissed by Andronicus, she suddenly collapsed and died (Acts of John 32).
Distraught mourners brought her body to John outside the city. Through intense prayer, John miraculously raised Drusiana from the dead. Fearing the crowds, she fled the city to live in ascetic devotion to God. When Andronicus learned what happened, he begged John to raise Drusiana again to be his wife. John refused, emphasizing her choice to live in celibate holiness (Acts of John 35).
This dramatic episode highlights key themes in Acts of John. It emphasizes the superiority of virginity over marriage. Drusiana’s revival also demonstrates John’s spiritual powers much like Jesus raising Lazarus or the daughter of Jairus. Her decision to flee worldly life for holiness mirrors the text’s ascetic ideals.
The Teachings of John on Theology and Asceticism
Interspersed throughout Acts of John are lengthy doctrinal discourses by John on topics like Christology, sin, holiness, and more. Some key examples include:
- On purity and pollution – John teaches that sins pollute the soul while good works purify it (Acts of John 63). True purity comes from inner holiness, not outward rituals. He urges people to repent through virtuous living.
- On God’s oneness and Christ as Logos – John explains deep theology of how the Father, Son, and Spirit are unified as one in the godhead. Christ existed as the Logos and wisdom of God prior to coming in human form (Acts of John 94-95).
- On the cross – John stresses Jesus only seemed to suffer on the cross; his divine spirit remained unaffected. The cross was only done symbolically to teach us (Acts of John 101).
- On asceticism – John praises those who renounce marriage, wealth, and vice to live in self-control and devotion to Christ through fasting, poverty, and celibacy (Acts of John 72-73).
These discourses emphasize unique theological perspectives in Acts of John that diverged from emerging orthodoxy, including docetism, ascetic rigorism, and mystical concepts of Christ and the Trinity.
The Story of Callimachus
A prominent episode involves an Ephesian youth named Callimachus. The temple priests of Ephesus convince Callimachus to pretend to be a disciple of John in order to learn secrets he can expose. But as Callimachus spends time with John, he comes to truly admire him and regret his deception. He confesses the plot to John (Acts of John 54).
John decides to have Callimachus die in his place to escape the persecution. In an extraordinary scene, John mystically alters Callimachus’ appearance to resemble his own. Then John flees while Callimachus is seized by the priests and mistaken for John. Despite being innocent, Callimachus refuses to deny he is John and courageously goes to his death (Acts of John 60).
This episode presents John escaping martyrdom through trickery so he can continue preaching. It also transforms Callimachus from an opponent to a disciple who sacrifices himself for John. He transitions from ignorant youth to heroic martyr. Through his mystical powers, John ensured the story advanced God’s purposes.
John’s Eventual Martyrdom
Although John avoids death thanks to Callimachus’ sacrifice, the Acts of John does record John eventually suffering martyrdom at Ephesus. The text says the priests take him outside the city and stab him in a ritual murder. However, John does not die immediately. He has his disciples dig a grave and lay him inside, alive. He prays to Jesus from the grave, commending his spirit, before finally dying (Acts of John 108-109).
This episode presents John embracing his own death voluntarily, without fear. By having John die after the ritual stabbing, the author emphasizes he chooses the time of his own death, reflecting his spiritual control. The text validates John’s martyrdom but shifts the agency to John’s choice rather than his enemies’ victory. John remains courageous and miraculous even in martyrdom.
Conclusion
In summary, the fragmentary Acts of John provides a legendary expansion on the apostle John’s ministry in Ephesus. It blends historical details about early Christianity with elaborate miracles and dramatic stories to celebrate John’s spiritual power and superiority over paganism, marriage, and bodily pleasures. The text promotes controversial doctrines like docetism and radical asceticism that differed from emerging orthodoxy. Likely composed in the late 2nd century, the Acts of John captures the diversity of early Christianity through its unique emphases on mysticism, ascetic rigorism, and a divine Christ unbound by human limitations.