In this article, I examine how the apocryphal Acts of John depicts wealthy Christian converts as part of the “Christianization” of Ephesus. I note how the Acts of John uses its portrayal of leading citizens not only to critique, but to preserve and adapt prevailing expectations surrounding Greco-Roman cultic patronage. My analysis comprises two parts. In the first part, I discuss the ways in which the Acts of John undermines prevalent Greco-Roman practices of benefaction. I note that the Acts of John criticizes monetary offerings as part of cultic “exchanges,” and thus indirectly condemns the patronage of religious institutions by wealthy benefactors. Relatedly, the Acts of John’s portrait scene, most often analyzed for its witness to early Christian aniconism, challenges Greco-Roman patronage norms by questioning the propriety of dedicatory portraits. In the second part, I track the ways in which the Acts of John preserves and adapts prevailing modes of ancient benefaction. Specifically, the Acts of John positions domestic hospitality as the primary means by which wealthy converts ought to support the Christian mission. Taken together, my two-part examination establishes that the Acts of John both challenges and redirects prevailing practices of Greco-Roman patronage as part of a broader articulation of proper Christian piety.

在这篇文章中，我研究了未经证实的约翰使徒行传如何将富有的基督徒归信者描绘为以弗所“基督教化”的一部分。我注意到约翰使徒行传如何使用其对主要公民的描绘，不仅是为了批评，而且是为了保持和适应围绕希腊罗马邪教赞助的普遍期望。我的分析包括两个部分。在第一部分，我讨论了约翰使徒行传破坏流行的希腊罗马慈善实践的方式。我注意到约翰的使徒行传批评金钱奉献是邪教“交换”的一部分，因此间接谴责了富有的恩人对宗教机构的赞助。与此相关的是，约翰的使徒行传的肖像场景，最常被分析为它见证了早期的基督教 aniconism，通过质疑奉献肖像的适当性来挑战希腊罗马的赞助规范。在第二部分中，我追踪了《约翰福音》如何保存和适应古代施恩的盛行模式。具体而言，约翰福音将家庭款待定位为富有的皈依者应该支持基督教宣教的主要手段。总而言之，我的两部分检查确定约翰使徒行传既挑战又改变了希腊罗马赞助的普遍做法，作为更广泛地表达正确基督教虔诚的一部分。