Following the death of Jesus, a large number of writings about him--some purporting to be his teachings--appeared on scrolls and parchment. As the Roman Empire took over the outer husks of Jesus' illuminist teachings and turned the church into a tyranny, it selected only those writings which would support its autocratic power.

In the fourth century C.E., the Roman Catholic Church decreed which books would constitute the Official Scriptures, the Canon. At that point, the books outside the Official Scriptures were known as non-canonical scriptures.

As we've seen, Marcion and others created their own "Gospel," the good news about Jesus, selecting writings which they felt were more central to the original teachings of Jesus.

The Acts of John is one of many such extra-canonical writings which appear to have been rejected because they contain material which depicts Jesus in a decidedly non-orthodox light.