The John and Penelope Biggs Department of Classics is pleased to highlight the recent guest appearance of Dr. Lance Jenott, Senior Lecturer in Classics and Religious Studies, on the Bible and Beyond Discussion series.
Dr. Jenott joined host Dr. Shirley Paulson on January 26, 2026, for a wide-ranging conversation titled “The Fate of the Apostles in the Gospel of Judas.” The session, part of Early Christian Texts’ monthly discussion series, brings scholars and the public together to explore early Christian writings and their broader cultural and historical contexts.
A Fresh Look at the Apostles in the Gospel of Judas
The discussion centered on the Gospel of Judas’s provocative portrayal of Jesus’s disciples as priests who mislead believers into worshipping a false god—a sharp critique of early Christian authority structures. This negative depiction has long been interpreted as a rejection of the apostles altogether. But Dr. Jenott’s contribution encouraged participants to examine the text’s final scene more closely.
In that closing moment, the apostles express remorse and ask Jesus for cleansing, a detail often overlooked in scholarship. This nuance raises important questions: Does the Gospel of Judas condemn the apostles irrevocably, or does it leave room for their redemption as transmitters of Jesus’s unorthodox teachings?
Dr. Jenott’s analysis opened a thoughtful conversation about whether the text simultaneously critiques the orthodox legacy of apostolic succession while acknowledging a more complicated—and potentially sympathetic—portrait of the disciples.
About Dr. Lance Jenott
Dr. Jenott is widely recognized for his scholarship on early Christianity, Second Temple Judaism, and religions of antiquity. His published works include The Gospel of Judas (2011) and The Monastic Origins of the Nag Hammadi Codices (with Hugo Lundhaug, 2015). He is currently preparing a forthcoming Hermeneia Series commentary on the Gospel of Judas for Fortress Press.
His expertise made him a natural fit for this discussion, which invited participants to reconsider assumptions about the apostles’ depiction in non-canonical early Christian literature.
About The Bible and Beyond Discussion
Hosted monthly, The Bible and Beyond Discussion series provides a public forum for exploring early Christian texts that challenge or expand traditional interpretations. Sessions typically include a guided overview followed by open discussion, allowing both scholars and enthusiasts to engage directly with the material.
The archived recording of Dr. Jenott’s session—as well as text references and a transcript—are available through Early Christian Texts.
