Annas and Caiaphas – John 18:12-14; 19-24
12 So the band of soldiers and their captain and the
officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. 13 First they led him to
Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.
14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one
man should die for the people.
19 The high priest then questioned Jesus about his
disciples and his teaching. 20 Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the
world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews
come together. I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those
who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” 22 When he had
said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand,
saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If
what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is
right, why do you strike me?” 24 Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high
priest.
We continue our focus on some of the minor characters, or
“supporting cast” of the Passion account, this evening with two of the high
priests at the time of Jesus: Annas and
his son-in-law, Caiaphas.
Both of these men are called “high priest”, much the way we
refer to former presidents or senators by that same title. Annas had previously served some 9 years, and
later, his son-in-law Caiaphas would serve 18 years as High Priest. But Annas as the patriarch of the family
either held the position or had family members hold it for decades. Annas had 5 sons who held the title as well at
various times. A real political dynasty. Their appointment was always made by the
Roman governor, and so it suggests this family had close ties to the Roman
rulers.
Much of what we know of Caiaphas and Annas comes from the
early Jewish historian Josephus, and it corroborates the Scriptures. We also have indication that these men were of
the party of the Sauduees, who denied the teaching of the resurrection.
It was after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead that
Caiaphas called together his counsel and the plot to kill Jesus really
began. All this has led some to
postulate that when Jesus told the parable of the unnamed Rich Man and Lazarus
– that the “rich man” was meant to be Caiaphas – who also had, famously, “five
brothers”.
It was also then, when the plot to kill Jesus began, that
Caiaphas made his famous unintended prophecy.
John tells us:
47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the
council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If
we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will
come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them,
Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at
all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die
for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say
this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that
Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to
gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that
day on they made plans to put him to death. (John 11:47-53)
There’s so much divine irony running through the passion
account, and not just in the prophecy of Caiaphas, whose words were truer than
he could imagine.
Consider the irony of Jesus standing on trial before the
high priest! Here is Jesus, the great
high priest, a priest in the order of Melchizedek, the one representative of
all people before the throne of God.
Jesus, the high priest who offers himself as the perfect sacrifice for
all sin, who intercedes, even now with the Father for us – the one mediator
between God and man.
And yet, here he stands, accused, before the earthly High
Priest. Here he stands, answering
charges as a common criminal. When it
should be the other way around! Murderous
Annas and Caiaphas should have to answer to the one who will come to judge the
living and the dead. Haughty and
powerful men who think so much of themselves have no right to judge the judge
of all. For they truly have no power,
and truly deserve all this punishment and more.
Annas holds the first trial – an illegal trial, really,
since it was at night and he wasn’t the actual high priest that year. But he’s not concerned with proper conduct,
nor is Caiaphas. Their true concern is
expediency. And what a playground for
sin that is.
What is expedient? It’s
what is convenient and practical even if somewhat improper or immoral. What makes sense? What gets the job done, even if we have to
bend the rules a bit? Oh, there’s a
commandment about not murdering? Ah, but
isn’t it better for one man to die than a whole slew of people? Oh, the witnesses’ testimony doesn’t
agree? That’s ok, where there’s smoke
there’s fire. Oh, he’s done miracles,
healed the sick, raised the dead, and preaches the truth of God – he’s got all
the marks of the Messiah? No matter,
we’re the ones in charge here and we don’t need anyone rocking the boat.
There’s a little Caiaphas in all of us, isn’t there? A temptation to expediency and rationalizing
our sinful actions. It’s really better
this way. It’s for the common good. Or, at least it’s not as bad as it could be. We rather take the place of God and bend or
break the rules as needed, for our own devices, our own plans, our own
agendas. The arrogance, to think or act
as if we ourselves are the final judge and arbiter. We take the place of God, and presume to sit
in the judgment seat, Lord have mercy upon us!
Jesus, for his part, doesn’t answer them much, except to
refer to those who have witnessed and heard his teaching. For one, he’s not trying to get out of this
anyway. He knows he is heading to the
cross. These wicked men are just playing
their parts in the larger plan of God’s mercy.
In spite of themselves, and in spite of their evil actions, God brings
about good. And that is an encouraging
thought.
Furthermore, Jesus has no need to answer them because he has
taught openly in the synagogues and in the temple. He has proclaimed his message openly – though
only some had ears to hear. There is no
secrecy of the night for Jesus. There is
no sneaking around in the dark. The
Gospel is proclaimed publicly and for all – a good news that is to be shared
with one and all. The light shines in
the darkness, and has no need to hide.
And in Mark’s Gospel Jesus finally answers Caiaphas with the
following exchange:
Again the high priest asked Him, ‘Are you the Christ, the
Son of the Blessed?’ And Jesus said, ‘I am, and you will see the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven. And
the high priest tore his garments and said, ‘What further witness do we need?
You have heard His blasphemy. What is your decision?’ And they all condemned
Him as deserving death.’”
Some years ago, around 1990, there was an archaeological
discovery made – an ossuary, that is an ornate stone box used for burial in
ancient Judea. It contained the bones of
an elderly man, and appeared to be quite authentic. And on this box an inscription that indicated
its contents – the remains of Caiaphas the high priest. The first physical remains of a biblical
person every discovered.
Another striking irony.
For Caiaphas wanted Jesus dead, and had his hand in the plot to kill
him. But even after all these years, it
is Caiaphas who remains dead, but Jesus lives.
Christ’s tomb was found empty just three days later, and Christ remains
alive even today – seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven.
And Christ, who was once judged by arrogant Caiaphas and his
Father in law Annas, Christ will return in glory to judge the living and the
dead – all people – and for a final judgment unto eternity. And Caiaphas and Annas, who denied the
resurrection, will on that day stand for judgment before the one they once
judged.
Thanks be to God that our Lord Jesus Christ, our Great High
Priest, took our place under judgment.
Thanks be to Jesus for making the perfect once-and-for-all sacrifice for
sin. Thanks be to God for raising Jesus
to life again, the shepherd of his sheep, and for promising us likewise a
resurrection at the last day.
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