Reference: Caiaphas
American
High priest of the Jews, A. D. 27 to 36. He was a Sadducee, and a bitter enemy of Christ. At his palace the priests, etc., met after the resurrection of Lazarus, to plot the death of the Savior, lest all the people should believe on him. On one of these occasions, Joh 11:47-54, he counseled the death of Christ for the political salvation of the nation; and his words were, unconsciously to him, an inspired prediction of the salvation of a lost world. These plots against Christ, Mt 26:1-5; Mr 14:1; Lu 22:2, led to his seizure, and he was brought first before Annas, formerly high priest, who sent him to Caiaphas his son-in-law. See ANNAS. Caiaphas examined Christ before the assembling of the Sanhedrin, after which the trial went on, and Christ was condemned, mocked, and transferred to Pilate for sentence and execution, Mt 26:57-68; Mr 14:53-72; Lu 22:54-71; Joh 18:13-27. Not content with procuring the death of the Savior, Caiaphas and his friends violently persecuted his followers, Ac 4:1-6; 5:17,33. But a few years after the ascension of Christ, and soon after the degradation of Pilate, Caiaphas also was deposed from office by the Roman proconsul Vitellius. Like Balaam of the Old Testament, he is a melancholy instance of light resisted, privilege, station, and opportunity abused, and prophetic words concerning Christ joined with a life of infidelity and crime and a fearful death.
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When Jesus had ended all these discourses, He said to His disciples, "You know that in two days' time the Passover comes. And the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified." read more. Then the High Priests and Elders of the People assembled in the court of the palace of the High Priest Caiaphas, and consulted how to get Jesus into their power by stratagem and put Him to death. But they said, "Not during the Festival, lest there be a riot among the people."
But the officers who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the High Priest, at whose house the Scribes and the Elders had assembled. And Peter kept following Him at a distance, till he came even to the court of the High Priest's palace, where he entered and sat down among the officers to see the issue. read more. Meanwhile the High Priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death; but they could find none, although many false witnesses came forward. At length there came two who testified, "This man said, 'I am able to pull down the Sanctuary of God and three days afterwards to build a new one.'" Then the High Priest stood up and asked Him, "Have you no answer to make? What is it these men are saying in evidence against you?" Jesus however remained silent. Again the High Priest addressed Him. "In the name of the ever-living God," he said, "I now put you on your oath. Tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God." "I am He," replied Jesus. "But I tell you that, later on, you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Omnipotence, and coming on the clouds of the sky." Then the High Priest tore his robes and exclaimed, "Impious language! What further need have we of witnesses! See, you have now heard the impiety. What is your verdict?" "He deserves to die," they replied. Then they spat in His face, and struck Him--some with the fist, some with the open hand-- while they taunted Him, saying, "Christ, prove yourself a Prophet by telling us who it was that struck you."
It was now two days before the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread, and the High Priests and Scribes were bent on finding how to seize Him by stratagem and put Him to death.
So they led Jesus away to the High Priest, and with him there assembled all the High Priests, Elders, and Scribes. Peter followed Jesus at a distance, as far as the outer court of the High Priest's palace. But there he remained sitting among the officers, and warming himself by the fire. read more. Meanwhile the High Priests and the entire Sanhedrin were endeavouring to get evidence against Jesus in order to put Him to death, but could find none; for though many gave false testimony against Him, their statements did not tally. Then some came forward as witnesses and falsely declared, "We have heard him say, 'I will pull down this Sanctuary built by human hands, and three days afterwards I will erect another built without hands.'" But not even in this shape was their testimony consistent. At last the High Priest stood up, and advancing into the midst of them all, asked Jesus, "Have you no answer to make? What is the meaning of all this that these witnesses allege against you?" But He remained silent, and gave no reply. A second time the High Priest questioned Him. "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" he said. "I am," replied Jesus, "and you and others will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the divine Power, and coming amid the clouds of the sky." Rending his garments the High Priest exclaimed, "What need have we of witnesses after that? You all heard his impious words. What is your judgement?" Then with one voice they condemned Him as deserving of death. Thereupon some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, while striking Him with their fists and crying, "Prove that you are a prophet." The officers too struck Him with open hands as they took Him in charge. Now while Peter was below in the quadrangle, one of the High Priest's maidservants came, and seeing Peter warming himself she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus, the Nazarene." But he denied it, and said, "I don't know--I don't understand--What do you mean?" And then he went out into the outer court. Just then a cock crowed. Again the maidservant saw him, and again began to say to the people standing by, "He is one of them." A second time he repeatedly denied it. Soon afterwards the bystanders again accused Peter, saying, "You are surely one of them, for you too are a Galilaean." But he broke out into curses and oaths, declaring, "I know nothing of the man you are talking about." No sooner had he spoken than a cock crowed for the second time, and Peter recollected the words of Jesus, "Before the cock crows twice, you will three times disown me." And as he thought of it, he wept aloud.
and the High Priests and the Scribes were contriving how to destroy Him. But they feared the people.
And they arrested Him and led Him away, and brought Him to the High Priest's house, while Peter followed a good way behind. And when they had lighted a fire in the middle of the court and had seated themselves in a group round it, Peter was sitting among them, read more. when a maidservant saw him sitting by the fire, and, looking fixedly at him, she said, "This man also was with him." But he denied it, and declared, "Woman, I do not know him." Shortly afterwards a man saw him and said, "You, too, are one of them." "No, man, I am not," said Peter. After an interval of about an hour some one else stoutly maintained: "Certainly this fellow also was with him, for in fact he is a Galilaean." "Man, I don't know what you mean," replied Peter. No sooner had he spoken than a cock crowed. The Master turned and looked on Peter; and Peter recollected the Master's words, how He had said to him, "This very day, before the cock crows, you will disown me three times." And he went out and wept aloud bitterly. Meanwhile the men who held Jesus in custody repeatedly beat Him in cruel sport, or blindfolded Him, and then challenged Him. "Prove to us," they said, "that you are a prophet, by telling us who it was that struck you." And they said many other insulting things to Him. As soon as it was day, the whole body of the Elders, both High Priests and Scribes, assembled. Then He was brought into their Sanhedrin, and they asked Him, "Are you the Christ? Tell us." "If I tell you," He replied, "you will certainly not believe; and if I ask you questions, you will certainly not answer. But from this time forward the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of God's omnipotence." Thereupon they cried out with one voice, "You, then, are the Son of God?" "It is as you say," He answered; "I am He." "What need have we of further evidence?" they said; "for we ourselves have heard it from his own lips."
Therefore the High Priests and the Pharisees held a meeting of the Sanhedrin. "What steps are we taking?" they asked one another; "for this man is performing a great number of miracles. If we leave him alone in this way, everybody will believe in him, and the Romans will come and blot out both our city and our nation." read more. But one of them, named Caiaphas, being High Priest that year, said, "You know nothing about it. You do not reflect that it is to your interest that one man should die for the people rather than the whole nation perish." It was not as a mere man that he thus spoke. But being High Priest that year he was inspired to declare that Jesus was to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but in order to unite into one body all the far-scattered children of God. So from that day forward they planned and schemed in order to put Him to death. Therefore Jesus no longer went about openly among the Jews, but He left that neighbourhood and went into the district near the Desert, to a town called Ephraim, and remained there with the disciples.
They then brought Him to Annas first; for Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was High Priest that year. (It was this Caiaphas who had advised the Jews, saying, "It is to your interest that one man should die for the People.") read more. Meanwhile Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so also was another disciple. The latter was known to the High Priest, and went in with Jesus into the court of the High Priest's palace. But Peter remained standing outside the door, till the disciple who was acquainted with the High Priest came out and induced the portress to let Peter in. This led the girl, the portress, to ask Peter, "Are you also one of this man's disciples?" "No, I am not," he replied. Now because it was cold the servants and the police had lighted a charcoal fire, and were standing and warming themselves; and Peter too remained with them, standing and warming himself. So the High Priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and His teaching. "As for me," replied Jesus, "I have spoken openly to the world. I have continually taught in some synagogue or in the Temple where all the Jews are wont to assemble, and I have said nothing in secret. Why do you question me? Question those who heard what it was I said to them: these witnesses here know what I said." Upon His saying this, one of the officers standing by struck Him with his open hand, asking Him as he did so, "Is that the way you answer the High Priest?" "If I have spoken wrongly," replied Jesus, "bear witness to it as wrong; but if rightly, why that blow?" So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the High Priest. But Simon Peter remained standing and warming himself, and this led to their asking him, "Are you also one of his disciples?" He denied it, and said, "No, I am not." One of the High Priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with him?" Once more Peter denied it, and immediately a cock crowed.
While they were saying this to the people, the Priests, the Commander of the Temple Guard, and the Sadducees came upon them, highly incensed at their teaching the people and proclaiming in the case of Jesus the Resurrection from among the dead. read more. They arrested the two Apostles and lodged them in custody till the next day; for it was already evening. But many of those who had listened to their preaching believed; and the number of the adult men had now grown to be about 5,000. The next day a meeting was held in Jerusalem of their Rulers, Elders, and Scribes, with Annas the High Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and the other members of the high-priestly family.
This roused the High Priest. He and all his party--the sect of the Sadducees--were filled with angry jealousy
Infuriated at getting this answer, they were disposed to kill the Apostles.
Easton
the Jewish high priest (A.D. 27-36) at the beginning of our Lord's public ministry, in the reign of Tiberius (Lu 3:2), and also at the time of his condemnation and crucifixion (Mt 26:3,57; Joh 11:49; 18:13-14). He held this office during the whole of Pilate's administration. His wife was the daughter of Annas, who had formerly been high priest, and was probably the vicar or deputy (Heb. sagan) of Caiaphas. He was of the sect of the Sadducees (Ac 5:17), and was a member of the council when he gave his opinion that Jesus should be put to death "for the people, and that the whole nation perish not" (Joh 11:50). In these words he unconsciously uttered a prophecy. "Like Saul, he was a prophet in spite of himself." Caiaphas had no power to inflict the punishment of death, and therefore Jesus was sent to Pilate, the Roman governor, that he might duly pronounce the sentence against him (Mt 27:2; Joh 18:28). At a later period his hostility to the gospel is still manifest (Ac 4:6). (See Annas.)
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Then the High Priests and Elders of the People assembled in the court of the palace of the High Priest Caiaphas,
But the officers who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the High Priest, at whose house the Scribes and the Elders had assembled.
and binding Him they led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate the Governor.
during the High-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, a message from God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the Desert.
But one of them, named Caiaphas, being High Priest that year, said, "You know nothing about it. You do not reflect that it is to your interest that one man should die for the people rather than the whole nation perish."
They then brought Him to Annas first; for Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was High Priest that year. (It was this Caiaphas who had advised the Jews, saying, "It is to your interest that one man should die for the People.")
So they brought Jesus from Caiaphas's house to the Praetorium. It was the early morning, and they would not enter the Praetorium themselves for fear of defilement, and in order that they might be able to eat the Passover.
with Annas the High Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and the other members of the high-priestly family.
This roused the High Priest. He and all his party--the sect of the Sadducees--were filled with angry jealousy
Hastings
Joseph Caiaphas, the son-in-law of Annas (Joh 18:13), was high priest between a.d. 18 and 36; and thus 'the memorable year' of our Lord's trial fell in the course of his pontificate (Joh 11:51; 18:13). He was, like all the priestly order, a Sadducee; and he was a man of masterful temper, with his full share of the insolence which was a Sadduc
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But the officers who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the High Priest, at whose house the Scribes and the Elders had assembled. And Peter kept following Him at a distance, till he came even to the court of the High Priest's palace, where he entered and sat down among the officers to see the issue. read more. Meanwhile the High Priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death; but they could find none, although many false witnesses came forward. At length there came two who testified, "This man said, 'I am able to pull down the Sanctuary of God and three days afterwards to build a new one.'" Then the High Priest stood up and asked Him, "Have you no answer to make? What is it these men are saying in evidence against you?" Jesus however remained silent. Again the High Priest addressed Him. "In the name of the ever-living God," he said, "I now put you on your oath. Tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God." "I am He," replied Jesus. "But I tell you that, later on, you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Omnipotence, and coming on the clouds of the sky." Then the High Priest tore his robes and exclaimed, "Impious language! What further need have we of witnesses! See, you have now heard the impiety. What is your verdict?" "He deserves to die," they replied. Then they spat in His face, and struck Him--some with the fist, some with the open hand-- while they taunted Him, saying, "Christ, prove yourself a Prophet by telling us who it was that struck you."
So they led Jesus away to the High Priest, and with him there assembled all the High Priests, Elders, and Scribes. Peter followed Jesus at a distance, as far as the outer court of the High Priest's palace. But there he remained sitting among the officers, and warming himself by the fire. read more. Meanwhile the High Priests and the entire Sanhedrin were endeavouring to get evidence against Jesus in order to put Him to death, but could find none; for though many gave false testimony against Him, their statements did not tally. Then some came forward as witnesses and falsely declared, "We have heard him say, 'I will pull down this Sanctuary built by human hands, and three days afterwards I will erect another built without hands.'" But not even in this shape was their testimony consistent. At last the High Priest stood up, and advancing into the midst of them all, asked Jesus, "Have you no answer to make? What is the meaning of all this that these witnesses allege against you?" But He remained silent, and gave no reply. A second time the High Priest questioned Him. "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" he said. "I am," replied Jesus, "and you and others will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the divine Power, and coming amid the clouds of the sky." Rending his garments the High Priest exclaimed, "What need have we of witnesses after that? You all heard his impious words. What is your judgement?" Then with one voice they condemned Him as deserving of death. Thereupon some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, while striking Him with their fists and crying, "Prove that you are a prophet." The officers too struck Him with open hands as they took Him in charge.
As soon as it was day, the whole body of the Elders, both High Priests and Scribes, assembled. Then He was brought into their Sanhedrin, and they asked Him, "Are you the Christ? Tell us." "If I tell you," He replied, "you will certainly not believe; read more. and if I ask you questions, you will certainly not answer. But from this time forward the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of God's omnipotence." Thereupon they cried out with one voice, "You, then, are the Son of God?" "It is as you say," He answered; "I am He." "What need have we of further evidence?" they said; "for we ourselves have heard it from his own lips."
Therefore the High Priests and the Pharisees held a meeting of the Sanhedrin. "What steps are we taking?" they asked one another; "for this man is performing a great number of miracles.
It was not as a mere man that he thus spoke. But being High Priest that year he was inspired to declare that Jesus was to die for the nation,
They then brought Him to Annas first; for Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was High Priest that year.
They then brought Him to Annas first; for Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was High Priest that year.
with Annas the High Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and the other members of the high-priestly family.
Watsons
CAIAPHAS, high priest of the Jews, succeeded Simon, son of Camith; and after possessing this dignity nine years, from A.M. 4029 to 4038, he was succeeded by Jonathan, son of Ananas, or Annas. Caiaphas was high priest, A.M. 4037, which was the year of Jesus Christ's death. He married a daughter of Annas, who also is called high priest in the Gospel, because he had long enjoyed that dignity. When the priests deliberated on the seizure and death of Jesus Christ, Caiaphas declared, that there was no room for debate on that matter, "because it was expedient that one man should die for the people, that the whole nation should not perish," Joh 11:49-50. This sentiment was a prophecy, which God suffered to proceed from the mouth of the high priest on this occasion, importing, that the death of Jesus would be for the salvation of the world. When Judas had betrayed Jesus, he was first taken before Annas, who sent him to his son- in-law, Caiaphas, who possibly lived in the same house, Joh 18:24. The priests and doctors of the law there assembled to judge our Saviour, and to condemn him. The depositions of certain false witnesses being insufficient to justify a sentence of death against him, and Jesus continuing silent, Caiaphas, as high priest, said to him, "I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou art the Christ, the Son of God!" To this adjuration, so solemnly made by the superior judge, Jesus answered, "Thou hast said; nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." On hearing these words, Caiaphas rent his clothes, saying, "What farther need have we of witnesses? Behold, now you have heard his blasphemy. What think ye?" They answered, "He is worthy of death." And as the power of life and death was not at this time in their hands, but was reserved by the Romans, they conducted him to Pilate, that he might confirm their sentence, and order his execution.
Two years after this, Vitellus, governor of Syria, coming to Jerusalem at the passover, was received very magnificently by the people. As an acknowledgment for this honour, he restored the custody of the high priest's ornaments, to the priests, he remitted certain duties raised on the fruits of the earth, and deposed the high priest Caiaphas. From this it appears that Caiaphas had fallen under popular odium, for his deposition was to gratify the people.
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But one of them, named Caiaphas, being High Priest that year, said, "You know nothing about it. You do not reflect that it is to your interest that one man should die for the people rather than the whole nation perish."