References (9)
[Parallel to Jesus' preparations for his death, the religious leadership plans how to kill him. Matthew's choice of words "then" can be either chronological or thematic, as he recounts all the various preparations taking place in different places.]
Then the chief priests and the elders of the people [who made up the Sanhedrin] gathered in the open courtyard [in the middle of the house] of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas.
[The Sanhedrin, the highest decision-making body among the Jews with 71 members from the Pharisees and Sadducees, was wholly or partly gathered at the home of the high priest, waiting for Jesus to be brought there, see . The council could never bring charges on its own initiative; only if witnesses came and requested that their case be heard would the matter be taken up. That is why someone had to denounce him, and testimony against Jesus was also needed.]
Those who had arrested Jesus took him to the high priest Caiaphas, where the scribes and elders had gathered.
and Annas and Caiaphas were high priests [in the temple in Jerusalem].
[After a detailed account of Roman rule, the religious leadership of Jerusalem is now described. Annas was high priest 6-15 AD. He was deposed by the Romans and his son-in-law Caiaphas was given the position in 18-36 A.D. Although Caiaphas held the title, Annas continued to serve as unofficial high priest among the Jews, see .]
Then the word of God came to Zechariah's son John [the Baptist] in the desert.
But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all,
They took him first to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.
It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it was better for one man to die for the people [].
Hannas then sent Jesus, still bound, to the high priest Caiaphas.
They then took Jesus from Caiaphas to the Roman governor's palace (the praetorium). It was early (between three and six o'clock) in the morning. They themselves did not enter the palace, lest they become [ceremonially] unclean and unable to eat the Passover meal.
The high priest Annas was there, as were Caiaphas [his son-in-law], John, Alexander, and all the others from the high priests' family.
[The Sanhedrin was the highest judicial decision-making body among the Jews, with 71 members. There were two factions in the council – the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Sadducees, who were often in the majority and had initiated the arrest of Peter and John, believed only in the five books of Moses. The Pharisees accepted the entire oral tradition and believed in angels and life after death.
Hannas was high priest and chairman of the council from 6 to 15 CE. At this time, in the early 30s CE, his son-in-law Caiaphas held that title. Caiaphas was high priest from 18 to 36 AD. The fact that Annas is mentioned first probably reflects the real political situation, in which he still had considerable influence. Five of his sons and one son-in-law became high priests. It is not known who John and Alexander are, except that they belonged to the family of the high priests.]
