Chapter 18—Before Annas, Caiaphas, and the
Sanhedrin
Jesus was followed from the garden of Gethsemane by the hooting
mob. He moved painfully, for His hands were tightly bound, and He
was closely guarded.
He was taken first to the house of Annas, who had formerly been
the high priest, but whose place was then filled by his son-in-law,
Caiaphas. The wicked Annas had requested that he might be the first
to see Jesus of Nazareth a bound captive. He hoped to draw from Him
some evidence by which to secure His condemnation.
With this in view he questioned the Saviour with regard to His
disciples and His teachings. Christ answered:
“I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and
in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said
nothing.”
Then, turning upon the questioner, He said, “Why askest thou Me?
Ask them which heard Me, what I have said.”
John 18:20, 21
.
The priests themselves had set spies to watch Christ and report His
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every word. Through these spies they knew of His sayings and of His
works at every gathering of the people He had attended. The spies had
sought to entrap Him in His words, that they might find something by
which to condemn Him. So the Saviour said, “Ask them which heard
Me.” Go to your spies. They have heard what I have said. They can
tell you what My teaching has been.
The words of Christ were so searching and pointed that the priest
felt that his prisoner was reading his very soul.
But one of the servants of Annas, thinking that his master was not
treated with proper respect, struck Jesus in the face saying: “Answerest
Thou the high priest so?”
To this Jesus mildly said: “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of
the evil: but if well, why smitest thou Me?”
John 18:22, 23
.
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