Chapter 75—Before Annas and the Court of
Caiaphas
This chapter is based on
Matthew 26:57-75
;
Matthew 27:1
;
Mark
14:53-72
;
Mark 15:1
;
Luke 22:54-71
;
John 18:13-27
.
Over the brook Kedron, past gardens and olive groves, and through
the hushed streets of the sleeping city, they hurried Jesus. It was past
midnight, and the cries of the hooting mob that followed Him broke
sharply upon the still air. The Saviour was bound and closely guarded,
and He moved painfully. But in eager haste His captors made their
way with Him to the palace of Annas, the ex-high priest.
Annas was the head of the officiating priestly family, and in def-
erence to his age he was recognized by the people as high priest. His
counsel was sought and carried out as the voice of God. He must
first see Jesus a captive to priestly power. He must be present at the
examination of the prisoner, for fear that the less-experienced Caiaphas
might fail of securing the object for which they were working. His
artifice, cunning, and subtlety must be used on this occasion; for, at all
events, Christ’s condemnation must be secured.
Christ was to be tried formally before the Sanhedrin; but before
Annas He was subjected to a preliminary trial. Under the Roman
rule the Sanhedrin could not execute the sentence of death. They
could only examine a prisoner, and pass judgment, to be ratified by
the Roman authorities. It was therefore necessary to bring against
Christ charges that would be regarded as criminal by the Romans.
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An accusation must also be found which would condemn Him in the
eyes of the Jews. Not a few among the priests and rulers had been
convicted by Christ’s teaching, and only fear of excommunication
prevented them from confessing Him. The priests well remembered
the question of Nicodemus, “Doth our law judge any man, before it
hear him, and know what he doeth?”
John 7:51
. This question had
for the time broken up the council, and thwarted their plans. Joseph
of Arimathaea and Nicodemus were not now to be summoned, but
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