¶ And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.
And {G2532} led {G520} him {G846} away {G520} to {G4314} Annas {G452} first {G4412}; for {G1063} he was {G2258} father in law {G3995} to Caiaphas {G2533}, which {G3739} was {G2258} the high priest {G749} that same {G1565} year {G1763}.
and took him first to ‘Anan, the father-in-law of Kayafa, who was cohen gadol that fateful year.
They brought Him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.
and led him to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.
-
John 18:24
Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. -
Luke 3:2
Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. -
Matthew 26:57
¶ And they that had laid hold on Jesus led [him] away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. -
Matthew 26:3
Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, -
John 11:51
And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; -
Acts 4:6
And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
Commentary on John 18:13 (KJV)
John 18:13 details the initial stage of Jesus' trial after His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. It highlights a crucial, and somewhat irregular, step in the Jewish legal proceedings against Him, setting the stage for the subsequent interrogations.
Context
Following His arrest, as described in John 18:12, Jesus was brought first to Annas. This was a significant move, as Annas was not the official high priest at the time. Annas had served as high priest from A.D. 6 to A.D. 15, appointed by Quirinius, the Roman legate of Syria. Though deposed by the Romans, he retained immense influence and power due to his wealth, political connections, and the fact that five of his sons, and his son-in-law Caiaphas, subsequently held the high priestly office. Caiaphas was the acting high priest for that particular year, a position he held from A.D. 18 to A.D. 36. The Jewish religious leadership, under Roman rule, often saw the high priesthood become a political appointment rather than a lifelong, hereditary spiritual role as it traditionally was. Leading Jesus to Annas first was likely a strategic maneuver to conduct an unofficial preliminary interrogation, to gather information, or to prepare Caiaphas for the more formal proceedings, bypassing proper legal protocol.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "high priest that same year" is noteworthy. In the Old Testament tradition, the high priesthood was a lifelong appointment. However, under Roman rule, the position became subject to political appointments and removals. This highlights the compromised nature of the Jewish religious authority at the time, operating under the oversight of the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, to whom Jesus would later be sent for final judgment (John 18:28).
Practical Application
John 18:13 reminds us that powerful individuals, even those in religious leadership, can be driven by self-interest and political maneuvering rather than true justice or divine will. It underscores the reality of corruption within systems and the importance of discerning motives. Jesus, in His quiet dignity and submission to God's plan, exemplifies how to face unjust authority. This verse sets the stage for understanding the depth of the sacrifice Jesus made, enduring a flawed and biased legal process for the salvation of humanity.