First the soldiers led the bound Jesus Christ to the old
high priest Annas, who at that time was not serving in the Temple and lived in retirement. This chief priest interrogated
Jesus Christ about His teaching and His disciples in order to find some fault
in Him.
The Saviour answered him, "I have spoken
openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the Temple where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing
secretly. Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. They know what I said."
One of the officers of the high priest, standing
by, struck Jesus on the cheek and said, "Is that how You
answer the high priest?" The Lord turning to him said to this, "If I
have spoken wrongly, bear witness to the wrong; but if I have spoken rightly,
why do you strike Me?"
After questioning by the high priest Annas, the
bound Jesus Christ was sent through the courtyard to Annas’ son-in-law, the
high priest Caiaphas.
Caiaphas
was the high priest that year. He had advised the Sanhedrin to kill Jesus
Christ saying, "You know nothing at all; you do not understand that it is
expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole
nation should not perish."
The holy Apostle John, pointing out the importance
of this sacred rank of high priest, explains that in spite of his criminal
design the high priest Caiaphas involuntarily prophesied about the Saviour that
He would have to suffer for the redemption of the people. Therefore, the
Apostle John said, He did not say this of his own accord but "being
high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation."
And here he adds, "And not for the nation only (for the
Jews, because Caiaphas spoke only about the Hebrew nation), but to gather
into one the children of God (the Gentiles), who are scattered
abroad" (John 11:49-52).
At the house of the high priest Caiaphas that
night, there gathered many members of the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin as the
highest court of law usually had to convene in the Temple by day. Elders and Jewish scribes also came. All of them
had agreed in advance to condemn Jesus Christ to death. But to do this, it was
necessary to find some sort of guilt punishable by death. And since no one
could find any sort of guilt in Him, they hired false witnesses to make untrue
accusations against Jesus Christ. Many such false witnesses came forward. But
they were not able to say anything that could condemn Jesus Christ. At last,
two such false witnesses came forward and said, "We heard Him saying, ‘I
will destroy this Temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build
another, not made with hands’." But such testimony was not enough to
condemn Him to death. To all these false witnesses, Jesus Christ made no
answer.
The high priest Caiaphas stood up and said,
"Have You no answer to make? What is it that
these men testify against You?" Jesus Christ was
silent.
Caiaphas said to Him, "I adjure You by the living God, tell us if You are Christ, the Son of
God."
To this question, Jesus Christ said, "I am,
but I tell you hereafter you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand
of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven."
Then, the high priest tore his robes as a sign of
indignation and horror and said, "Why do we still need witnesses? You have
now heard His blasphemy (that is, He being a man calls Himself the Son of God).
What is your decision?" They all answered in one voice, "He deserves
death."
After this, they gave Jesus Christ into custody.
Some began to spit on Him. The men who were holding Him mocked Him and beat Him.
Others, covering His face, struck Him and with laughter asked, "Prophesy
to us, You Christ, who is it that struck You?"
All these insults, Jesus Christ endured without murmuring.
Note: See
the Gospels of Matthew 26:57-68; 27:1; Mark 14:53-65, 15:1; Luke 22:54, 63-71; John 18:12-14, 19-24.
Return to the first page
