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CAIAPHAS

(Gk. Kaïáphas)

Most frequently described as the high priest involved in the Jewish trial of Jesus.

Luke’s statements are confusing. He uses only the plural form “high priests” in the Passion narrative without providing their names. In contrast, in both places where he names Caiaphas Luke joins him with Annas as the high priest. Luke 3:2 locates John the Baptist’s wilderness appearance at the time of the high priesthood of Annas and of Caiaphas. This phrase is difficult to interpret because never more than one person served that office at a time. In Acts 4:6 Luke ascribes the title “high priest” to Annas but lists Caiaphas as one of the high priest’s family. According to Josephus, however, Annas was high priest roughly between 6 and 15 c.e., and Caiaphas between 18 and 36 (Ant. 18.2.1-2; 18.4.3). If Josephus is correct, it was not Annas but Caiaphas who was high priest both at the time of John the Baptist and during the early Christian period. Most probably, Luke’s confusing statements reflect the contemporary custom to use the office title even after the term is over.

Both Matthew and John seem to be historically more accurate. Matthew names only Caiaphas as high priest. Jewish leaders conspire to arrest Jesus at the palace of “the high priest, who was called Caiaphas” (Matt. 26:3), and after his arrest Jesus is led to “Caiaphas the high priest” (v. 57). John mentions both Annas and Caiaphas by name but never uses the title “the high priest” for Annas. Caiaphas is designated as “the high priest that year” (John 11:49, 51; 18:13) or simply as “the high priest” (18:24), and Annas as “the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year” (v. 13). According to John, after the arrest Jesus was sent first to Annas, then to Caiaphas (John 18:13, 24).

Bibliography. R. E. Brown, The Death of the Messiah (New York, 1994), 1:404-11; W. Horbury, “The ‘Caiaphas’ Ossuaries and Joseph Caiaphas,” PEQ 126 (1994): 32-48.

Seung Ai Yang

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

CAIAPHAS

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)