HOST: Ron House
SPONSOR: Start2Finish
So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people. [...] The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
John is alone in mentioning the scene at the home of Annas on the night of Jesus’ arrest. Before He is taken to Caiaphas the high priest, the soldiers escort Jesus to the home of Annas, the former high priest and father-in-law of Caiaphas. The Romans had dictated a limit to the amount of time one could serve as high priest, but under Jewish law, the office of high priest was to be a lifetime appointment. So while, as the former high priest, Annas had no official position or authority, he may have, in the eyes of the Jews, still been considered the rightful high priest and thus continued to have a great deal of influence. Only Caiaphas, as the official high priest, could bring charges upon Jesus before the Roman governor, but it is Annas who performs the preliminary examination. It is in the home of Annas that we have the first recorded act of abuse against Jesus, as He is struck by one of the officers for what was considered disrespect toward the high priest. With that act, the physical suffering of Jesus at the hands of His enemies had begun.
Was Jesus disrespectful to Annas? Why or why not?
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