Under the Roman administration the high priest remained the senior Jewish leader, but his power was limited by Roman supervision.
High priests of the NT
Luke 3:2; Acts 23:2 Annas was high priest from A.D. 6 until deposed by the Roman official, Gratus, in A.D. 15. Though replaced by his son Eleazar and, in A.D. 18, by Caiaphas, his son-in-law, Annas retained his authority in Jewish eyes. Strictly, there could only be one high priest at a time. Ananias, the high priest of Acts 23:2, was not related to the family of Annas.
Grandeur of the high priest
John 18:10, John 18:15 The courtyard was within a palace; Acts 6:12, Acts 7:1 The high priest was president of the Sanhedrin.
The high priest's connections with Jesus Christ
Prophesying Jesus Christ's death
John 11:49–50 Words spoken by Caiaphas in a political sense were seen to be prophetic, pointing forward to the sacrificing role the high priest would play in the death of Jesus Christ. See also John 11:51–52
But one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
Presiding at Jesus Christ's trial
John 18:19–24 See also Matthew 26:57–59 parallel Mark 14:53–55; Matthew 26:62–65 parallel Mark 14:61–64; Luke 22:54; John 18:28 Caiaphas, the necessary go-between, brought Jesus Christ before Pilate.
Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and His teaching. “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus answered. “I always taught in the synagogues and at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. Why are you asking Me? Ask those who heard My message. Surely they know what I said.” When Jesus had said this, one of the officers standing nearby slapped Him in the face and said, “Is this how You answer the high priest?” Jesus replied, “If I said something wrong, testify as to what was wrong. But if I spoke correctly, why did you strike Me?” Then Annas sent Him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest.
The high priest's encounters with Peter and John
Acts 4:7 The teaching of Jesus Christ's resurrection was particularly abhorrent to the Sadducees, the priestly party to which Annas and Caiaphas belonged. See also Acts 5:17, Acts 5:21, Acts 5:29
They had Peter and John brought in and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
The high priest's encounter with Stephen
Acts 7:1 Stephen was thought to have threatened the temple, the focus of high priestly power. See also Acts 7:57–59
Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?”
Encounters of the high priests with Paul
Commissioning Paul to persecute Christians
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest and requested letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
Ordering that Paul be struck
Acts 23:3 See also John 18:21–23
Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit here to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck.”
Taking charges against Paul to the Roman governor
Acts 24:1 See also John 18:28
Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, who presented to the governor their case against Paul.
NT references to OT high priests
Abiathar
During the high priesthood of Abiathar, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which was lawful only for the priests. And he gave some to his companions as well.”
Melchizedek
And in another passage God says: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
Jesus Christ as high priest
Hebrews 4:14–16 See also Hebrews 8:1–2, Hebrews 9:14
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.