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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadGreater Men and Women of the Bible by James Hastings: 568. Caiaphas
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Literature
Brodrick, M., The Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus Christ of Nazareth (1908), 61.
Burn, A. E., The Crown of Thorns (1911), 13.
Cameron, A. B., From the Garden to the Cross (1896), 83.
Clow, W. M., The Day of the Cross (1909), 13.
English, E., Sermons and Homilies (1913), 109.
Farrar, F. W., The Life of Lives (1900), 482.
Gifford, E. H., Voices of the Prophets (1874), 75.
Hough, L. H., The Men of the Gospels (1913), 63.
Inge, W. R., All Saints' Sermons (1907), 30.
Innes, A. T., The Trial of Jesus Christ (1899), 10.
Lightfoot, J. B., Sermons Preached in St. Paul's Cathedral (1891), 75.
Little, W. J. K., Sunlight and Shadow (1892), 229.
Luckock, H. M., Footprints of the Son of Man as traced by St. Mark, ii. (1886) 252.
Maclaren, A., Christ in the Heart (1886), 257.
Maclaren, A., Expositions: St. Matthew xviii.-xxviii. (1906), 286, 290.
Maclaren, A., Expositions St. John ix.-xiv. (1907), 107.
Morrison, G. H., The Footsteps of the Flock (1904), 265.
Mortimer, A. G., Meditations on the Passion of Our Most Holy Redeemer, i. (1903) 111.
Moulton, J. H., Visions of Sin (1898), 117.
Rosadi, G., The Trial of Jesus (1905), 155.
Simcox, W. H., The Cessation of Prophecy (1891), 278.
Smith, J., Short Studies (1901), 191.
Stalker, J., The Trial and Death of Jesus Christ (1894), 14.
Stevenson, J. G., The Judges of Jesus (1909), 83.
Watson, J., The Life of the Master (1902), 363.
Churchman's Pulpit: Lenten Season, v. 130 (G. T. Shettle).
Dictionary of the Bible, i. (1910) 338 (J. A. M‘Clymont).
Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, i. (1906) 251 (C. A. Scott).
Expositor, 6th Ser., i. (1900) 407 (W. M. Macgregor).
Expository Times, x. (1899) 185 (E. Nestle).
Of all the men mentioned in the crucifixion records, Caiaphas is surely the most despicable. He was that not uncommon phenomenon, a man of low character in a high place. In religion he found, not a conviction, but a career; and so there fell upon him the Nemesis of those who traffic in high things, without making to them adequate spiritual response.
1. Who was this Caiaphas, and what were his antecedents? The real ruling spirit in the Sanhedrin was the aged Annas, who had been high priest twenty years before, till Valerius Gratus, Pilate's predecessor, deposed him for exceeding his powers. Annas had five sons, who were high priests one after the other, and his daughter's husband was Joseph Caiaphas, a man of more supple and adroit character than Annas and his family, as is shown by the fact that he remained high priest for eleven years. Annas was still regarded by the Jews as high priest de jure, and there can be little doubt that the family played into each other's hands, and divided among themselves the most important and lucrative posts at the Temple.
2. Thus Caiaphas belonged to the sect of the Sadducees. Now Christ's great opponents throughout His ministry had been the Pharisees. They met Him at every turn, and strove to refute Him. But many of them were well affected to Him. One of them became a disciple; another laid His crucified body in his own tomb. Some of them may have thought it possible to win the brilliant young Rabbi of Nazareth to their ranks. The Pharisees alone would not have put Jesus to death. But the Sadducees, except in one instance, did not controvert with Jesus. They were the priestly party, and were to be found chiefly in Jerusalem. Their lives and interests centred in the Temple. When Christ crossed their path, when His growing influence threatened theirs, when His leadership became a peril to their predominance, and His popularity a danger to their safety, they did not parley with Him. They acted. “They took counsel to put him to death,” and rested neither day nor night until He hung upon the cross. It was the Sadducees who crucified Christ. And the leader of the Sadducees was Caiaphas.