|
Book Excerpt
Before attorney Earle Wingo begins to show the many Jewish laws that were broken during the trial of Jesus, he gives us a fascinating description of the major characters. Annas, the first Jewish leader to whom Jesus was taken after his unlawful arrest, is one of the least known. Read here Wingo’s fascinating description of the man and the role he played in the crucifixion.
Annas, The Political Boss of Judea
In the year 7 AD the procurator, Coponius, appointed his friend, Annas, the son of Seth, an Alexandrian Sadducee as the high priest at Jerusalem, the highest appointive office of Jewry.
The high priestly family of Annas held full sway, with only a few brief interruptions, for the following fifty-one years. All six of his sons followed their father as high priest during that long period of time, and it was his son-in-law, Caiaphas, who, through the dominant influence of this same Annas, held that high office during the time when Jesus was tried before the Sanhedrin in AD 30.
Although Annas was a feeble man in his late eighties, he possessed great wealth and political power in Jerusalem. He was their political boss and his every thought, word and deed conveyed the height of his extreme egotism.
It was generally admitted that old Annas had the most superb intelligence among the ruling elements in all Judea; and he seemed unacquainted with fear or remorse of conscience. His tyrannical and unholy philosophy was that of “rule or ruin.”
He was quite generous in providing numerous luxuries for his son-in-law, and was never timid about reminding Caiaphas of the lasting and unpaid debt of gratitude he was owed. Therefore, it was not unusual for Caiaphas to unfailingly do the bidding of his father-in-law, regardless of ethics, law, morals, or any consequences.
Annas could not be called a religious man. Being a devout Sadducee, he openly subscribed to the creed that there was no life after death, and no spiritual world. He taught that future rewards and punishments were absurd, and that everything ended at the grave.
Annas regarded everything Jesus taught as nothing more than the abstractions of a discredited, false prophet. He had no patience with nor respect for the new, religious theories of the Master.
He had a deep motive, as he thought, for conspiring with Caiaphas and money-mad Judas Iscariot to speedily get rid of the Lowly Nazarene, regardless of the means to that end. Murder was commonplace with this corrupt individual, and he entertained no scruples about engaging in evil enterprises if he could accomplish what he desired.
It is noteworthy that those who sold the doves and lambs in the Temple to be burned upon the altars of sacrifice were the hirelings of Annas. His bankers also profited by the usurious exchange of Roman currency into the coinage of the Temple.
They were there to enrich the already fat purse of their employer; and Annas saw no wrong with having them engage in such unholy practices in the Temple, for he considered the Temple nothing more than a convenient meeting place, where crowds congregated for their religious practices, and where the unfair exchanges would be made to his personal benefit.
What a sight. Droves of poor Jews, trudging daily into the Temple to offer their sacrifices, having to purchase lambs and doves, and exchange their coins with Annas’ agents, since he had a monopoly on that sordid business.
Annas, like countless thousands in Judea, heard of the miracles of Jesus; especially His raising Lazarus from the grave. That greatly irritated the old man. He now looked ridiculous before his followers because of all his preaching and teaching that life after death was nonsense.
There was no denying that this event occurred, since it was witnessed by hundreds of reputable Jews, who quickly spread the news throughout the land.
In his declining years, Annas was forced to admit that his conclusions about the resurrection had been repudiated by this humble Man from Galilee. With his prestige on the wane, something had to be done, and quickly, to dispose of this troublemaker whose miracles and teachings were the source of a deep-rooted embarrassment.
To increase the consuming fire of enmity, word reached Annas that Jesus had bodily forced his money-changers and dove and lamb sellers out of the Temple, and into the busy streets of Jerusalem, dodging the sturdy lashes from the whip in the strong arm of Jesus.
Annas was outraged, humiliated, and determined to get even. The cleansing of the Temple was considered a direct challenge to the authority of Annas and his Sadducees. They determined to retaliate.
It was shortly after this episode that Annas and Caiaphas entered into the sordid and unholy conspiracy with Judas Iscariot to betray the Master.
John tells us where Jesus was first taken after His unlawful arrest outside the Garden of Gethsemane:
Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.
Taking Jesus to Annas first was no coincidence. It had been planned that way. Having knowledge of the arrest of Jesus was all Annas needed. He could then secretly arrange with Caiaphas, the high priest, to quickly call a nighttime meeting of the Sanhedrin, create a quorum of only twenty-three carefully-chosen members, then begin the trial of Christ and terminate His ministry by condemning Him to death while His friends were still asleep. That is exactly what they did.
Annas, devoid of principle and with a heart black to the core, willingly connived with Judas and Caiaphas for the cold-blooded murder of the Son of God.
|
