Annas

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 10
Listen from:
High priest, appointed in A.D. 7 by Cyrenius, or Quirinus, governor of Syria. In the reign of Tiberius he was deposed, and was followed at short intervals by Ismael, Eleasar son of Ananus or Annas, Simon, and Joseph Caiaphas, son-in-law of Annas (Luke 3:22Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. (Luke 3:2); John 18:13, 2413And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year. (John 18:13)
24Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. (John 18:24)
; Acts 4:66And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. (Acts 4:6)). It is supposed that Annas was called high priest by courtesy, having once held the office: the Lord was taken to him first, perhaps as being the father-in-law of Caiaphas. Josephus relates that the five sons of Annas became high priests, and under the last, also named Annas, James the Lord’s brother was martyred (Antiquities 20. 9, 1).