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Author: Stephen Weller
588 words, 3 minutes read time

Jesus Brought Before Annas

Scripture: John 18:13-16

With the previous lesson we finished the section that led up to the arrest of Jesus. With this section we begin the series of illegal trials to show that Jesus is guilty of death.

^{Jn 18:13} First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. ¹⁴ It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people. ¹⁵ Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple.

History reveals that there were primarily three wealthy priestly families that largely controlled the position of high priest. At the time Jesus was arrested Caiaphas was high priest, who was the son-in-law of Annas, a patriarch of one of those families. Annas was high priest during AD 6-15; the time when Jesus was a boy as AD refers to the time of the birth of Jesus. After leaving office, Annas maintained sufficient control that Luke in Luke 3:2 spoke of “the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas.” It was Caiaphas who said that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.

As Jesus was taken to Annas, Peter and another disciple, probably John, followed at a distance to see what was going to happen.

^{Jn 18:15} Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, ¹⁶ but Peter stood outside at the door. So, the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in.

It is not clear how this other disciple, thought to be John, knew the high priest and why that didn’t put him in danger. When I taught Bible in China for several years, I had the privilege of living with a Chinese couple, he being employed by the government. Living with a government agent, who was a police officer, made my activities well known and yet not seen as a threat to anyone as I was taught how to minister without getting into trouble. Without this family’s guidance and protection, I could not have had the opportunities to serve that I did. It was a life changing experience for both me and the family I lived with. I mention this because by being known by various governmental officials, I felt safer than others who were also serving there. If John knew the high priest as I was known in China, he would not have been danger there in the courtyard.

Peter was not known and was afraid just as others who I knew serving in China. They made it very clear to me that I was to have no contact with them or say anything about them. After several years they realized the advantage I had in ministry. I also realized that there were other forces at work that would eventually become dangerous to me. Because of John, Peter was brought in, but there were evil forces at work and one day during ministry, Peter would lose his life as did Jesus.

Conclusion

Now that Jesus is before Annas, the questioning will begin, and Peter will be challenged by a servant girl and deny being a disciple of Jesus. Would you deny knowing Jesus if you were challenged?