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Author: Stephen Weller
713 words, 4 minutes read time

From Anna To Caiaphas

Scripture: John 18:22-24

In the previous lesson, Peter denies being a disciple of Jesus and Annas begins to question Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus responded by saying that he did nothing in secret and that he should ask those that sat under his teaching about what he taught. This is not the kind of response Annas or others in authority wanted to hear and, in this lesson, will result in a physical response from one of the officers.

J^{n 18:22} When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” ²³ Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” ²⁴ Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Before giving some brief comments about our text, I would like to go back to the previous lesson and look at the comment Jesus made about not doing things in secret. When I taught Bible in China and also worked in one of our coffee shops where students came to practice their oral English, I had the opportunity to become acquainted through one of the students with a Chinese couple that had connections with the government. As I spent time with them we became close friends. Their daughter, who became a believer, returned with me one summer to attend a university in the US and since her room was available when I returned in the fall, I was asked to live with her parents while teaching in China.

Since her dad was a police officer that put me in a rather interesting position. Others on the team that I was part of were afraid that this relationship could result in harm to them and cut off all relationships with me and commanded that I do not contact them and to remove any contact information about them from my electronics and materials. Over the years that followed, I taught Bible in two large churches and a seminary and caused no problems for those who were concerned.

My freedom of ministry was the result of several factors, one of which I learned from the police officer while living with that Chinese family. He said, “Do nothing in secret and do nothing that will offend the government.” Another factor was to live out the fruit of love before them and the students of several other police officers and build respect and truss. This was a recipe of success until those in higher authority felt Christian growth was too great and applied pressure to eliminate western influence. Before this pressure came, as it did with Jesus, not doing things in secret allowed me six wonderful years of ministry there. Their daughter has graduated from college, is married and has a daughter and lives just across town from me here in the US, allowing me the opportunity to visit her parents when they come to visit her.

When Jesus suggested that Annas interview those who sat under his teaching, one of the officers who was standing by Jesus struck him with his hand. Jesus asked what he had said that was wrong and if he had said anything wrong, to bear witness of that wrong. Annas realizes that any further questioning will not yield results, sends Jesus bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

As I write this lesson I realized reasons why Jesus was persecuted, and I was not. The ministry of Jesus was continuous while mine was four months in then two months out and then back for two months and out for four. That cycle allowed things to cool off when I left. Jesus also pointed out the sin of those in authority causing anger against him. What I was doing was bearing fruit and to point out the sin of those in authority would have ended my work and the work of others who might be associated with me.  

Conclusion

Annas learns nothing from Jesus that he can use against him and sends him bound for further questioning to Caiaphas the high priest.