Caiaphas 

The Jerusalem Sanhedrin, under the leadership of Caiaphas and his father-in-law Annas, had wanted to arrest Jesus three years before he was actually seized and tried. A few months before he was arrested, after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, Caiaphas called a meeting to discuss how to dispose of this miracle-working troublemaker. The court called Lazarus and his family to hear their story, and they all testified that Lazarus had indeed been dead. The court attributed the miracle to the devil, and that is when Caiaphas recited this old Jewish adage, which he many times repeated after that to justify Jesus’ death sentence: “It is better that one man die than the whole community perish.” This meeting of Caiaphas and Lazarus occurred early in 30 CE, just weeks before Jesus was arrested and put on trial.

There had been great difficulty in arresting the Master and bringing him to trial largely because the people loved him. Caiaphas feared riots if he dared to arrest such a popular figure who went about preaching brotherly love, healing the sick, and feeding the hungry. After three years of evading capture, on Monday, April 3, 30 CE, Jesus boldly rode into Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. The city was overflowing with visitors, and the people cheered Jesus on, hoping that he had finally come to the capital city to be their king. Again, the Sanhedrin feared arresting him in open daylight lest the people rise up against them.

The next day, Jesus denounced the temple priests, condemned their practices, and drove the sacrificial animals from the temple grounds. Following his lead, the people then turned over the tables of the moneylenders and drove them out as well. Caiaphas then became more determined than ever to arrest and try Jesus. Accordingly, on Tuesday night, the Sanhedrin met and decreed that Jesus must die. At about midnight, they agreed to meet at Caiaphas’ home on Wednesday morning to determine what Jesus should be charged with to secure the Roman governor’s permission for an execution.

At the Wednesday morning meeting, Judas was introduced to Caiaphas and said he wished to renounce his association with Jesus and be restored to the fellowship of his Judean brethren. In exchange, Judas offered as proof of his sincerity to help Caiaphas with the arrest of Jesus. It was decided that Judas would do so late on Thursday night, peacefully and away from crowds. Judas did as he had agreed, going with temple guards and Roman soldiers to arrest Jesus.

When Judas returned to the temple for his reward, hoping to receive great honor for his betrayal, Caiaphas and the other Sanhedrin members contemptuously dismissed him. He was taken aside and given thirty pieces of silver. Very soon, Judas realized his error and, in complete despair, took his own life.

After the arrest of Jesus around midnight on Thursday, April 6, Caiaphas called a meeting of the Sanhedrin at his home to formulate the charges for which Jesus should be put on trial. Early on Friday morning, Jesus was brought before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, who presumed to sit in judgment over the Son of God. Caiaphas acted more as a prosecutor than an unbiased judge, having already made up his mind to send Jesus to his death. During the mock trial, many accusations were made, but Jesus refused to speak. This annoyed Caiaphas, who confronted the Master, asking if he was the Deliverer, the Son of God, to which Jesus answered: "I am. Soon I go to the Father, and presently shall the Son of Man be clothed with power and once more reign over the hosts of heaven.” And that was the only time he spoke during his trial. In response, Caiaphas’ ripped Jesus’ clothes and slapped him across the face.

Jewish law specified, in the case of a death decree, that two trials must take place. The second one was only an hour after the first, and the outcome was the same: death to Jesus. But Roman law required consent from the governor to put a Jewish citizen to death. After twice securing the Sanhedrin’s unanimous vote to execute Jesus, Caiaphas’ court charged him with three offenses that were certain to ensure the Roman governor’s consent. The three charges were inciting rebellion, refusing to pay taxes, and treason against the Roman emperor. Jesus was then sent to the regional governor, Pilate, to obtain the final decree.

When Jesus stood before Pilate on that Friday morning, Caiaphas and some fifty other Sanhedrin court members were present and demanding that he condemn the Master. After speaking privately with Jesus and not finding evidence of a crime, Pilate was reluctant to condemn him to death. To appease Caiaphas and the mob that called for punishment, Pilate had Jesus whipped. Still, Caiaphas and his supporters demanded death, and that is when Caiaphas threatened to report Pilate to the Roman emperor for failing to execute a known rebel. Pilate relented, fearful of both the emperor and Caiaphas’ mob. He assigned soldiers to take Jesus to the cross, where he was crucified that afternoon.

Caiaphas and his Sanhedrin brethren, the Sadducees and Pharisees, thought Jesus’ death would end his influence, but their troubles had only begun. After the resurrection, and amid increasing reports of having seen the resurrected Master, Caiaphas called a meeting of the Sanhedrin on the evening of Sunday, April 9. At this meeting, it was decreed that any person who mentioned Jesus’ resurrection would be barred from all synagogues. Much to their dismay, reports of Jesus’ appearances only increased, and belief in his resurrection spread throughout the land.

Sometime later, the apostles Peter and John were arrested for healing a man and disobeying the decree not to speak of Jesus’ resurrection. They were hauled before the Sanhedrin court presided over by Caiaphas and Annas. However, the court could not agree on a proper punishment and feared sparking a riot. Peter and John were given warnings and released.

According to Jewish historian Josephus, both Caiaphas and Pilate were dismissed from their offices in 36 CE by the Roman governor of Syria, Vitellius. In 70 CE, the reign of the Sanhedrin ended when Jerusalem was destroyed. The cause was a Jewish rebellion that Jesus predicted a few days before his crucifixion. The Jews were defeated, and the Jewish nation was overthrown, crushed by the Roman army. The Jewish leaders subsequently recognized that it was the expectation of a Messiah to sit on David’s throne (an idea that Jesus refuted repeatedly) that led to the turbulence that brought about Jerusalem’s destruction.

History records that, in 30 CE, Caiaphas was the one who led the Sanhedrin in arresting, accusing, and decreeing the death of Jesus of Nazareth. With the rejection of Jesus by the Sanhedrin, the world’s spiritual torch was passed to the gentiles. Jesus’ fame grew and uplifted the whole Roman world while the names Caiaphas, Annas, and Pilate fell into ignominy and disrepute.