Jesus: Standing before religious

13 and led Him to Annas first; for he was father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 Now Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was expedient for one man to die on behalf of the people.

John 18:15 NASB95

15 Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so was another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and entered with Jesus into the court of the high priest,

John 18:16 NASB95

16 but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in.

John 18:17 NASB95

17 Then the slave-girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”

John 18:18 NASB95

18 Now the slaves and the officers were standing there, having made a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were warming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself.

John 18:19 NASB95

19 The high priest then questioned Jesus about His disciples, and about His teaching.

John 18:20 NASB95

20 Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret.

John 18:21 NASB95

21 “Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; they know what I said.”

John 18:22–23 NASB95

22 When He had said this, one of the officers standing nearby struck Jesus, saying, “Is that the way You answer the high priest?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?”

John 18:24 NASB95

24 So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Any general observations you make on this passage?

Who is “Annas” (v.13)?

Father-in-law of Caiphas the High Priest

What was Caiaphas previous advise (v.14)?

Expedient that one would die on behalf of the people (see Jn11:50)

Who was the disciple that was known by the high priest (v.15)?

The one who followed as did Peter. Beyond that we can only make assumptions

How did Peter gain entrance through the door (v.16)?

By the other disciple who spoke to the door keeper

Who was the door-keeper (v.17), what did door-keeper do?

It was a slave-girl

Questioned Peter

Who was at the fire keeping warm (v.18)?

Slaves, officers, Peter

Who questions Jesus (v.19)? How do you know?

The high priest (Caiphas) and because it says the high priest is Caiphas (v.13).

In your own words what was Jesus stating (v.20)?

I have done nothing in private, I have been open.

What is Jesus calling for (v.21)?

Witnesses, those who have heard what he had spoken.

Why was Jesus struck in the face (v.22)?

How he answered the High priest.

You can find the question (v.19)

What is Jesus asking for (v.23)?

Testimony of any wrong, if there is any

What did Annas do with Jesus (v.24)?

Sent him to Caiaphas the high priest

Annas may be the one with power, but it was Caiaphas that had the authority!

Jesus goes before Annas

Annas was not the high priest, but was the power behind the throne in Jerusalem

He was the Father-in-law of Caiphas, he put Caiphas in place.

Annas was the high priest from AD6-AD15. He had four sons who too were priests at the time, believed they were the keepers of the treasury, but now it was Caiphas the son-in-law.

Barclay records “that they were guardians of the temple, and beat the people with staves. They were very notorious.”

We know it was Caiaphas who gave the advise before (Jn11:49-53)

John 11:49–50 NASB95

49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.”

John 11:51–53 NASB95

51 Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they planned together to kill Him.

Ah, was it not a word of prophesy, it was good that Jesus die for the people!

Commentator Guzik says: “One reason John reminds us of what Caiaphas said in Jn11:49-52 is to show that the judgment against Jesus was already decided. It would not be a fair trial.”

The Followers to High Priest’s home

We can know Simon Peter followed (v.15) and there was another who followed.

We can know the other disciple was known by the high priest, but we do not have a name.

We can know the other disciple brought Peter in.

Common belief is that the other disciple is John. Whom had a fishing business with his father (Zebedee) and his brother (James). They could be the marketers of fish to the high priest. - - - other thought is there may have been marital ties between them.

Peter’s first denial

Questioned by the door keeper, the servant girl, Peter is tested, Peter answers “I am not” when asked if a disciple.

God’s preordained plan was to protect the apostles for the task that was ahead of them. So, answered affirmative could end up the death of Peter.

FF Bruce: “The servant-girl presumably knew the ‘other disciple’ to be a follower of Jesus, and when she saw him bringing in Peter, she said, in effect: ‘Oh no, not another!’”

Peter answered the negative with a negative, making a positive, that God protected him, and Peter is fulfilling the words spoken by Jesus about the denial’s.

Hum, interesting that John says standing, Luke, and Matthew say sitting. But the Greek word used in all mean:to be stationary, to continue, to be there, to be. Just some helpful information.

Let the questioning begin

John 18:19–21 NLT

19 Inside, the high priest began asking Jesus about his followers and what he had been teaching them. 20 Jesus replied, “Everyone knows what I teach. I have preached regularly in the synagogues and the Temple, where the people gather. I have not spoken in secret. 21 Why are you asking me this question? Ask those who heard me. They know what I said.”

Jesus questioned about his teaching

The point of the question is for Jesus to incriminate himself, to show He is guilty of blaspheme, etc. before any witness is even called against Him. He also wanted to get the disciples, but Jesus knew the grand plan and had to protect the disciples and did with His answer.

Hey Annas, no secret doctrine, no secret teaching, it was been open, and why not ask others who heard it?

Trapp: “Truth is bold and barefaced; when heresy hides itself, and loathes the light.”

A couple of things about this “mock” or “mockery of a trial:

High Priest was required to call witnesses; and, contrary to our system today, the High Priest would need to call witnesses for the defence first.

FF Bruce: “Jesus therefore claimed that, if his teaching was in question, evidence should be heard in the normal way.”

“For the Talmud states, Sanhedrin. C.iv.S.1, that ‘Criminal processes can neither commence not terminate but during the course of the day. If the person be acquitted, the sentence may be pronounced during the day; but, if he be condemned, the sentence cannot be pronounced til the next day. But no kind of judgment is to be executed, either on the eve of the Sabbath, or the eve of any festival.” (Clarke)

Jesus calls for the proceeding to happen in normal ways, not how they are doing it.

So done with Him!

John 18:22–24 NLT

22 Then one of the Temple guards standing nearby slapped Jesus across the face. “Is that the way to answer the high priest?” he demanded. 23 Jesus replied, “If I said anything wrong, you must prove it. But if I’m speaking the truth, why are you beating me?” 24 Then Annas bound Jesus and sent him to Caiaphas, the high priest.

Temple guards in frustration, Annas in exasperation, done with Jesus and send him on his way to Caiaphas.

Done from a place of disrespect to the high priest Jesus was struck. But God, Jesus knew this was the start of what was to come.

Jesus response was “hey, justify this abuse, prove your case before you do this?”

Guzik says: “Jesus exposed the shameful truth, that they did not follow their own standards and practice of Justice with Jesus of Nazareth.”

Sent on His way, bound, to Caiaphas where he should have been in the first place, during the day. Jesus may have been bound in chains as a harmful criminal, but those chains lead to the freedom from chains that would be made available at the cross.