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Orchestrated execution of Jesus Christ. How could the holy priesthood established by Moses and Aaron become the mortal enemy of Jesus, the Messiah?

Unrighteous priesthood
How does the 1st century priesthood violates the original Levitical plan? It was supposed to be:

• High priesthood a lifetime appointment (Heb 7:23).
• Holy — not assimilating to the dominant regional culture, but a shining beacon for all Israel and the watching world.
• Separate from the monarchy. Priests (from the tribe of Levi) could not serve as kings (tribe of Judah). It's not good when religious leaders have political power, or when political leaders have spiritual power! The temptations to corruption are just too great.
• Precedent: Hasmonean times (140-37 BC), with appointment of Aristobolus.

Annas, the father-in-law
 

• Annas (or Ananus or Ananias) son of Seth, born before 20 BC, died around around AD 40.
• Appointed by the Roman legate Quirinius as the first High Priest of the newly formed Roman province of Iudaea in AD 6.
• High priest AD 6-15, then deposed by procurator Gratus. Yet remained highly influential through his son-in-law and his 5 sons.
• Putting it all together, here are the terms of Annas, Caiaphas, and the five brothers:
  • Ananus (or Annas) the son of Seth (6–15)
  • Eleazar the son of Ananus (16–17)
  • Caiaphas, properly Joseph son of Caiaphas (18–36), married the daughter of Annas (John 18:13)
  • Jonathan the son of Ananus (36–37 and 44)
  • Theophilus the son of Ananus (37–41)
  • Matthias the son of Ananus (43)
  • Ananus the son of Ananus (63)
• Scriptures:
  • Luke 3:2 — During the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
  • John 18:12 -- So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. 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... 19 The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20 Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” 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... 28 Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover.

Caiaphas, the son-in-law
 

• Caiaphas was the major antagonist of Jesus.
• According to Josephus, Caiaphas was appointed in AD 18 by the prefect before Pontius Pilate, Valerius Gratus. He served for 18 years -- a long term.
• Scriptures
  • Matt 26:3 -- Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.
  • 26:57 Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered.
  • John 11:45 -- Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that
    Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.
  • John 18:13 -- And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year.
  • Acts 4:5 -- On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”
  • Caiaphas is also the "high priest" of Acts 5:17-21, 27; 7:1; 9:1. His persecution of Christ naturally continued through a bitter persecution of Christ's followers. (And to think that Saul of Tarsus was commissioned by Caiaphas to hunt down our brothers and sisters in Christ!)
• Dante places Caiaphas in the 6th realm of the 8th circle of the Inferno, with the hypocrites. His torture: eternal crucifixion on the hypocrites' path, who step on him for ever.
• 1990 Ossuary discovery
  • Inscription: "Joseph son of Caiaphas"
  • Luxurious ossuary. See image above.
  • Dated to second half of 1st C.
  • Contained the bones of an old man.

Observations and suggestions:

• Don't be surprised at institutional injustice, especially in powerful religious structures.
• When Jesus cleanses the temple courts he is telegraphing a message to Annas and Caiaphas. The Talmud calls some of these first century priests "great hoarders of money."
• These men lived in the lap of luxury. Visit the priestly home in pre-70 Jerusalem!
• There's no priesthood or high priest today -- at least not on earth. Our great high priest serves in heaven. And we serve him, as a "kingdom of priests" (1 Pet 2:9; Exod 19:6).
• God can work even through corrupt leaders. This was Jesus' attitude in Matt 23:3.
• At a deeper level of providence, since Annas and Caiaphas engineered the execution of Christ, they unwittingly accomplished God's purpose through the ages: to provide forgiveness and reconciliation through the true sacrifice offered by the true priest, who even now mediates for us in the true temple in heaven! Caiaphas was right (John 11:50).