Difference between revisions of "Annas"

<p> (Gr. Ἄννας, Heb. הָנָן, ‘merciful’ [in Josephus, <i> Ananos </i> ]) </p> <p> [[Annas]] the son of Sethi, appointed high priest by [[Quirinius]] in a.d. 6 or 7, retained office till he was deposed by [[Valerius]] [[Gratus]] in a.d. 15 (Jos. <i> Ant </i> . XVIII. ii. 1, 2). [[Josephus]] tells us that he was regarded as the most fortunate of men, for he had live sons who all held the office of high priest ( <i> Ant </i> . XX. ix. 1). From the Fourth [[Gospel]] we learn that [[Joseph]] Caiaphas, the high priest at the date of the Crucifixion, was a son-in-law of Annas (&nbsp;John 18:13). His removal from office in a.d. 15 did not by any means diminish his influence. Being extremely wealthy, he was able to exert the powers of high priest long after he was deposed. His wealth and that of his sons was acquired by the institution of the ‘booths or bazaars of the sons of Annas,’ which enjoyed the monopoly for the sale of all kinds of sacrificial requirements. These booths were situated either in the temple court (Keim, <i> Jesus of Nazara </i> , v. 116; Edersheim, <i> LT </i> [Note: T Life and Times of Jesus the [[Messiah]] (Edersheim).]iii. 5) or on the Mount of [[Olives]] (J. Derenbourg, <i> Essai sur l’histoire … de la [[Palestine]] </i> , 1867, p. 465). The words of Jesus regarding the unholy traffic (&nbsp;Matthew 21:13, &nbsp;Luke 19:46) aroused the hostility of the priestly party and led to His arrest and examination by Annas (&nbsp;John 18:13-24). The [[Talmud]] accuses the sons of Annas of ‘serpentlike hissings’ (or whisperings [ <i> Pes </i> . 57 <i> a </i> ]). Probably the meaning is that they exerted private influence on the judges and perverted justice for their own ends. Their attitude towards Jesus and the apostles as revealed in the NT seems to bear out this interpretation. Although, as we have seen, Annas was deposed from the high-priestly office in a.d. 15, he retains the title all through the NT. Both Josephus and the writers of the NT uniformly give the title ‘high priest’ not only to the actual occupant of the office at the time, but to all his predecessors who were still alive, as well as to all the more influential members of the families from which the high priests were selected. The phrase in &nbsp;Luke 3:2 ‘in the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas’ is unique, and may be accounted for by the fact that the combination had become so familiar in connexion with the history of the [[Crucifixion]] that St. Luke couples the two together here (Ewald, <i> Hl </i> , vol. vi. [1883] p. 430, n.[Note: . note.]3). </p> <p> The important and influential position held by Annas even after his deposition is proved by the fact that it was to him that Jesus was first sent before He appeared at the more formal tribunal of the [[Sanhedrin]] (&nbsp;John 18:13). The interview with Annas (&nbsp;John 18:19-23) determined the fate of the prisoner, and probably Annas was the chief instigator in compassing the death. In &nbsp;Acts 4:6 Annas again appears as the head of the party who tried the apostles and enjoined them to keep silent about the Resurrection. </p> <p> Literature.-Josephus, <i> Antiquities, passim </i> ; A. Edersheim, <i> LT </i> [Note: T Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah (Edersheim).]i. [1886] 263; T. Keim, <i> Jesus of Nazara </i> , 1867-1882, vi. 36ff.; E. Schürer, <i> GJV </i> [Note: JV Geschichte des jüdischen Volkes (Schürer).]4 ii. [1907] 256, 270, 274, 275. </p> <p> [[W. F]]  Boyd. </p>

<p> or ANANUS, as Josephus calls him, was the son of Seth, and high priest of the Jews. He succeeded Joazar, the son of Simon, enjoyed the high priesthood eleven years, and was succeeded by Ishmael, the son of Phabi. After he was deposed, he still preserved the title of high priest, and had a great share in the management of public affairs. He is called high priest in conjunction with Caiaphas, when John the [[Baptist]] entered upon the exercise of his mission; though Calmet thinks that at that time he did not, strictly speaking, possess or officiate in that character, &nbsp;Luke 3:2 . On the contrary, Macknight and some others are of opinion, that at this time Caiaphas was only the deputy of Annas. He was father-in-law to Caiaphas; and Jesus Christ was carried before him, directly after his seizure in the garden of Olives, &nbsp;John 18:13 . Josephus remarks, that Annas was considered as one of the happiest men of his nation, for five of his sons were high priests, and he himself possessed that great dignity many years. This was an instance of good fortune which, till that time, had happened to no person. </p>

<p> A high priest of the Jews, &nbsp;Luke 3:2; &nbsp;John 18:13,24; &nbsp;Acts 4:6 . He is mentioned in Luke as being high priest along with Caiaphas, his son in-law. He was first appointed to that office by Cyrenius, or Quirinus, proconsul of Syria, about [[A. D]]  7 or 8, but was afterwards deprived of it. After various changes, the office was given to Joseph, also called Caiaphas, the son-in-law of Annas, about [[A. D]]  25, who continued in office until [[A. D]]  35 or 36. In the passages of the New [[Testament]] above cited, therefore, it is apparent that Caiaphas was the only actual and proper high priest; but Annas being his father-in-law, and having been formerly himself high priest, and being also perhaps his substitute, had great influence and authority, and could with propriety be still termed high priest along with Caiaphas. It was before him that Christ was first taken on the night of his seizure. He also assisted in presiding over the Sanhedrin which sat in judgment upon Peter and John, &nbsp;Acts 4:6 . </p>

<p> High priest, appointed in A.D. 7 by Cyrenius, or Quirinus, governor of Syria. In the reign of [[Tiberius]] he was deposed, and was followed at short intervals by Ismael, Eleasar son of [[Ananus]] or Annas, Simon, and Joseph Caiaphas, son-in-law of Annas. &nbsp;Luke 3:2; &nbsp;John 18:13,24; &nbsp;Acts 4:6 . It is supposed that Annas was called high priest by courtesy, having once held the office: the Lord was taken to him first, perhaps as being the father-in-law of Caiaphas. Josephus relates that the five sons of Annas became high priests, and under the last, also named Annas, James the Lord's brother was martyred. Ant. xx. 9,1. </p>