12 Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him. 13 And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year. 14 Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
Jesus had two trials—one Jewish and the other Roman. The Lord went before Jews first, and then formal charges were made to the Roman governor Pilate (Mt 27:1-2; Lu 22:66-71).
18:12
Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews
Two military groups confronted Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives—one Roman and the other Jewish.
arrested Jesus and bound Him.
The authorities arrested and bound Jesus at night. His disciples were scattered (Mt 26:56). God allowed Jesus to be bound in order to loose us from our sins.
18:13
And they led Him away to Annas first,
The Roman government considered the high priests the dominant political leaders of Israel.
Annas was the former high priest in Israel (AD 6-15). He had a title but not the authority of high priest at this time. Some think that he was the power behind the throne of the then-current high priest, Caiaphas.
The informal religious trial of Jesus now began. Annas interrogated Jesus in a preliminary way before His formal hearing. Caiaphas interrogated Jesus beginning at verse 24.
The Jewish trial of Jesus had three phases: (1) the preliminary hearing before Annas, (2) the trial before Caiaphas (Mt 26:57-68; Mark 14:53-65), and (3) the highest court, the entire Sanhedrin (Mt 27:1; Mark 15:1; Lu 22:66-71).
The Roman trial was a different matter. Pilate initially interrogated Jesus (Mt 27:11-14; Jn 18:28-38). Then He went before Herod (Lu 23:6-12) and finally He was summoned before Pilate again (Mt 27:15-31; Jn 18:38-19:16).
for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year.
Caiaphas was the existing high priest (AD 18-36). He was the son-in-law of Annas.
18:14
Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
John again referred to Caiaphas’ prophecy mentioned in John 11:49-52. The high priest made this prophecy without realizing that he made it. His was no prophecy out of respect for Jesus. He made it as a cynical politician who spoke of Jesus’ deserved death. He carried a policy to condemn Jesus to death (Jn 11:50).
PRINCIPLE:
It is not right to take a victim view of life.
APPLICATION:
The arrest of Jesus was a witch hunt. Nicodemus previously warned that the council did not follow correct procedure (Jn 7:50-51).
Jesus died from political consideration and not from a true assessment of the facts. Religious authorities resolved before He was captured to put Him to death. From a human point of view, Jesus’ trial and crucifixion was a travesty of justice.
Do we feel that we have the right to be treated justly all the time? The Bible exhorts us to cope with trial rather than avoid it (1 Pe 1:6-8; 4:12-13).
