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Annas (also Ananus or Ananias;Goodman, Martin, "Rome & Jerusalem", Penguin Books, p.12 (2007) , ; grc-x-koine, Ἅννας, ; 23/22 BC – death date unknown, probably around AD 40) was appointed by the Roman legate
Quirinius Publius Sulpicius Quirinius (c. 51 BC – AD 21), also translated as Cyrenius, was a Roman aristocrat. After the banishment of the ethnarch Herod Archelaus from the tetrarchy of Judea in AD 6, Quirinius was appointed legate governor of Syria, ...
as the first High Priest of the newly formed Roman province of
Judaea Judea or Judaea ( or ; from he, יהודה, Standard ''Yəhūda'', Tiberian ''Yehūḏā''; el, Ἰουδαία, ; la, Iūdaea) is an ancient, historic, Biblical Hebrew, contemporaneous Latin, and the modern-day name of the mountainous sou ...
in AD 6 – just after the Romans had deposed Archelaus, Ethnarch of
Judaea Judea or Judaea ( or ; from he, יהודה, Standard ''Yəhūda'', Tiberian ''Yehūḏā''; el, Ἰουδαία, ; la, Iūdaea) is an ancient, historic, Biblical Hebrew, contemporaneous Latin, and the modern-day name of the mountainous sou ...
, thereby putting Judaea directly under Roman rule. Annas appears in the Gospels and Passion plays as a high priest before whom Jesus is brought for judgment, prior to being brought before Pontius Pilate.


The sacerdotal family

The terms of Annas,
Caiaphas Joseph ben Caiaphas (; c. 14 BC – c. 46 AD), known simply as Caiaphas (; grc-x-koine, Καϊάφας, Kaïáphas ) in the New Testament, was the Jewish high priest who, according to the gospels, organized a plot to kill Jesus. He famously pr ...
, and the five brothers are:


Ananus (or Annas), son of Seth (6–15)

Annas officially served as High Priest for ten years (AD 6–15), when at the age of 36 he was deposed by the procurator
Valerius Gratus Valerius Gratus was the 4th Roman Prefect of Judaea province under Tiberius from 15 to 26 AD. History He succeeded Annius Rufus in 15 and was replaced by Pontius Pilate in 26. The government of Gratus is chiefly remarkable for the frequent change ...
. Yet while having been officially removed from office, he remained as one of the nation's most influential political and social individuals, aided greatly by the fact that his five sons and his son-in-law
Caiaphas Joseph ben Caiaphas (; c. 14 BC – c. 46 AD), known simply as Caiaphas (; grc-x-koine, Καϊάφας, Kaïáphas ) in the New Testament, was the Jewish high priest who, according to the gospels, organized a plot to kill Jesus. He famously pr ...
all served at sometime as High Priests. His death is unrecorded. His son Annas the Younger, also known as
Ananus the son of Ananus Ananus ben Ananus (Hebrew: ''Hanan ben Hanan'' Greek: "Ananos son of Ananos" var: Ananias, la, Anani Ananus or ), d. 68 CE, was a Herodian-era High Priest of Israel in Jerusalem, Iudaea Province. He was the High Priest who ordered the exe ...
, was assassinated in AD 66 for advocating peace with Rome.


Eleazar ben Ananus (16–17)

After
Valerius Gratus Valerius Gratus was the 4th Roman Prefect of Judaea province under Tiberius from 15 to 26 AD. History He succeeded Annius Rufus in 15 and was replaced by Pontius Pilate in 26. The government of Gratus is chiefly remarkable for the frequent change ...
deposed
Ishmael ben Fabus Ishmael ben Fabus also known as Ishmael ben Phiabi and Ishmael ben Phabi () was a High Priest of Israel in the 1st century CE. He was High Priest of Israel from 15 CE to 16 CE under the Roman procurator, Valerius Gratus, and is thought to be the ...
from the high priesthood, he installed Eleazar ben Ananus, (15—16), Josephus ''Antiquities'' 18.2.2 a descendant of
John Hyrcanus John Hyrcanus (; ''Yōḥānān Hurqanōs''; grc, Ἰωάννης Ὑρκανός, Iōánnēs Hurkanós) was a Hasmonean ( Maccabean) leader and Jewish high priest of the 2nd century BCE (born 164 BCE, reigned from 134 BCE until his death in ...
. It was a time of turbulence in Jewish politics, with the role of the high priesthood being contended for by several priestly families. Eleazar was likewise deposed by Gratus, who gave the office to
Simon ben Camithus Simon ben Camithus was a 1st-century High Priest of Israel, who was given the office by the Roman procurator Valerius Gratus and held the office from 17 AD to 18AD. Very little is known of him, however he is briefly mentioned in the Talmud as one ...
(17—18).


Caiaphas (18–36)

Properly called Joseph, son of Caiaphas, he was married to the daughter of Annas (John 18:13). Gratus made him high priest after depriving Simon ben Camithus of the office. The comparatively long eighteen-year tenure of Caiaphas suggests he had established a good working relationship with the Roman authorities. Gratus' successor Pontius Pilate retained him as high priest.


Jonathan ben Ananus (36–37 and 44)


Theophilus ben Ananus Theophilus () was the High Priest in the Second Temple in Jerusalem from 37 to 41 CE according to Josephus's ''Antiquities of the Jews''. He was a member of one of the wealthiest and most influential Jewish families in Iudaea Province during t ...
(37–41)


Matthias ben Ananus (43)


Ananus ben Ananus Ananus ben Ananus (Hebrew: ''Hanan ben Hanan'' Greek: "Ananos son of Ananos" var: Ananias, la, Anani Ananus or ), d. 68 CE, was a Herodian-era High Priest of Israel in Jerusalem, Iudaea Province. He was the High Priest who ordered the exec ...
(63)

References in the Mosaic Law to "the death of the high priest" () suggest that the high-priesthood was ordinarily held for life. Perhaps for this reason, Annas was still called "high priest" even after his dismissal, along with
Caiaphas Joseph ben Caiaphas (; c. 14 BC – c. 46 AD), known simply as Caiaphas (; grc-x-koine, Καϊάφας, Kaïáphas ) in the New Testament, was the Jewish high priest who, according to the gospels, organized a plot to kill Jesus. He famously pr ...
( Luke 3:2). He also may have been acting as president of the Sanhedrin, or a coadjutor of the high priest.


In the New Testament


The plot to kill Lazarus of Bethany

The involvement of the family of Annas may be implied in the plot to kill
Lazarus of Bethany Lazarus of Bethany (Latinised from Lazar, ultimately from Hebrew Eleazar, "God helped"), also venerated as Righteous Lazarus, the Four-Days Dead in the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the subject of a prominent sign of Jesus in the Gospel of John, ...
in . Although Annas is not mentioned by name in the plot to kill Lazarus, several 19th-century writers such as
Johann Nepomuk Sepp Johann Nepomuk Sepp (7 August 1816 – 5 June 1909) was a German historian and politician, and a native of Bavaria. Life Johann Nepomuk Sepp was born in Bad Tölz, Bavaria, to a tanner and dyer, Josef Bernhard Sepp and his wife Maria Victoria ...
and the
Abbé Drioux Abbé Claude-Joseph Drioux (17 February 1820 – 13 May 1898) was a French priest, popular educator, cartographer, geographer, historian, and religious writer. Drioux was born 17 February 1820 at Bourdons, Haute-Marne. He was first priest, then p ...
, considered that there may be a concealed reference to Annas in the parable of the
Rich Man and Lazarus The rich man and Lazarus (also called the parable of Dives and Lazarus or Lazarus and Dives) is a parable of Jesus from the 16th chapter of the Gospel of Luke. Speaking to his disciples and some Pharisees, Jesus tells of an unnamed rich man a ...
which points at a "rich man" with five brothers (). If it is considered that the rich man dressed in purple and fine linen (cf. ) represents Caiaphas, as figurehead of the Sadducees, then Annas is intended by the "father" in , and the "five brothers" are Annas' five sons. In support of this is the coincidence that the father and five brothers who will not be convinced even if the parable Lazarus is raised from the dead () predict that Caiaphas, Annas, and the five sons of Annas would not believe and plotted to have the real Lazarus killed when he was raised ().


The trial of Jesus

Although Caiaphas was the properly appointed high priest, Annas, being his father-in-law and a former incumbent of the office, undoubtedly exercised a great deal of the power attached to the position. According to the Gospel of John (the event is not mentioned in other accounts), Jesus was first brought before Annas, whose palace was closer. Annas questioned him regarding his disciples and teaching, and then sent him on to Caiaphas, where some members of the Sanhedrin had met, and where in Matthew's account the first trial of Jesus took place ().


In the Book of Acts

After Pentecost, Annas presided over the Sanhedrin before which the
Apostles An apostle (), in its literal sense, is an emissary, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (''apóstolos''), literally "one who is sent off", from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (''apostéllein''), "to send off". The purpose of such sending ...
Peter Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a s ...
and John were brought ().


Cultural references

Annas has an important role in '' Jesus Christ Superstar'', as one of the two main antagonists of the show (the other being
Caiaphas Joseph ben Caiaphas (; c. 14 BC – c. 46 AD), known simply as Caiaphas (; grc-x-koine, Καϊάφας, Kaïáphas ) in the New Testament, was the Jewish high priest who, according to the gospels, organized a plot to kill Jesus. He famously pr ...
) spurring Pontius Pilate to take action against Jesus. In almost all versions, Annas has a very high voice (almost reaching falsetto) to contrast against Caiaphas' bass. Despite being Caiaphas' father-in-law, Annas is generally played by a younger actor.


See also

*
List of biblical figures identified in extra-biblical sources These are biblical figures unambiguously identified in contemporary sources according to scholarly consensus. Biblical figures that are identified in artifacts of questionable authenticity, for example the Jehoash Inscription and the bullae of Bar ...


References

*


External links

* {{Authority control 1st-century High Priests of Israel People in the canonical gospels People in Acts of the Apostles