History
Caiaphas
was the high
priest of the Jews under Tiberius.
The Procurator
Valerius Gratas appointed him to the dignity.
He was son-in-law of Annas and was the Jewish
high priest who ruled over the Sanhedrin,
the highest Jewish court, from 18 - 36 AD. This
made
him second in power only to the Roman governor.
The Caiaphas Ossuary
In December of 1990, an exciting discovery
rocked the world of archaeology! In the Peace
Forset
section of Jerusalem, a first century Ossuary,
or "bone box," was discovered. Inscribed
on the ossuary were the words "Yehosef
bar Kayafa," translated as "Joseph,
son of Caiaphas." Excavator
Zvi Greenhut of the Israeli Antiquities
Authority
recovered
the artifact, which is now on display at
the Isael Museum in Jerusalem.
Matthew,
Luke and John each identify Caiaphas as
the high
priest that presided over
the arrest
and trial of Jesus. The historian Josephus
also identifies “Joseph Caiaphas” as
the Jewish high priest from 18 to 36 AD (Jewish
Antiquities 18:35). Josephus also refers to
him as “Joseph who was called Caiaphas
of the high priesthood” (Jewish Antiquities
18:95).
Caiaphas
and Pontius Pilate
Caiaphas had no power to inflict the punishment
of death, and therefore Jesus was sent to Pilate,
the Roman governor, that he might duly pronounce
the sentence against Jesus.
At a later period Caiaphas's hostility to the
gospel is still manifest even after the resurrection
- ( Acts 4:6).
The Caiaphas Ossuary, Pontius
Pilate's Caesarea inscription, evidence of crucifixion,
and historians also naming Pilate and Caiaphas
confirm that the story of Christ's crucifixion
is by no means a fairy tale.
Matthew 18:16 But
if he will not hear you, then take with you
one
or two more, that in the
mouth of two or three witnesses every word
may be established.
Scriptures
Matthew 26:3 Then
assembled together the chief priests, and
the scribes, and the elders of
the people, unto the palace of the high priest,
who was called Caiaphas Luke 3:2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high
priests
Matthew 26:57 And
they that had laid hold on Jesus led him
away to Caiaphas the high
priest, where the scribes and the elders
were assembled.
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