JOSEPH KAIFA

The character of the novel "The Master and Margarita", the Jewish high priest, the president of the Sanhedrin. The image of I.K. goes back to the chairman of the court of Jesus Christ mentioned in the Gospels, whose name in Russian is transcribed either as Joseph Caiaphas, or as Joseph Kaifa. The first version is accepted in the synodal translation and is found in the early editions of Bulgakov's novel. The threat of Pontius Pilate I.K. has as its source the work of the French historian Ernest Renan (1823-1892) "Antichrist" (1866), which tells about the capture and destruction of Jerusalem by the troops of the future Roman emperor Titus (39-81) in 70 AD. In the archive Bulgakov preserved an extract from this book listing the legions that participated in the siege and storming of the city. Renan wrote that “four legions were with Titus: the 5th Macedonica, the 10th Fretensis, the 12th Fulminata, the 15th Apollinaris, not counting the numerous auxiliaries brought by his Syrian allies, and the many Arabs who came to plunder” . The procurator predicts to the high priest: “You will see more than one cohort in Yershalaim, no! The full legion of Fulminata will come under the walls of the city, the Arab cavalry will approach, then you will hear bitter weeping and groaning! Probably, the impressive picture of the last days of Jerusalem drawn by the French historian was also reflected here:

“... A hot battle went on in all courtyards and on all porches. A terrible massacre took place around the altar, a building in the form of a truncated pyramid, crowned with a platform and towering in front of the temple, the corpses of those killed on the platform rolled down the steps and formed heaps at the foot of the building. Streams of blood flowed from all sides; nothing was heard but the piercing cries of the slain, who, dying, conjured heaven. There was still time to take refuge in the upper city; but many preferred to be killed, considering death for their sanctuary to be an enviable share; others threw themselves into the flames, or threw themselves at the swords of the Romans, or stabbed themselves, or killed one another. The priests who managed to climb onto the roof of the temple tore out the points that were here, along with the lead sheathing, and threw them down on the Romans, they continued this until the flames consumed them. A large number of Jews gathered around the "holy of holies", according to the word of the prophet, who assured them that the moment had come when God would show them the signs of salvation. One of the galleries, in which up to six thousand of these unfortunates (almost exclusively women and children) took refuge, was burned along with them. At that moment, only two gates and part of the fence, intended for women, survived from the entire temple. The Romans erected their eagles in the place where the sanctuary was located, and bowed to them according to the customs of their cult. Perhaps this description is connected with the words of J.K. that the Jewish people will be protected by God and will shelter Caesar, words that, in the eyes of the readers of the novel, are refuted not only by the prophecy of Pilate, but also by the sad fate of Jerusalem in a few decades, which was described in Renan's Antichrist. Streams of blood are associated with Pilate's promise to give Yershalaim not water to drink, but what is meant, blood.

The ominous words of Pontius Pilate I.K.: “So know that you, high priest, will not have peace from now on! Neither to you, nor to your people, - and Pilate pointed into the distance to the right, to where the temple burned on high, - I tell you this - Pilate of Pontius, the horseman of the Golden Spear! have their source not only in the scene of the destruction of the temple from Renan's book, but also in the story of the French writer, Nobel laureate Anatole France (Thibaut) (1844-1924) "The Procurator of Judea" (1891). There Pilate speaks of the future fate of the Jews, who eventually achieved his removal from office: “Unable to control them, we will have to destroy them. Eternally recalcitrant, plotting indignation in their ardent thoughts, they will rise up against us with a rage, next to which the anger of the Numidians and the threats of the Narta will seem to us the whims of a child ... It is impossible to pacify this people. It must be destroyed. Jerusalem must be wiped off the face of the earth. However old I may be, perhaps the day will come when I will see its walls fall, how the flames will devour its houses, the inhabitants will be struck with a sword and the place where the temple stands will be leveled. And on this day I will finally be avenged." Pilate Frans accuses the Jews only of his resignation. Bulgakov lays the blame not on the Jewish people as a whole, but on their leader, I.K., and this guilt is the execution of Yeshua Ha-Notsri, which the high priest achieved. The procurator bluntly says to I.K.: “Then you will remember the saved Bar-Rabban and regret that you sent the philosopher to his death with his peaceful preaching!” However, the writer forces his Pilate to threaten future punishments not only to the head of the Sanhedrin, but also to the entire Jewish people, as if turning inside out the vile wisdom attributed to the high priest by the Gospels, according to which it would be better if one person perished than an entire nation. This thesis is defended by I.K., arguing:

“Not peace, not peace, the seducer of the people brought us to Yershalaim, and you, the horseman, understand this very well. You wanted to release him so that he would embarrass the people, outrage over the faith and bring the people under the Roman swords! But I, the high priest of the Jews, as long as I live, will not let the faith be mocked and will defend the people!” Here I. K. in a hidden form quotes the words of Jesus Christ from the Gospel of Matthew: “I did not bring you peace, but a sword”, interpreting them not allegorically, as in the Gospel text, where Christ thus only affirms the primacy of his teaching over family, social or other ties, but literally, as the desire to bring the Jews under the swords of the Romans.

Note that in the preparatory materials for The Master and Margarita, an extract from Heinrich Graetz's History of the Jews was preserved that Jesus "was brought to the Sanhedrin, but not the Great, but the small, consisting of 23 members, where High Priest Joseph Kaifa presided. Therefore, I.K. acts as the president of the Lesser Sanhedrin, which passed the death sentence on Yeshua.

Bulgakov Encyclopedia. - Academician. 2009 .

See what "JOSEPH KAIFA" is in other dictionaries:

Christ before Caiaphas (Matthias Storm) Caiaphas (probably from Aramaic humility, according to other sources, a researcher) high priest of Judea from 18 to 37 AD. e. Flavius ​​Josephus mentions him under his full name Joseph Caiaphas (Jewish antiquities, book ... ... Wikipedia

Novel. During Bulgakov's lifetime it was not completed and was not published. For the first time: Moscow, 1966, No. 11; 1967, No. 1. The time of the beginning of work on M. and M. Bulgakov in different manuscripts dated either 1928 or 1929. Most likely, it refers to 1928 ... ... Encyclopedia Bulgakov

This term has other meanings, see Master and Margarita (meanings). Master and Margarita ... Wikipedia

After two thousand years, it is rather difficult to restore the historical fate of each of those who are mentioned in the Gospels: relatives, disciples of Christ, and especially those who made the decision to crucify Him. The biographies of many of these people have been heavily distorted by theater and film productions, and writers and artists have added the most unthinkable details to them. Biblical scholars also put forward a lot of hypotheses about how the characters of the Gospel story lived before and after the Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Lord. Strana.Ru tried to summarize and streamline this information.

Saint Pontius Pilate committed suicide

The fifth Roman procurator of Judea, Samaria and Idumea under the emperor Tiberius Pontius (Pontius), nicknamed Pilate (Pilatus), probably due to the honorary dart (pilum) granted to him or one of his ancestors, was a good administrator, and therefore held his post for ten years . There is no information about his origin, it is only known that he belonged to the class of equestrians and, possibly, replaced Valerius Gratus as procurator in 26 AD, leaving this position at the beginning of 36.

According to Philo of Alexandria, Pilate's rule was harsh, ruthless, and corrupt. He offended the religious feelings of the Jews by allowing his soldiers to bring Roman standards into Jerusalem, and also used the funds stored in the sacred treasury to build an aqueduct. The last thing that is known from reliable sources is that Pilate's reign ended after the massacre of the Samaritans, committed by him, who gathered on Mount Gerizim to dig up sacred vessels (they, as a certain self-proclaimed messiah assured, were buried there by Moses). As a result, Pilate was ordered to return to Rome.

Pilate played a great role in the trial of Jesus, whom he could immediately recognize as a criminal, but tried in every possible way to avoid making a decision. According to the Evangelist Mark, Pontius simply agrees with the verdict of the Sanhedrin and the demand of the people. The Evangelist Matthew, describing this scene, adds to it an episode with the washing of hands, symbolizing the refusal to take responsibility for the murder of an innocent. In the third and fourth gospels - from Luke and John - Pilate constantly speaks about the innocence of Jesus, retreating only under pressure from the high priests and the crowd.

Regarding the subsequent, after the crucifixion of Christ, the life of Pilate, there are many legends, the historical authenticity of which is doubtful. Thus, according to Eusebius of Caesarea, Pilate was exiled to Vienne in Gaul, where various misfortunes finally forced him to commit suicide. According to another apocryphal legend, his body after suicide was thrown into the Tiber, and this made such a disturbance of the water that it was taken out, taken to Vienne and drowned in the Rhone, where the same phenomena were observed, so that in the end he had to be drowned in bottomless lake in the Alps.

However, early Christian authors of the 2nd century argue that in fact Pilate considered Christ the King of the Jews, while he himself was a believing Christian. This version is confirmed by the fact that the inscription made on the order of Pilate on the board attached to the crucifix read: "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." Thus he came into conflict with the chief priests, who demanded that something else be written on the board, namely, the guilt of Jesus: "The man who considered himself the King of the Jews."

There is a known fragment of a Coptic papyrus, currently kept in Oxford, where it is reported that the fifth procurator believed in God, whom he betrayed to the Crucifixion. By the way, in the Coptic and Ethiopian Churches, Pontius Pilate is canonized as a martyr who died for the faith. And Saint Pilate's Day is celebrated on June 25th.

Claudia Procula - the first converted pagan

According to the historian of the Church, Bishop Eusebius, the mother of Claudia Procula (wife of Pontius Pilate) was the wife of the emperor Tiberius, and the grandmother of the emperor Augustus. Claudia Procula herself is mentioned only in the Gospel of Matthew: during the trial of Christ, she sent a messenger to her husband and, referring to a dream she had seen, asked to have mercy on the righteous. It is believed that she secretly sympathized with the new teaching, and, according to Origen, she should be recognized as the first pagan who converted to the Christian faith.

In the calendars of the Eastern Christian Churches, Claudia was glorified as a saint, the first Christian martyr with the name Procla.

Herod the Great beat babies and cut taxes

King Herod was born in southern Palestine in 73 BC. At this time, Judea enjoyed a semblance of independence under the rule of the Hasmonean dynasty. Having captured southern Palestine, where the Edomites lived, Hasmonean John Hyrcanus forced them to accept Judaism. His son Alexander Jannaeus appointed Antipater, a local aristocrat, governor of this entire region. And his son, also named Antipater, was the father of Herod. By taking a wife from western Arabia, Antipater secured the support of the wealthy and influential Nabatean Arabs. Thus, his children, although they professed Judaism, were Arabs both by father and mother.

At the age of 26, Herod - a Roman citizen by his father - was appointed ruler of Galilee, and in 41 BC. Mark Antony, with whom Herod was friends from a young age, made him tetrarch (king) of Galilee. The next year, the Parthians invaded Palestine, an internecine struggle began, which forced Herod to flee to Rome. There the senate appointed him king of Judah, endowed him with an army, and sent him back.

In 37 B.C. King Herod became the sole ruler of Judea and remained so for 32 years. Palestine under him, contrary to popular belief, prospered: it is known, for example, that Herod managed to significantly reduce taxes twice. In addition, Herod can be called a builder king. So, in Jerusalem, under him, a complete restructuring of the Temple was completed. The king was prolific enough, which at that time was not a rarity: Herod had ten wives and fourteen children.

Unfortunately, there was also a dark side in the character of the tetrarch, expressed in pathological suspicion and bloodthirsty jealousy. The last years of Herod's life were overshadowed by mental and physical decline. Herod changed his will three times and, in the end, disinherited and executed his first-born with the “family” name Antipater. The final will provided that with the permission of Augustus, the kingdom would be divided among three sons - Archelaus, Antipas and Philip. After a failed suicide attempt, Herod died in late March or early April 4 BC. The order given shortly before his death to kill the babies in Bethlehem fully confirms his critical condition at the end of his reign.

The same Herod

The middle son of Herod the Great - Antipas - Christ (Luke 13:32) calls a "fox". After the expulsion of Archelaus, Antipas became the head of the clan and took the name Herod, under which he speaks in the Gospel. He rejected his lawful wife for Herodias, the wife of his half-brother Philip. This caused a war with the Nabataeans and brought the reproaches of John the Baptist to the ruler, whom he eventually executed.

It was Antipas who was the same Herod before whom Jesus appeared before the Crucifixion. When his nephew Agrippa I became king of Northern Palestine, Antipas, instigated by Herodias, went to Rome to claim this kingdom for himself. However, Agrippa declared Antipas a traitor, and Antipas was exiled to a small town at the foot of the Pyrenees, where he died in 39.

Caiaphas signed his own death warrant

The soldiers who seized Jesus led Him across the Kidron stream to the palace of Annas, the former high priest. Anna was the oldest head of the priestly family, so out of respect for his age, people still recognized him as high priest. He was to be the first to see Jesus and be present at the interrogation, as the high priests feared that the less experienced Caiaphas would not be able to carry out what they wanted to do. (Caiaphas is the nickname of the Jewish high priest Joseph, a Sadducee who persecuted Christ and the apostles. The name Caiaphas came either from the Hebrew “koen yafeh” – a clergyman, or, as it is written in the Name Index of the Brussels Bible, Caiaphas is a researcher.)

The Sanhedrin was supposed to officially condemn Christ, and Anna was interrogated beforehand, since according to Roman law the Sanhedrin had no right to carry out the death sentence. That is why Christ had to be accused of such deeds that would have seemed crimes both to the Romans and to the Jews, among whom there were many supporters of Christ. The priests wanted to bring forward two charges: blasphemy (then the Jews would have condemned Him) and incitement to rebellion (then the Romans would probably have condemned Him too). It was Anna, not waiting for the expected answers, who became famous for starting the torture by hitting Christ in the face.

Anna ordered Jesus to be taken to Caiaphas from the Sadducees, the most implacable enemies of Jesus. While waiting for the members of the Sanhedrin, Annas and Caiaphas interrogated Jesus again, and again were unsuccessful. Caiaphas, seeing Jesus as a rival, wanted to pass judgment as soon as possible. Finally, he raised his right hand to the sky and solemnly addressed Jesus: “I conjure you by the living God, tell us. Are you the Christ, the Son of God? To which he received the answer: "You said."

At this moment, Caiaphas performs the most unexpected, but significant act - in a rage, he tears the priestly clothes. In an attempt to put pressure on the judges and obtain the condemnation of Christ, the high priest himself condemned himself, since he had lost the right to the priesthood. After all, according to the law of Moses (Lev. 10:6), the high priest was not supposed to tear his garments under the threat of death. True, among the Jews there was a custom to tear clothes at the time of the death of loved ones, but even this custom did not apply to priests. It was necessary that the clothes of the priest were made of a single piece of cloth and shone with cleanliness. These beautiful clothes were intended for service in the temple and symbolized the Great Reality. So Caiaphas himself sentenced himself to death.

On the site of the house of Caiaphas, the Church of St. Peter in Gallicanta was erected - it was here that Peter denied Jesus. In 1990, the grave of Caiaphas and an ossuary were discovered here - a vessel made of clay, stone or alabaster for storing the bones of the deceased.

Judas Iscariot as Moses and Oedipus

According to the “Golden Legend” of Jacob Voraginsky (a collection of medieval moralizing stories), the parents of Judas, frightened by the prediction of his future terrible fate, immediately after the birth of their son, put him in a basket (almost like Moses) and threw him into the sea, which carried the baby to the “island called Scariot. He was adopted by the royal family, where he played with the little prince. But even then he showed his deceit: Judas killed the prince and fled. And then (and here you can see the roll call with the Greek Oedipus) he married a widow who turned out to be his own mother. But, according to the researchers, all this is pure fiction.

As is known from the Bible, Judas Iscariot was in charge of the expenses of the community of Christ's disciples, carrying with him a "money box" for alms. He offered his services to the high priests for the appointed price - 30 pieces of silver. At the Last Supper, Judas Iscariot hears the words of Christ: "One of you will betray me." As a sign that it was Judas Iscariot who would do this, Christ gave him a piece of bread. Having learned about the condemnation of Christ by the court of the Sanhedrin and his extradition to Pontius Pilate for reprisal, Judas Iscariot returned 30 pieces of silver in repentance with the words: “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” This money went to pay for the land plot of a certain potter, on which a cemetery for foreigners was arranged, and Judas Iscariot strangled himself in despair. The place of Judas Iscariot in the circle of 12 apostles was given by lot to Matthias.

In folklore, the tree on which Judas Iscariot (“Judas tree”) hanged himself is an aspen, which has not ceased to tremble ever since. In painting and icon painting, Judas Iscariot is sometimes depicted with a bag for money, which recalls the words from the Gospel of John, spoken by Judas to Mary Magdalene: “Why not sell this myrrh for three hundred denarii and distribute it to the poor?” Judas' beard is often painted yellow, the color of both cowardice and betrayal.

It is noteworthy that the circumcellions - an African sect of self-torturers - cut, burned themselves, threw themselves into the water, in the name of Christ. Sometimes whole crowds of them, singing psalms, threw themselves into the abyss. They claimed that suicide "for the glory of God" cleanses the soul from all sins. The people honored them as martyrs. However, circumcellions were never hung - because Judas Iscariot hanged himself.

Barabbas was called Jesus

Barabbas, who committed murder during the rebellion, was the most dangerous of all the criminals who were in prison shortly before the Crucifixion. All four evangelists mention him. The very nickname Barabbas is something like a patronymic. From the Aramaic "Bar-Rabba" Barabbas is translated as "the son of a teacher", and "Bar-Rabban" means "the son of our teacher". However, the real name of the “thief” is not mentioned at all in most editions of the New Testament (except for the Gospel of Matthew), because, as it turned out, Barabbas was called Jesus. The name Jesus, in relation to Barabbas, is found in the Tbilisi codex “Korideti” (IX century), in the Armenian version and in a number of minuscule manuscripts of the X-XV centuries.

From the point of view of the Romans, Barabbas was a criminal, but for the satisfaction of the Jews, they pardoned him. Pilate, without justifying the innocent Jesus, makes an attempt to turn the course of events so that the people themselves let Him go, since he supported the custom in honor of the holiday to release prisoners for whom the people will ask. Pilate orders Barabbas to be brought, places him next to Jesus and says: “Whom do you want me to let you go: Barabbas or Jesus, who is called Christ?”

What happened to Barabbas after he was released from prison on Easter is unknown.

Joseph of Arimathea died in England

Joseph of Arimathea was a secret disciple of Christ. As a member of the Sanhedrin, he did not participate in the “council and deed” of the Jews who passed the death sentence on the Savior. And after the Crucifixion and death of Jesus, he dared to go to Pilate and asked him for the Body of the Lord, which he committed to burial with the participation of the righteous Nicodemus, also a secret disciple of the Lord. They removed the Body from the Cross, wrapped it in a shroud and laid it in a new coffin, in which no one had been buried before (this coffin Saint Joseph had prepared in advance for himself) - in the garden of Gethsemane, in the presence of the Mother of God and the holy myrrh-bearing women. Rolling a heavy stone against the door of the coffin, they departed.

English courtly literature of the 13th century claims that it was Joseph of Arimathea who collected the blood of the crucified Christ into the cup from which Jesus drank during the Last Supper - the Grail. By order of the voice, Joseph leaves Jerusalem with people converted to Christianity, carrying a cup with him. Saint Joseph is said to have died peacefully in England, having given the Grail to his Companions.

James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus

Almost 2000 years later, historical evidence of the existence of Christ was found, carved in letters on stone. The inscription was found on an ancient urn with ashes and reads: "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus." The Aramaic words engraved on the side of the urn represent a cursive form of writing used from about 10 to 70 AD. AD Which was confirmed by the famous paleographer André Lemaire of the Sorbonne in Paris. The ossuary urn itself dates from around 63 AD.

Ancient inscriptions of this type are characteristic of royal monuments or graves of noble people, and were made in memory of rulers and other official figures. But in the first century of our era, the Jews had a custom to transfer the ashes of their dead from burial caves to ossuaries. This practice ceased to exist after the destruction of the Jewish temple in 70 AD. No one knows exactly why this practice existed and why it ceased to exist.

Laboratory tests conducted by the Institute of Geology in Israel confirm that the limestone from which the urn was made came from the area of ​​Jerusalem. Patina - a thin coating that forms on stone and other materials from time to time - is shaped like a cauliflower, this kind of coating usually forms in a cave environment. Jacob's Ossuary is one of the rare ancient artifacts containing references to figures from the New Testament.

The Apostle Peter was crucified upside down

One of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, called in the New Testament in different ways: Simon, Peter, Simon Peter or Cephas. A native of Bethsaida in Galilee, he was the son of Jonah and the brother of Andrew. Peter, like his brother and companions, James and John, was engaged in fishing. By the time the ministry of Christ began, Peter was married and lived in Capernaum - it was there, “in the house of Peter”, that his mother-in-law was miraculously healed of a fever. Peter was first brought to Jesus by his brother Andrew, who, like John, the son of Zebedee, was a follower of John the Baptist. (From Christ, Simon received a new name, Aramaic-sounding "Kefa" - a stone, a rock, which indicated his place in the Church. In the New Testament, this name is more common in translation into Greek - "petros", from which the Latin Petrus and Russian are formed. Peter.) Three days later he was present with the other disciples at the wedding feast at Cana, where Christ performed his first public miracle. Peter accompanied Christ and his disciples to Jerusalem, and then, through Samaria, back to Galilee, where he briefly returned to the profession of a fisherman, until he and his brother were called by Jesus to leave their nets and become “fishers of men.”

From this moment on, the evangelists portray Peter as a constant companion of Christ, occupying a special position among other disciples, his name appears first in various lists of 12 apostles. . He also most deeply of all the apostles “fell” – he denied Christ three times. But at the same time, Peter was also the first of the apostles to whom Christ appeared after his Resurrection. On Pentecost, he delivered the first sermon to the people, announcing the death and resurrection of Jesus, converting about three thousand people with this sermon. And then, having healed the lame man at the gates of the Temple, Peter became the first of the apostles who performed a miracle “in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.” He baptized the centurion Cornelius in Caesarea, marking the beginning of the entry into the Church of numerous pagans.

In the year 49, the Apostle Peter returned to Jerusalem, where he played a key role at the Council, after which he resumed his missionary campaigns and settled in Rome. There the Apostle Peter was executed between 64 and 68. According to Origen, Peter, at his own request, was crucified upside down, because he considered himself unworthy to undergo the same execution that the Lord had endured. He was buried on the Vatican Hill, and the main altar of the Cathedral of St. Peter.

It is noteworthy that, considering themselves the successors of the Apostle Peter, none of the popes to this day has decided to take his name.

Forty biblical portraits Andrey Desnitsky

Caiaphas, brother-in-law of Anna

Caiaphas, brother-in-law of Anna

Caiaphas officially served as high priest from 18 to 37. It would seem that having such a father-in-law, Caiaphas no longer had to think about anything himself and could simply follow his instructions. But this can also be done in different ways: reluctantly or with special zeal. You can even substantiate what the elder thought, but, perhaps, did not express.

It was Caiaphas, according to John, who reasoned about Jesus in this way: “It is better for us that one person die for the people than for the whole people to perish.” And then John comments: “He did not say this on his own, but, being the high priest that year, he predicted that Jesus would die for the people, and not only for the people, but that even the scattered children of God should be gathered together.”

What kind of strange logic is this: one person for many people? According to the calculations of Caiaphas, the preaching and miracles of Jesus could lead to confusion, and then blood would be shed. So it's better to kill One. Well, at the same time, those who serve as too vivid a reminder of His miracles - for example, John reports that the high priests also decided to kill Lazarus, whom Jesus raised a week before His own death, so that the dead, against the laws of nature, became alive, and remained dead. Only everything that happened to Jesus then made him forget about Lazarus.

On the other hand, the position of high priest means something, even if such a worthless person fulfills it. He can still turn out to be a prophet, albeit against his own will. So it happened with Caiaphas: the death of Jesus became a redemptive sacrifice for all people, and Caiaphas, without realizing it, said exactly this.

Well, said and done. Jesus was captured and taken to the house of the high priest, where, urgently, in order to be in time with the execution before Easter, they gathered all the members of the Sanhedrin who could. Matthew describes the passing of judgment on Jesus: “The high priest said to him, “I conjure you by the living God, tell us, are you the Christ, the Son of God?” Jesus tells him: “You said; I even say to you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his clothes and said: “He blasphemes! what else do we need witnesses for? Behold, now you have heard His blasphemy! What do you think?” And they said in response: "I am guilty of death." This high priest was Caiaphas. Unaccustomed words about God are blasphemy, and blasphemy is execution.

The book of Acts also tells how the Sanhedrin, headed by Caiaphas, tried to forbid the apostles from preaching about Jesus, but even repression did not help. Shortly after all these events, Caiaphas ceded the post of high priest to one of Anna's sons. Let me remind you that there were five of them, and all took turns in this position. We really do not know anything about the further fate of Caiaphas.

In 1990, the burial place of a certain Caiaphas along with his family was discovered in Jerusalem - and most likely, it was the same high priest. He had a coin in his mouth: according to Greek custom, it was put into the mouth of the deceased so that he would pay the ferryman Charon for transporting the soul across the river that separated the world of the dead from the world of the living. “The rich man died and they buried him,” just like in the parable. Moreover, the one who was supposed to keep the faith of Israel intact, it turns out, was buried in compliance with pagan superstitious customs.

During the time of the New Testament, there were different schools and trends among religious Jews. Most often on the pages of the Gospel we meet the Pharisees - the name of this group, apparently, comes from the word "separated". They considered themselves strict executors of the Law of Moses, "separated" from the common people. To the clear requirements of the Law of Moses, the Pharisees added their own interpretations and rules, so that their requirements often turned out to be extremely strict and petty. As a result, it turned out that many of them followed only the careful execution of the external side of religious prescriptions, and treated other people arrogantly. At times, their religious zeal served as a cover for selfish goals, and popular respect simply amused their own vanity.

In Jesus, the Pharisees saw first an interesting preacher, and then a huge threat to their authority and position in society. Jesus' most bitter disputes were with the Pharisees. At the same time, some of them sympathized and helped Him, especially Joseph of Arimathea. The future apostle Paul also belonged to the Pharisees.

Another religious group among the Jews were the Sadducees, or "the righteous." This current was distributed mainly among the priests. Unlike the Pharisees, the Sadducees rejected everything except Scripture, and from it they recognized only the Pentateuch, that is, the Law of Moses itself, and rejected later books. The Sadducees, in particular, did not believe in the possibility of the resurrection of the dead, since nothing is said about it in the Pentateuch. The Sadducees were at first indifferent to Jesus, but when they saw in His preaching a threat to priestly authority, and especially when he began to preach in the Jerusalem temple, they also reacted to Him with hostility.

From the book Myth or Reality. Historical and Scientific Arguments for the Bible author Yunak Dmitry Onisimovich

Caiaphas In their denial of the gospel truth, unbelievers go even further, arguing that "Caiaphas - the Jewish high priest did not exist and that not a single historian mentions him." However, the historian Josephus Flavius ​​in the "Antiquities of the Jews" book. 18, ch. 2, §§ 1-2,

From the book of Saint Anna author Filimonova L.V.

The Order of St. Anne The Order of St. Anne was established in 1735 as a dynastic award and in 1797 introduced by Emperor Paul I into the award system of the Russian Empire to distinguish a wide range of government officials and the military. At the same time, the Order of St. Anne,

From the book of Proverbs and History, Volume 1 author Baba Sri Sathya Sai

St. Anne's Spring One of the most amazing places in Ukraine, which has been attracting pilgrims with its miraculous healing power for several centuries, is the St. Anne's Spring, located not far from the Holy Dormition Pochaev Lavra, in the village of Onishkivtsi, at the junction of Kremenets

From the book Explanatory Bible. Volume 1 author Lopukhin Alexander

Anna the New Martyr

From the book Explanatory Bible. Volume 10 author Lopukhin Alexander

234. Son-in-law Self-confident and greedy son-in-law came to his mother-in-law's house. She was very poor and had difficulty managing her household. But she showed him hospitality, borrowing everything she could from her neighbors. And he continued to live in her house with everything ready, showing no intention of leaving and

From the book of the Bible. New Russian translation (NRT, RSJ, Biblica) author bible

12. Those men said to Lot, Who else do you have here? whether your son-in-law, whether your sons, whether your daughters, and whoever you have in the city, bring everyone out of this place, "who else do you have here? bring everyone out of this place ..." As a reward for Lot's lofty hospitality and remembrance

From the book Guide to the Bible author Asimov Isaac

49. And one of them, a certain Caiaphas, being the high priest that year, said to them: You know nothing, 50. and you will not think that it is better for us that one person should die for the people than that the whole nation should perish. A more daring decider of the fate of Christ was Caiaphas (see Matt. 26:3; Luke 3:2).

From the book Interpretation of the Gospel author Gladkov Boris Ilyich

12. Then the soldiers and the captain and the servants of the Jews took Jesus and bound him, 13. and led him first to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year. 14. It was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was better for one man to die for

From the book of Forty Biblical Portraits author Desnitsky Andrey Sergeevich

Anna's Prayer 1 Anna prayed and said: My heart rejoiced in the Lord, my horn is exalted in the Lord.

From the book Sigh of the Bound. Russian saga author Dombrovskaya-Kozhukhova Ekaterina

Jesus being interrogated by Anna 19 In the meantime, the high priest was interrogating Jesus about His disciples and teachings.20 “I spoke openly to the world,” Jesus answered, “I always taught in the synagogues or in the temple, where all the Jews gather. Secret I didn't say anything. 21 Why are you interrogating me?

From the book Letters (issues 1-8) author Theophan the Recluse

Caiaphas To the Pharisees and temple authorities, Jesus' last words must have seemed a serious threat. Jesus' accusations against them angered the ignorant populace. Something could follow, and this circumstance was used to convene

From the author's book

Caiaphas The Jewish religious leaders now saw clearly that if Jesus was left unchecked, those flocking to him after the miracle of Lazarus' resurrection would become uncontrollable. They feared rebellion and subsequent catastrophe: John 11:48-50. If we leave Him like this, everyone will believe in Him, and

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CHAPTER 42 Jesus before the Sanhedrin. Renunciation of Peter. Secondary, at dawn, meeting of the Sanhedrin. Repentance of Judas. Jesus at the Former High Priest Annas Arriving in Jerusalem, the guards did not bring Jesus to the high priest Caiaphas,

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36. Caiaphas and Anna: Priests at the Temple Temple and Priests King Herod the Great, as we have already said, rebuilt the Temple. The Jewish historian Josephus Flavius ​​described it this way: “The appearance of the temple represented everything that could delight the eye and soul. Covered on all sides with heavy

From the author's book

From the author's book

1311. Easter greetings. Recovering son-in-law. Benefits for Chernichka God's Grace be with you! Christ is Risen! The blessed feast is still going on. Grant you, Lord, to enjoy uninterrupted and festive joys. Well you did that you overpowered yourself for the holiday,

One of the most sinister and repulsive figures in the New Testament is the high priest Caiaphas. At that cruel time, many resorted to bribery and violence to achieve their goals. But few people knew how, like this man, to do evil with an air of piety and holiness.

Caiaphas was high priest of the Jerusalem Temple for 18 years, from 18 to 37. He was appointed to this post by the Roman procurator Valerius Gratus, Pilate's predecessor.

Caiaphas was a Sadducee approx. Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead), the son-in-law of the high priest Anna (Hannan), and an obedient instrument in the hands of his father-in-law. Even after leaving office, and without officially occupying the high priest's chair, Anna actually remained "an invisible, shadowy power." He continued to tenaciously hold power in his hands and, in fact, single-handedly disposed of temple offices and the treasury. According to some historians, it was Anna, through her son-in-law, who made the decision to execute Jesus Christ.

Initially, the Sadducees were not as angry with Christ as the Pharisees. But after the resurrection of the Four-day Lazarus, they became alarmed. They didn't believe in the resurrection of the dead. Being engaged in so-called science, they came to the conclusion that it is impossible to bring the deceased back to life. However, Christ overthrew their dogmas, showing them that they knew neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. Christ showed His power over death. This great miracle was the most convincing evidence that God sent His Son into the world to save people. This miracle was enough to convince every reasonable, open-minded person. Many who witnessed the resurrection of Lazarus were inspired by this miracle to believe in Jesus. But the priests hated Him even more. They rejected all the less significant testimonies of His Divinity, and from this new miracle they only became furious ... The dead rose in broad daylight, in front of a crowd of witnesses ... The resurrection of Lazarus could not be denied, and the priests did not know how to belittle the significance of this miracle. Until now, the Sadducees did not support the plans to kill Christ, but after the resurrection of Lazarus, they decided that only His death would put an end to fearless revelations. As never before, they were determined to put an end to the work of Christ. The Pharisees and Sadducees drew close to each other. Until now, there was no agreement between them, but now they were united by hatred of Christ. But first, a charge had to be found. So far this has not been successful.

Therefore, Caiaphas did everything in his power to destroy Christ. Caiaphas owed his position to Roman power and valued his personal interests above all else; therefore he acted as an ardent enemy of Christ, in whom he saw a dangerous rebel. He was the first to give advice to sacrifice Jesus Christ, so that “all the people would not perish,” that is, so that there would be no indignation that would lead to cruel reprisal from the Romans (John 11:49-50).

Even if Jesus was innocent, the priests believed, He must be disposed of. He causes much trouble, draws the people to Himself, and weakens the power of the elders. And it's only about one person. Wouldn't it be better for him to die than for the power of the elders to weaken? If the people lose confidence in their leaders, then national power will come to an end. Caiaphas argued that after the miracle of Lazarus, the followers of Jesus would certainly rise in revolt, and then the Romans would come, he said, close the temple, abolish our laws, and as a nation we would perish. So what is the life of this Galilean worth compared to the life of the whole people? If He is a hindrance to the welfare of Israel, is it not a godly act to remove Him? " It is better for us that one man should die for the people than that the whole nation should perish.».

Immediately after Jesus Christ was taken into custody in the Garden of Gethsemane, His preliminary interrogation was first made by Annas, after which he sent Him to Caiaphas. Morning had not yet come, it was dark outside. By the light of torches and lanterns, the armed crowd, together with the prisoner, went to the palace of the high priest. Here Annas and Caiaphas interrogated Jesus again, but were not successful.

The Sanhedrin was to formally condemn Christ. But the Sanhedrin in those days did not have sufficient powers - it existed only thanks to the tolerance of the Roman authorities. The Sanhedrin had no right to carry out the death sentence. There they could only interrogate the prisoners, pass a sentence, and then send it to the Roman authorities for approval. That is why Christ had to be accused of such deeds that would have seemed crimes to the Romans. It was also necessary to choose an accusation that would look serious enough in the eyes of the Jews.

There were many convinced supporters of Christ among the priests, and only the fear of excommunication prevented them from confessing Him. The priests well remembered the question of Nicodemus: “Does our law judge a person if they do not first listen to him and do not know what he is doing?” This question forced them to adjourn the meeting of the Sanhedrin and for some time prevented the implementation of their plans. This time Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were not invited to the council. The trial had to be carried out in such a way that all the members of the Sanhedrin opposed Christ.

The priests wanted to bring forward two charges: blasphemy (then the Jews would have condemned Him) and incitement to rebellion (then the Romans would probably have condemned Him too). The authorities tried to expedite the trial. They knew the people's reverence for Jesus, and they feared that if the arrest became known, they might try to release him. In addition, if the trial and execution of the sentence are not carried out immediately, one will have to wait a week due to the celebration of Easter. And this could again disrupt their plans. In order to get Jesus condemned, they needed the support of an angry mob, most of which were Jerusalem rabble. If the trial was postponed for a week, the excitement would subside, and the situation might change completely. The best part of the people would take the side of Christ, many would come forward with testimonies in His justification, telling about the great things that He did. And this would arouse anger among the people against the Sanhedrin. Then the members of the Sanhedrin would be condemned, and Jesus would be released and would again accept the worship of the crowd. And so the priests and rulers decided: before their plans became known to all, to betray Jesus into the hands of the Romans.

The first meeting of the Sanhedrin, which began in the house of Caiaphas on Thursday night, ended on Friday early in the morning. Elders, scribes, eminent Pharisees and almost the entire Sanhedrin gathered at Caiaphas. Despite the late hour, they hurried to collect evidence against Jesus in order to prepare everything necessary for another morning full meeting of the Sanhedrin, at which they could formally pass a death sentence on Him.

To collect accusations, they invited false witnesses who began to accuse Christ of various violations of the law (for example, breaking the Sabbath rest). Finally, two false witnesses came, who pointed to the words spoken by the Lord during the expulsion of the merchants from the temple. At the same time, they maliciously twisted the words of Christ, putting a different meaning into them. At the beginning of His ministry, Christ said: Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up". Thus He prophesied His death and resurrection in figurative language. “He spoke of the temple of his Body” (John 2:19, 21). The Jews took these words literally and referred them to the Temple in Jerusalem. Apart from this expression, the priests could not find anything in the words of Christ that could be used against Him. By distorting His thought, they hoped to benefit themselves. They accused Jesus of instigating rebellion and seeking to establish His kingdom. “He said: I can destroy the temple of God and build it in three days.” But even such an accusation attributed to Christ was not sufficient for a serious punishment.

Jesus never uttered a single word in His defense. At last His accusers became confused, confused, and enraged. The trial could not go on. It seemed that the whole conspiracy was upset. Caiaphas was in despair. There was one last resort: to make Christ judge Himself. With a face contorted with anger, the high priest jumped up from his judge's seat. One look at him was enough to understand: if it were in his power, he would have attacked the prisoner standing in front of him. "Why don't you answer anything?" he exclaimed. “What do they testify against you?”

The silence of Christ irritated Caiaphas, and he decided to force such a confession from the Lord that would give reason to condemn Him to death as a blasphemer. Caiaphas raised his right hand to heaven and solemnly addressed Jesus: “I conjure you by the living God, tell us, are you the Christ, the Son of God?” Christ could not but respond to these words. There is a time to be silent and there is a time to speak. He was silent until He was asked a direct question. He knew that by answering it. He condemns Himself to certain death. No longer hiding His Messianic and Divine dignity, Christ answered: “You said!” i.e., “Yes, you rightly said that I am the promised Messiah, and added: “From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Here is a link to the 109th psalm and to the vision of the prophet Daniel. In this psalm, the Messiah is depicted as sitting at the right hand of God. The prophet Daniel saw the Messiah in the form of the "Son of Man," coming on the clouds of heaven.

The words of Christ angered the high priest. And tearing his clothes, he demanded that the prisoner be immediately, without delay, condemned for blasphemy. “What more need do we have of witnesses,” he said, “behold, now you have heard His blasphemy! what do you think?" And everyone condemned Jesus. The Sanhedrin sentenced Jesus to death. But according to Jewish law, a prisoner could not be judged at night. According to the law, the condemnation could take place only during the day and with the full composition of the council.

When day came, the Sanhedrin met again, and Jesus was again brought into the meeting room. He called Himself the Son of God, and on the basis of these words, the judges have already prepared an accusation against Him. " Are you the Christ? they asked. — tell us". But Christ remained silent. And they started bombarding Him with questions. Finally, with deep sorrow in his voice, he answered: If I tell you, you won't believe; if I ask you, you will not answer me and do not let me go«. « So, are you the Son of God?' they asked Him with one voice. And He said to them: You say that I". They shouted: What more evidence do we need? for we ourselves have heard from his mouth". So, condemned by the Jewish rulers for the third time, Jesus had to die. Now, they thought, they had everything they needed to make the Romans approve this sentence and deliver Him into their hands.

For another four years after the death and resurrection of Christ, Caiaphas held the post of high priest, shamelessly continuing to rob people. But the ever-increasing hatred of the people towards him finally reached the Roman authorities, who, no less than the Jews, were outraged by the deeds of Caiaphas. Having examined his case, the Roman consul Vitellius removes Caiaphas from the post of high priest. The proud Caiaphas ends his life in obscurity.

Now on the site of the house of Caiaphas stands the Church of St. Peter.

Church of St. Petra to Gallicantu

The church was built by monks of the Assumptionist order. Inside the church are the dungeons of the ancient palace and the prison in which Jesus spent the rest of the night before being taken to trial by Pontius Pilate.

Material prepared by Sergey SHULYAK

Matt. XXVI, 57-68: 57 And those who took Jesus brought him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58 And Peter followed him afar off, as far as the court of the high priest; and going inside, he sat down with the attendants to see the end. 59 The chief priests and the elders and the whole Sanhedrin looked for false evidence against Jesus, in order to put him to death, 60 and did not find; and although many false witnesses came, they were not found. But at last two false witnesses 61 came and said: He said: I can destroy the temple of God and build it up in three days. 62 And the high priest stood up and said to him: what same don't answer anything? what do they testify against you? 63 Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him: I conjure you by the living God, tell us, are you the Christ, the Son of God? 64 Jesus says to him, You said; I even say to you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven. 65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said: He blasphemes! what else do we need witnesses for? Behold, now you have heard His blasphemy! 66 what do you think? And they answered and said: Guilty of death. 67 Then they spit in his face and choked him; others struck him on the cheeks 68 and said, prophesy to us, Christ, who struck you?

Mk. XIV, 53-65: 53 And they brought Jesus before the high priest; and all the chief priests and elders and scribes gathered to him. 54 Peter followed him from afar, even into the court of the high priest; and sat with the ministers, and warmed himself by the fire. 55 And the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin sought evidence against Jesus, in order to put him to death; and did not find. 56 For many bore false witness against him, but these testimonies were not sufficient. 57 And some stood up and bore false witness against him and said, 58 we heard him say: I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will raise up another not made with hands. 59 But even this testimony of them was not enough. 60 Then the high priest stood in the midst and asked Jesus, Why don't you answer anything? what do they testify against you? 61 But He remained silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him and said to Him: Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One? 62 Jesus said: I; and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven. 63 Then the high priest, tearing his clothes, said, What more need do we have of witnesses? 64 You have heard blasphemy; what do you think? They all declared Him guilty of death. 65 And some began to spit on him, and covering his face, struck him and said to him, prophesy. And the servants struck him on the cheeks.

OK. XXII, 54, 63-65:54 They took him, and brought him to the house of the high priest. Peter followed afar...63 The people who held Jesus cursed and beat him; 64 And covering Him, they slapped Him on the face and asked Him, Prophesies, who struck You? 65 And many other blasphemies were uttered against him.

In. XVIII, 14:14 It was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was better for one man to die for the people.

“First, the soldiers brought the bound Jesus Christ to the old high priest Anna, who by that time no longer served in the temple and lived in retirement.

This high priest interrogated Jesus Christ about His teachings and His disciples in order to find some fault in Him.

The Savior answered him: “I spoke openly to the world: I always taught in the synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always gather, and secretly did not say anything. What are you asking me? Ask those who heard what I told them; they know what I have spoken about.”

One servant of the high priest, who was standing close by, hit the Savior on the cheek and said: “Is this how you answer the high priest?”

The Lord, turning to him, said to this: “If I have said evil, show me that it is evil; and if it’s good, then why are you hitting me?”

After interrogation, the high priest Anna sent the bound Jesus Christ across the courtyard to his son-in-law, his high priest Caiaphas.

Caiaphas and was that year serving as high priest. He gave advice in the Sanhedrin: to kill Jesus Christ, saying: "You know nothing and do not think that it is better for us that one person should die for the people than that the whole nation should perish."

St. Apostle John, pointing to the importance of holy orders, explains that despite his criminal plan, the high priest Caiaphas involuntarily prophesies about the Savior that He must suffer for the redemption of people. That is why the apostle John says: this is he(Caiaphas) did not speak for himself, but being the high priest that year, he predicted that Jesus would die for the people". And then he adds: and not only for the people(i.e. for the Jews, since Caiaphas spoke only of the Jewish people), but that even the scattered children of God(i.e. Gentiles) put together". (John 11:49-52).

Many members of the Sanhedrin gathered at the high priest Caiaphas that night (the Sanhedrin, as the supreme court, according to the law, had to gather in the temple and certainly during the day). The elders and scribes of the Jews also came. All of them had already agreed in advance to condemn Jesus Christ to death. But for this they needed to find some guilt worthy of death. And since no guilt could be found in Him, they sought out false witnesses who would tell lies against Jesus Christ. Many such false witnesses came. But they could not say anything for which Jesus Christ could be condemned. In the end, two people came forward with such false testimony: "We heard Him say: I will destroy this temple made by hands, and in three days I will raise another not made by hands." But even such a testimony was not sufficient to put Him to death. Jesus Christ did not respond to all these false testimonies.

The high priest Caiaphas stood up and asked Him: “Why don’t You answer anything to the fact that they testify against You?

Jesus Christ was silent.

Caiaphas asked him again: “I conjure you by the living God, tell us, are you the Christ, the Son of God?”

Jesus Christ answered such a question and said: “Yes, I am, and even I say to you: from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the power of God and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Then Caiaphas tore his clothes (as a sign of indignation and horror) and said: “What else do we need witnesses for? Now, have you heard His blasphemy (i.e., that He, being a man, calls Himself the Son of God)? What do you think?

After that, Jesus Christ was handed over to custody until dawn. Some began to spit in His face. The people who held him cursed him and beat him. Others, covering His face, slapped His cheeks and asked with mockery: “Prophesy to us, Christ, who struck You?” The Lord endured all these insults meekly in silence.

NOTE: See in the Gospel: Matthew, ch. 26, 57-68; ch. 27, 1; from Mark, ch. 14, 53-65; ch. 15, 1; from Luke, ch. 22, 54, 63-71; from John, ch. 18, 12-14, 19-24″.