Caiaphas

Yehosef Bar Kayafa, also known simply as Caiaphas (Greek Καϊάφας) in the New Testament, was the Jewish high priest who organized the plot to kill Jesus.

As alleged by the New Testament Writers, Caiaphas convinced the Jewish priests and Pharisees that Jesus should die and was also involved in the trial of Jesus after his arrest in the garden of Gethsemane. Although Caiaphas and the rest of the people who crucified Jesus were only a small fraction of the whole Jewish people, passages involving Caiaphas are among those cited by those claiming a Biblical justification for anti-Semitism.a high priest of the Jews appointed to that office by Valerius.

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Caiaphas [EBD]

the Jewish high priest (A.D. 27-36) at the beginning of our Lord's public ministry, in the reign of Tiberius (Luke 3:2), and also at the time of his condemnation and crucifixion (Matt. 26:3,57; John 11:49; 18:13, 14). He held this office during the whole of Pilate's administration. His wife was the daughter of Annas, who had formerly been high priest, and was probably the vicar or deputy (Heb. sagan) of Caiaphas. He was of the sect of the Sadducees (Acts 5:17), and was a member of the council when he gave his opinion that Jesus should be put to death "for the people, and that the whole nation perish not" (John 11:50). In these words he unconsciously uttered a prophecy. "Like Saul, he was a prophet in spite of himself." 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 him (Matt. 27:2; John 18:28). At a later period his hostility to the gospel is still manifest (Acts 4:6). (See ANNAS.)

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