59-Caiaphus-Annas-A

And We Thought We Knew You:
Soul Journey With the Real Jesus

Caiaphas and Annas
THE UNMASKING

Midnight, Thursday, about April 14, AD 30
Jerusalem, Judea

�� How much can they take?� The priests.� There is only so much God can expect them to take.� Jesus has knocked their creeds around, beaten them over the head with the scriptures, bruised their reputations, pierced them with his words, and bloodied their reputations.

�� Nobody ~ not the Romans, not the pagans, not false kings, not Jesus ~ is allowed to destroy the religious hierarchy.� Let them try it. �Jesus did.� He will now pay.

�� A knock.� "Yes?"

�� "I must see the high priest immediately!"

�� Of course everyone knows he is not the high priest.

�� "He is waiting for word."

�� The doorman knows this and escorts him immediately to High Priest Annus' private study.

�� "Sir, we've got him!"��

�� "I presume they are on their way here.� I must examine him first."

�� Annas was deposed by the last Roman procurator a dozen years earlier after serving only seven years.

�� "They will be here shortly.� The chains on his legs slows everyone down."

�� "We've waited three years.� We can wait a little longer."

�� Annas insists on the title anyway.� And gets by with it. [1]

�� "Go back down to the gate and lead them here to me."

�� "Yes, sir."

�� The door closed, Annas now leans back in his chair where he has been waiting since the emergency meeting at the Temple a few hours earlier.�

�� "At last!� I've got him!� I knew I'd win!� Took me three years, but I've finally got him!� Jesus, you're as good as dead!"

�� He turns to his son-in-law sitting there with him.� "You've got less than an hour to assemble the Sanhedrin ~ the cooperative ones."

�� "Some never went home," Caiaphas explains.� "They've been waiting over in the Temple." [2]

�� "Well, what are you waiting for?� Get them over here immediately.� We have a lot of work to do before holding court in the morning.� On second thought, send them over to your palace.� I want to question Jesus myself first."

�� "Then the Temple and the country can go back to normal," Caiaphas says, delighted with the outcome of his most recent plot against his competitor, Jesus.

�� "And you, son, will maintain your rightful position as high priest of the Jews."

�� "It was the only way," Caiaphus continues, justifying them both.� "Why should we all go down because of one man?� It was him or us.� It had to be done.� For the sake of our religion." [3]�

�� The younger puppet high priest excuses himself to find a messenger.� The older, and in reality the high priest, struts.� He is strong.� He controls the controllers.

�� True, the last procurator took away his high priesthood, but he could not take away his power.� Annas just had his son appointed high priest.� When his son proved to be a weakling, he had his son-in-law, Caiaphus, appointed high priest.� That appointment stuck.

�� So His Rightness Annas still rules.� Everyone knows it.� Every citizen knows it.� Caesar knows it.� The new governor knows it too.

�� Pilate is beginning to catch on and contact Annas instead of the appointed high priest.� But sometimes he still bucks the system.� Pilate will destroy himself going up against Annas.� Perhaps, however, he will learn his lesson before it is too late.� Pilate is about to see for himself how His Rightness Annas is about to destroy yet another opponent ~ Jesus.

�� "Yes, sir!� I knew I'd win!"

1:00 AM

�� "All right, men, get the captive inside.� On the double.� He is still with us, isn't he?"

�� "He knows better than try to escape, sir."

�� "Or disappear into thin air.� I've heard he has pulled that one."

�� Annas is at his window.� He hears the commotion outside and strains to see Jesus.� It is too dark.

�� "Get the lights!"

�� Someone responds to the priest's orders and soon yellow torches bathe the back of Annas' palace court.� He remains at the window.

�� "All right, get him up here."

�� Two Temple police walk forward with the prisoner.� Jesus walks between them, his hands chained behind his back.

�� "There he is!� That's him!" Annas gloats aloud.� "By God, we've really got him!"

�� "This way!" the captain orders.

�� With chains on his ankles, Jesus shuffles toward Annas' back steps."

�� "Shorter than I thought he'd be," one of the priests ponders.� "Skinny too.� How did that rebel ever get a following?� How I hate him!"

�� "The rest of you men stand by out here!" the oldest priest orders.�

�� Annas turns and walks back to his ornately carved work table.� He opens a small chest and gets out his gilded star of David on the long gold chain, and places it around his neck.� Shortly he hears the heavy footsteps of the guards and officials.� And the dragging.� The dragging of the chain.

�� Then the knock.� The victory knock.

�� "Come in!� Come in!"

�� The door is thrown open.� The captain of the guard walks in a few steps.� "Prisoner delivered as ordered, sir!"� He steps aside.

�� Annas stands, walks around his official table, eases up to Jesus, and looks him in the eye.� But not for very long.� Don't ever get too close to the enemy.

�� He walks around Jesus as though sizing up his prey and what part of him he will devour first.

�� "Not much of a man, are you?"� Annas smirks.� Jesus does not answer.� Annas hadn't expected him to.

�� "I'll get I can loosen up that tongue of yours.� Uh, Jesus~- that is your name isn't it ~- Jesus the carpenter?"� Annas will toy with his prey awhile, then hand him over for the final kill.

�� "You've been teaching a lot of things against our religion.� You claim to be a Jew, but don't seem to agree with anything we do.� In fact, it is my understanding that you've said our religious hierarchy is going to hell.� Can that possibly be true?" [4]

�� Silence.� Annas will let it go this time.

�� "I want the names of your twelve spies."

�� Silence.

�� "I understand you are dealing with sick people and trying to heal them.� You know that is against our policy.� They must come to the ordained priests for that.� So, what do you have to say for yourself?� Could any of that actually be true of you?" [5]

�� Silence.

�� "The names of your twelve spies.� What are they?"

�� Silence.

�� "Is it true, sir, that you have actually upset the worshippers by telling them Moses was wrong to allow divorce?" [6]

�� Silence.

�� "Your twelve spies.� Their names.� I demand their names."

�� Silence.

�� "Do you realize word is out that you advocate cannibalism?� What is more insane, it is your body and blood you want them to eat and drink!� You're sick!� Dangerous too!� The Temple will not tolerate this!" [7]

�� Silence.

�� "Your twelve spies.� May as well tell me.� I have ways of finding out."

�� Silence.

�� Jesus has given His Rightness time to express his complete ignorance of spiritual things.� Or perhaps he does understand, but must crush it as myth in order to preserve his position in the religion. [8]

�� It is time now for Jesus to speak.� For the benefit of the Temple police and the religious official that are present.� They must have an opportunity to hear the truth for themselves.

�� "Everything I have said has been out in the open," Jesus begins.� "I have not advocated anything secretly."

�� He is undermining Annas' authority.� "You are subverting the holy offices of our religion," Annas responds.

�� "I have spoken in public gatherings and even right there in the Temple where you preside."

�� How dare he!� "You're a disrespectful radical, young man!"

�� "So why are you treating me like a clandestine traitor to the Temple?"

�� The blood of His Rightness boils.� "Heeretic!" Annas shouts.

�� "There are plenty of people who have heard me who would be willing to testify about me in a legal court of law."

�� Annas cannot tolerate such impertinence.� His teeth are clinching.� He is walking toward his regal table.� He is turning around and banging his fist on his table.�

�� Still Jesus pushes.� "I am not answering your questions.� I dare you to do this legally and call witnesses." [9]

�� Annas picks up a brass tube holding part of the Torah and smashes it to the floor in holy rage.

�� "How dare you talk to me, His Holiness, like that!"� The soldier on Jesus' left, a man twice the weight of Jesus, steps in front of the prisoner and slaps him with his leather gloved hand. [10]

�� Jesus is knocked to the floor.� His hands still chained, he cannot sooth his own sound.� His flayed cheek oozes of blood that at first trickles out, but only at first.

�� By this time Jesus' mind is on the sting that engulfs his facial nerves and sends the throbbing message flooding to his brain.� He gets to his knees, then stands back up.� The drops of blood flow freely as though each were a microscopic ember of fire. [11]

�� Still Jesus pushes.

�� "Take me to a legal court of law.� Tell the world there what you claim I am, and prove I am a liar." [12]

�� "Young man!" Annas points his crooked arthritic finger in the face of Jesus.� "You will not win!� You cannot win!� Your so-called new nation of God is about to die, and you with it!"

�� His sneer turns to a smirk.� Then, straightening his robe, he turns around, walks back over to his table where he often reads his scriptures and sits down.

�� "You want witnesses?� You shall have them!� Take him to the high priest's house."� Two high priests.� Two on the same throne.� Jesus will fold.� "Everyone is waiting for him."

�� A guard shoves Jesus.

�� "Get going!"

�� One eye nearly swelled shut and the other cut earlier in the garden, Jesus strains to tell where the door is.� The butt of a sword is pushed into his back to goad him in the right direction. [13]

2:00 AM

�� Out in the courtyard Jesus struggles to see who is among the crowd gathered with the soldiers and police.� Is there anyone he knows?

�� "I never heard of this guy you call Jesus!"

�� A rooster?� It's too early for a rooster.

�� Jesus peers through the crowd as quickly as he can while shuffling his chains across the pavement.� A man in civilian clothes looks over at him.� Peter.� Their eyes meet.� For a millisecond they meet.

�� A groan of anguish bursts into the night air as though a savage beast has just been stricken down.

�� Then the wail.� The wail of a baby lion suddenly realizing his mother is dying. [14]

�� Jesus is now on a path leading across the back courtyard to another palace, but he can still hear the wailing as it races� devastated in the opposite direction. [15]

�� Jesus prays for Peter as he shuffles with his chains.

�� "Well, we've been over the evidence everyone collected yesterday, and we still have nothing concrete to present to Pilate as proof Jesus must be executed.� We're running out of time, brethren."

�� The sound of chains can now be heard outside the window.

�� "I agree, Caiaphas.� The city is full of people here for Passover.� If it becomes known we have him in custody, there will be a riot."

�� "We don't need another slaughter in the Temple like Herod Archelaus led.� The government would dismiss us all, and maybe even completely dissolve us as an independent nation." [16]

�� "To say nothing of losing our jobs."

�� Laughter under men's breaths.� Devious laughter.� They say it is all for the sake of the religion.� They all know different.

�� "Gentlemen of the Sanhedrin!� We must act expeditiously!� Do we have any suggestions?"

�� Pounding on the chamber door.

�� "It's him!"

�� "Jesus?"

�� A Temple guard opens the door.

�� All eyes turn in that direction.� He is not even in the room yet, and already Jesus is taking charge.

�� The door is thrown open and the men inside stare at the prisoner with mixed emotions as he shuffles into the room behind the guard.� As he slowly makes his way toward the front of the large meeting room.� As he prepares to control the meeting from behind his bleeding and matting and swelling.

�� Even then.

�� Some see a natural-born leader, sensing an air about him, a dignity at the way he holds his head up.

�� Some see a stubborn rebel who is determined to die in order to prove he is right.

�� Some see a fool.

�� Those who would have seen God as he walked forward were not invited.

�� "Well now, the famous Jesus we have all heard about!"

�� Jesus looks around the room and recognizes those who accompanied Judas for the arrest.� They grin the most conspicuously in their stubborn arrogance.� Jesus could have made them part of his new kingdom of God.� The eternal one.

�� "What have you to say for yourself?"

�� Silence.

�� "He's demanding witnesses!"� It is Annas.� He has waited to make his entrance until he could command the attention of everyone.� He, too, walks to the front of the room.� He turns and stands in front of but to the side of Jesus.� He waves his hand toward the prisoner.� ?So, shall we give them to him???

�� "All right," Caiaphas responds.� "Do we have any witnesses proving his heresy?"

�� "Sir!� Your Holiness!� We need a few minutes recess and access to messengers."

�� "The Temple police are at your disposal," the captain responds.

�� "Captain, how fast are your men?"

�� "They know the city, sir.� They will have the messages delivered and men brought before you within the hour."

�� "All right.� We're adjourning just long enough to get the first witness here.� But it had better not be an hour.� Locate some close by."

�� The room fills with activity as Temple police are brought in, assigned to various priests and sent on their way with official summons from the Sanhedrin.

�� High priest Caiaphas calls for the first witness.� He is a member of the Sanhedrin.� But what he says is known to be false.� The people will never buy it.� Another witness.� Same thing.

�� Shortly, the first lay witness is brought in.�

�� "I heard him say that it is a sin to prepare for the future.[17]

�� "Well, Jesus, what about it?"

�� Silence.

�� "Sir, I believe my witness is now here."

�� "Let him speak."

�� "I heard him say that when you get rich, you should build big barns and store everything in it instead of giving any of it to the poor." [18]

�� "All right, Jesus.� Are you actually teaching this?"

�� Silence.

�� "I heard him say everyone in the new kingdom of God had to give away everything they owned." [19]

�� "Jesus, what is your response to such madness?"

�� Silence.

�� For the rest of the hour a dozen witnesses are brought in, and a dozen witnesses contradict each other. [20]

�� "I heard this heretic say he is going to attack the Temple, destroy it, and rebuild it in three days."

�� "That's treason!� That's heresy against the Temple and treason against property built by King Herod!"

�� "Speak up!� What is wrong with you, man?� Don't you realize what's going on here?� Don't you realize you are at the mercy of this court?� Not that you have any chance of mercy...."

�� Silence.

�� "I heard this rebel rouser actually admit his men are already building war machines and recruiting troops to destroy the Temple.� Then he claims~- would you believe ~ that he is going to give us a new Temple right out of heaven!" [21]

�� "Gentlemen!� We have two witnesses telling the same story!� He is going to kill everyone in the Temple!� This murderer must be executed!" [22]

�� "So, Jesus, is this true or not?"

�� Silence.

�� "Caiaphas, may I have the floor?"

�� "Go ahead."

�� "There is some discrepancy in their testimonies.� One said Jesus is going to do the destroying.� The other said his men are going to do the destroying."

�� Caiaphas knows he is right.� They will never be able to make the charges of pre-meditated murder stick.

�� He paces.� Silence through the room.� They are following Jesus' example.� They do not like it.� He is still in charge and they know it.

�� The high priest looks out the window at the darkness.� He turns and picks up a large, ominous scroll and throws it on the floor.� Those who had not been looking jump in their seats ever so slightly, and become embarrassed at their inattentiveness.

�� The High Priest has been manipulated by Jesus long enough.� He must take control.

�� With determined footsteps, he reproaches Jesus.� Their only chance of condemning him is for him to condemn himself.� Surely there is some way to catch him off guard enough to get him to say something self-incriminating.� He must try.

�� "Are you the Deliverer, the Son of the most high God?" [23]

�� At last.� Jesus has forced the hand of the highest official of the Temple.

�� His Rightness must come out into the open with what is really bothering him.

�� His Rightness must say it with his own lips ~ "the Son!"

�� Hear that, everyone?� He has finally said it ~ "the Son!"

�� Deep down he knows.� But he cannot give in to it.� It would be the death of him.� He cannot give in.� It would kill him.� Still, he knows.� He knows!

�� Yes.� "The Son!"

�� Now Jesus is ready.� Now Jesus will speak on his own terms.

�� His silence is at last broken.

�� "Yes."

�� Yes!� Did you hear that, world?� He said yes!� Is that good news to anyone?� He said yes!

�� The room is now silent.� Speechless.

�� "I AM." [24]

�� "Furthermore," Jesus continues, not allowing the pain in his jaw to interfere, "you will be the witness."

�� His arch enemy turned witness?� Never!� Never in a thousand years!� Never in a thousand life times!� Forever never!

�� "You, personally, will see me return in the clouds at the right hand of Almighty God!" [25]

�� They are stunned!

�� Never has Jesus been so bold!

�� Never has Jesus been so brazen!

�� Never has Jesus been so insane!

�� He has walked right into their trap!� The blood has blinded, not only his eyes, but also his judgment.

�� The blood has blinded their souls.

�� His Rightness takes the holy turban off his head and throws it on the floor.

�� "Did you hear that, brethren?"

�� He tears his holy robe inrighteous indignation, crumples it in his hands, and throws it in the face of Jesus. [26]

�� "You are an idiot!" he announces to his arch enemy.� And the bloody robe falls to the floor.

�� He walks back over to his place at the conference table and, for the first time in an hour, sits down.� He picked up a pen lying next to a blank scroll and throws the pen in front of him.� He smiles.

�� "Well, you heard him.� He said it himself.� You are all witnesses.� There are more than enough of us to make the charges stick.� He claims to be God, thus making himself a god.� That is blasphemy to the core." [27]

�� "I say we execute him." [28]

�� "Gentlemen, it is time for a break.� As soon as it is daylight, we will assemble over at the Temple for the public trial.� We have our witnesses ~ ourselves.� What time is it, anyway?"

4:00 AM

�� A general clamor of agreement circulates through the room.

�� Some leave,� Others stay.� This Jesus, he is such a curious phenomenon.� He is not as frightening as everyone says.� He is just like any other man.� Except he could stand to put on a little weight.

�� No one makes any attempt to lead Jesus from the room.� So the more curious, the more bold, walk up to him as though he is part of a colosium show.� Some circle him as though he is a caged animal on exhibit.� Most sneer.

�� "You, a fake Jew, the arch enemy of the Jews, are scum."

�� "You act like such a hot shot.� But you're nothing.� A big nothing."

�� "Do you know what I think of you?"

�� It is unexpected.� Surely not from a religious dignitary.� It just is not done.� But he has done it.

�� Spittle is sticking to Jesus' cheek.� It is slowly making its way down.� It stops at his jaw.� And fastens itself in place.

�� Jesus does not flinch.

�� "You know, the Roman government will not let us do the executing ourselves.� But we must stand up for God.� We must stand up for right.� We must defend God and show this imposter our disdain.� It is our duty."

�� The youngest priest present walks around Jesus as though stalking him.� Suddenly his spittle is on Jesus' nose.

�� "Sorry, I should have aimed better.� I was trying for your eye."� He is smug. [29]

�� The others smile self-righteously.� They look around.� A few more have left.� Still several have stayed.� No one is objecting.� This must be done.� He must learn for himself that no one gets by with blaspheming God.

�� "I think it is time," someone announces, "that we show him for what he is.� A religious fraud."

�� The man with the handkerchief walks up to Jesus and blindfolds him.� Some catch on and smile in anticipation.

�� "This is for all those people you were going to kill when you destroyed the Temple."

�� A fist finds its way into Jesus' abdomen.� It catches him off guard.

�� "Umph!"

�� He lunges forward slightly, but manages to stand up straight again.� Then he silently repeats one of David's psalms he has memorized.

�� "Oh God, help me.� They're assaulting me, God.� They hate me. [30]

�� Holy robes are coming off.� They are being laid over plush cushions and ornately carved benches.� There is work to be done.

�� "And this is for all those people you said had to cut out their eyes if they did not do what you told them." [31]

�� Another fist.� This time in Jesus' good eye, the one not yet swelled shut.� At least, they think it is the good eye.� He is blinded folded.

�� Another psalm:� "Oh, God, you are the only one left to help me." [32]

�� "Ughhh!"� Jesus is knocked backward.� It is several steps before he can stop the momentum.� He pauses, then takes as many steps back to where he first took the blow.� Back for more.

�� "Hey, Jesus, you called yourself a prophet.� See if you can tell who delivers the next one." [33]

�� Another blow.� Back into Jesus' abdomen.

�� "Umph!"

�� This time Jesus bends over a little farther and a little longer.� The new pain lingers.� Drops of stomach acid make their way to his mouth.� He cringes and swallows it back.� It stings on the way up and back down.� He becomes nauseated.

�� "Protect me, God, like you would your eyes in a storm; hover over me and shield me." [34]

�� "Well?� Which one of us was it?"� Delightful disdain.�

�� "He is such a fraud.� Such a hypocrite.� He could he look himself in a mirror?"

�� Another blow to the abdomen.� In the same spot.

�� "Umph!"

�� Once more Jesus bends over, only this time he loses his balance.� He struggles to regain his equilibrium.� Jesus is down on his knees.� He remains only a moment, and stands back up.

�� "I'm depending on you, God.� Don't let them succeed in breaking me." [35]

�� The holy leaders stand by and wait, impatiently pleased with themselves.

�� "Can't figure out who it was, can you?"

�� "You know what, Jesus?� You are an embarrassment to our religion and a dishonor to the holy name of God."

�� Another blow finds its mark.

�� "Umph!"

�� Once again Jesus doubles over.� This time he finds the air in his lungs taken away.� He struggles for breath.� But his pain struggles back.� He is down on one knee.� He stays a little longer than usual.� What is he doing?

�� "No matter how strong these people are, God, I will not fear them.� You will save me." [36]

�� "Oh, he's praying.� He's hoping God will help him out and tell him which one delivered the last blow.� God has nothing but disdain for this hypocrite.� God is not going to help him.� God wants him dead." [37]

�� "Well, I'm getting a little tired of this.� Anyone for some wine?� I know where the wine cellar is."

�� The ring leader turns toward the Temple police who have been standing by.

�� "We want him over at the Temple at daybreak.� Until then, he's all yours."

�� "Yes, sir!"� They grin in approval.

�� "Oh, uh, and clean up after yourselves," the priest adds.

�� "Yes, sir!"

�� "And God bless you, men!" another priest says on his way out.

�� "Yes, sir!"

�� Dressed once more in their holy robes, the chief priests leave the room.

�� "This way, Jesus!"

�� The Temple police take Jesus to a different door than they had used an hour earlier.� It is a stair well.� They take Jesus' bloody blinders off and toss it in the corner, then force Jesus down the stairs.

�� They are in the wine cellar.

�� "That way, you!"

�� "That's not fast enough!� Get going!"� A club connects with Jesus' skull.� He is stunned.� He reels.� The pain takes control.

�� Come on now, Jesus.� Think!� Think of another one!

�� "Defend me.� Carry me eternally like a shepherd in your protective arms." [38]

�� A guard on the other side of him slams the leg of a broken chair into the other side of Jesus' head.

�� Jesus is knocked to the cold floor.� He falls backward and lies there a moment.

�� No!� Jesus reprimands himself.� Don't black out!� Get back up!� Get back up!� Think of another one!

�� "I'll bless God no matter what happens to me.� I'll never stop speaking of his grandeur and grace." [39]

�� Jesus strains to roll over on his stomach.� He forces himself onto his knees, then stands once again.� His head is splitting open like a catastrophic earthquake.� He tries to reopen his eyes,� but finds he can see only through slits.� A red haze covers what he can see.

�� "God, don't let them push me around any more." [40]

�� "Oh, standing back up so you can get more!" one of the guards responds grotesquely.� "Well, how about this?"

�� A leather-gloved fist connects with Jesus' jaw. [41]

�� Once again on the floor.� Something in his mouth.� A tooth.� He spits it out.� He tries to rest his head on the pavement a moment, but the pain where he is cut open makes it impossible.

�� "Oh God....guide me....until....I....die...." [42]

�� LIFE APPLICATION

1.�� Many formerly good people have gone awry when given power.� Think of a time you found yourself with a little power over someone else, then unexpectedly (even to yourself) abused that power over them.� What will you do to keep your ego under control when there is no one else around to do it?

2.�� Think of a time you twisted the truth just a little in order to justify some action you just did or was about to do.� What is the worst that could have happened had you not twisted the truth?� Could the results have been that bad?�

3.�� Think of a time you stood up for truth or something right when it was unpopular.� Did anyone else later tell you that you gave them courage to stand up for truth or right?� If you have never experienced it, think of some time in the future when you will once again have that choice.� Plan what you will say and what your demeanor will be like as you do.

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