Illustration created for this project.
Caiaphas
The high priest who presided over the council that condemned Jesus, urging it 'better that one man die'.
What we know — and how we know it
Bible — stated in scripture (with verse) · 1
Archaeology — physical evidence · 1
Ancient writers — non-biblical testimony · 1
Life, role & deeds
BibleThe high priest who presided over the council that condemned Jesus.
Matthew 26:57, 65
deror_avi — CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
ArchaeologyAn ornate 1st-century bone-box (ossuary) inscribed 'Joseph son of Caiaphas', found in Jerusalem in 1990, is widely thought to have held the high priest's remains.
Caiaphas ossuary inscribed 'Yehosef bar Qayafa' (Joseph son of Caiaphas), from a burial cave in the Peace Forest (North Talpiot), Jerusalem, excavated 1990 by Z. Greenhut (Israel Museum / Israel Antiquities Authority); published Z. Greenhut, 'The Caiaphas Tomb in North Talpiyot, Jerusalem,' 'Atiqot 21 (1992) and R. Reich, 'Ossuary Inscriptions from the Caiaphas Tomb,' 'Atiqot 21 (1992)
Scan by NYPL — Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Ancient writersJosephus names 'Joseph, who was called Caiaphas' as the high priest of these years — the same man who presided at Jesus's trial.
Josephus, Antiquities 18.2.2 §35 (appointment) and 18.4.3 §95 (removal), naming 'Joseph who was called Caiaphas'
Where in scripture
MatthewLukeJohnActs
Matthew 26:3Matthew 26:57Matthew 26:65Luke 3:2John 11:49John 11:50John 18:13John 18:14John 18:24John 18:28Acts 4:6
Family
In their own words — 5 recorded sayings
“And the high priest got up and said to him, Have you no answer? what is it which these say against you? But Jesus said not a word. And the high priest said to him, I put you on oath, by the living God, that you will say to us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” — Matthew 26:62-63
“Then the high priest, violently parting his robes, said, He has said evil against God: what more need have we of witnesses? for now his words against God have come to your ears: What is your opinion? They made answer and said, It is right for him to be put to death.” — Matthew 26:65-66
“And the high priest got up in the middle of them, and said to Jesus, Do you say nothing in answer? what is it which these say against you? But he kept quiet and said nothing. Again the high priest questioning him said, Are you the Christ, the son of the Holy One?” — Mark 14:60-61
“And the high priest, violently parting his robes, said, What more need have we of witnesses? His words against God have come to your ears: what is your opinion? And they all said it was right for him to be put to death.” — Mark 14:63-64
“But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, You have no knowledge of anything; You do not see that it is in your interest for one man to be put to death for the people, so that all the nation may not come to destruction.” — John 11:49-50
Speaker attribution: Clear Bible MACULA (CC BY 4.0). Wording: Bible in Basic English (public domain).
Places in their life
Photo: Godot13 — CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
In art
