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patrick457
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I was recently perusing through the net and attempted to research on various characters in the Bible. What interested me is the fate of those people who historically have played a part in Jesus’ passion such as Pilate, Annas or Caiaphas.
Pontius Pilate: In 36 AD, a Samaritan with messianic tendencies promised to a number of his fellow countrymen that he would uncover some sacred vessels that Moses has supposedly buried on Mt. Gerizim. The multitude that gathered came armed with weapons, but Pilate ordered his troops to block the ascent and had many of those gathered killed the leaders executed. This act caused a council of Samaritans to complain to Lucius Vitellius, the governor of Syria (Pilate’s superior) that their purposes were religious, not rebellious. Vitellius then removed Pilate from office as Prefectus Iudaeae (Prefect of Judea) and ordered him to return to Rome to answer to the charges against him, but Tiberius died before Pilate even reached Rome.
It is usually said that the new emperor, Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (aka [Caligula](Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus)), relieved Pilate of his charges and exiled him to Gaul instead; however, we could not be sure.
Hananiyah bar-Seth (aka Annas): Annas’ fate is quite obscure. Perhaps he lived to old age. But what we know for certain is that he had five biological sons also appointed as high priests:
1.) Eleazar ben Ananus (16–17)
2.) Jonathan ben Ananus (36–37 and 44)
3.) Theophilus ben Ananus (37–41)
4.) Matthias ben Ananus (43)
5.) Ananus ben Ananus (63)
However, Annas’ family did not have a good reputation in later generations. Four of the high-priestly families who held offices in the Temple under Roman rule were neither respected nor esteemed and were more known for their wealth, power and ruthlessness. The Babylonian Talmud records a folk song which says thus:
Herod Antipas: Antipas’ fall from power was due to Caligula and to his own nephew Agrippa, brother of Herodias. When Agrippa fell into debt during the reign of Tiberius despite his connections with the imperial family, Herodias persuaded Antipas to provide for him, but the two men quarrelled and Agrippa departed. After Agrippa was heard expressing to his friend Caligula his eagerness for Tiberius to die and leave room for Caligula to succeed him, he was imprisoned. When Caligula finally became emperor in 37 AD, he not only released his friend but granted him rule of Philip’s former tetrarchy (slightly extended), with the title of king.
Josephus relates that Herodias, jealous at Agrippa’s success, persuaded Antipas to ask Caligula for the title of king for himself. However, Agrippa simultaneously presented the emperor with a list of charges against the tetrarch: allegedly, he had conspired against Tiberius with Sejanus (executed AD 31) and was now plotting against Caligula with Artabanus. As evidence, Agrippa noted that Antipas had a stockpile of weaponry sufficient for 70,000 men. Hearing Antipas’ admission to this last charge, Caligula decided to credit the allegations of conspiracy. In the summer of 39 AD, Antipas’ money and territory were turned over to Agrippa, while he himself was exiled to Lugdunum in Gaul (either the modern-day Lyon in east-central France or Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges in southwestern France).
Is it just me, or is there a parallel between Herod, Pilate, and Caiaphas’ fates (both Pilate and Caiaphas were deposed while Pilate and Herod were both exiled)?
Pontius Pilate: In 36 AD, a Samaritan with messianic tendencies promised to a number of his fellow countrymen that he would uncover some sacred vessels that Moses has supposedly buried on Mt. Gerizim. The multitude that gathered came armed with weapons, but Pilate ordered his troops to block the ascent and had many of those gathered killed the leaders executed. This act caused a council of Samaritans to complain to Lucius Vitellius, the governor of Syria (Pilate’s superior) that their purposes were religious, not rebellious. Vitellius then removed Pilate from office as Prefectus Iudaeae (Prefect of Judea) and ordered him to return to Rome to answer to the charges against him, but Tiberius died before Pilate even reached Rome.
It is usually said that the new emperor, Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (aka [Caligula](Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus)), relieved Pilate of his charges and exiled him to Gaul instead; however, we could not be sure.
Hananiyah bar-Seth (aka Annas): Annas’ fate is quite obscure. Perhaps he lived to old age. But what we know for certain is that he had five biological sons also appointed as high priests:
1.) Eleazar ben Ananus (16–17)
2.) Jonathan ben Ananus (36–37 and 44)
3.) Theophilus ben Ananus (37–41)
4.) Matthias ben Ananus (43)
5.) Ananus ben Ananus (63)
However, Annas’ family did not have a good reputation in later generations. Four of the high-priestly families who held offices in the Temple under Roman rule were neither respected nor esteemed and were more known for their wealth, power and ruthlessness. The Babylonian Talmud records a folk song which says thus:
Yosef bar-Kayafa (aka Caiaphas): According to Josephus, Caiaphas was removed from his office as Kohen Gadol by Vitellius around the same time as Pilate (36-37 AD) and replaced him with his brother-in-law Jonathan, Annas’ son. It seems likely that the cause of their dismissal was growing public unhappiness with their close cooperation. Rome might have perceived the need for a conciliatory gesture to Jews whose sensibilities had been offended by the two leaders. Though no longer the high priest, Caiaphas was still a man of privilege. He had married into the powerful high-priestly family of Annas and he was undoubtedly a man of means (he lived in the Upper City, where many of the Jerusalem elite took residence).
Herod Antipas: Antipas’ fall from power was due to Caligula and to his own nephew Agrippa, brother of Herodias. When Agrippa fell into debt during the reign of Tiberius despite his connections with the imperial family, Herodias persuaded Antipas to provide for him, but the two men quarrelled and Agrippa departed. After Agrippa was heard expressing to his friend Caligula his eagerness for Tiberius to die and leave room for Caligula to succeed him, he was imprisoned. When Caligula finally became emperor in 37 AD, he not only released his friend but granted him rule of Philip’s former tetrarchy (slightly extended), with the title of king.
Josephus relates that Herodias, jealous at Agrippa’s success, persuaded Antipas to ask Caligula for the title of king for himself. However, Agrippa simultaneously presented the emperor with a list of charges against the tetrarch: allegedly, he had conspired against Tiberius with Sejanus (executed AD 31) and was now plotting against Caligula with Artabanus. As evidence, Agrippa noted that Antipas had a stockpile of weaponry sufficient for 70,000 men. Hearing Antipas’ admission to this last charge, Caligula decided to credit the allegations of conspiracy. In the summer of 39 AD, Antipas’ money and territory were turned over to Agrippa, while he himself was exiled to Lugdunum in Gaul (either the modern-day Lyon in east-central France or Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges in southwestern France).
Is it just me, or is there a parallel between Herod, Pilate, and Caiaphas’ fates (both Pilate and Caiaphas were deposed while Pilate and Herod were both exiled)?