Jesus before Annas.
It was towards midnight when Jesus reached the palace of Annas, and
his guards immediately conducted him into a very large hall, where
Annas, surrounded by twentyeight councillors, was seated on a species
of platform, raised a little above the level of the floor, and placed
opposite to the entrance. The soldiers who first arrested Jesus now
dragged him roughly to the foot of the tribunal. The room was quite
full, between soldiers, the servants of Annas, a number of the mob who
had been admitted, and the false witnesses who afterwards adjourned to
Caiphas's hall.
Annas was delighted at the thought of our Lord being brought before
him, and was looking out for his arrival with the greatest impatience.
The expression of his countenance was most repulsive, as it showed in
every lineament not only the infernal joy with which he was filled, but
likewise all the cunning and duplicity of this heart. He was the
president of a species of tribunal instituted for the purpose of
examining persons accused of teaching false doctrines; and if convicted
there, they were then taken before the High Priest.
Jesus stood before Annas. He looked exhausted and haggard; his
garments were covered with mud, his hands manacled, his head bowed
down, and he spoke not a word. Annas was a thin ill-humoured-looking
old man, with a scraggy beard. His pride and arrogance were great; and
as he seated himself he smiled ironically, pretending that he knew
nothing at all, and that he was perfectly astonished at finding that
the prisoner, whom he had just been informed was to be brought before
him, was no other than Jesus of Nazareth. 'Is it possible,' said he, 'is it
possible that thou art Jesus of Nazareth? Where are thy disciples, thy
numerous followers? Where is thy kingdom? I fear affairs have not
turned out as thou didst expect. The authorities, I presume, discovered
that it was quite time to put a stop to thy conduct, disrespectful as
it was towards God and his priests, and to such violations of the
Sabbath. What disciples hast thou now? Where are they all gone? Thou
are silent! Speak out, seducer! Speak out, thou inciter of rebellion!
Didst thou not eat the Paschal lamb in an unlawful manner, at an
improper time, and in an improper place? Dost thou not desire to
introduce new doctrines? Who gave thee the right of preaching? Where
didst thou study? Speak, what are the tenets of thy religion?'
Jesus then raised his weary head, looked at Annas, and said, 'I have
spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in the synagogue, and
in the Temple, whither all the Jews resort; and in secret I have spoken
nothing. Why askest thou me? Ask them who have heard what I have spoken
unto them; behold, they know what thing I have said.'
At this answer of Jesus the countenance of Annas flushed with fury
and indignation. A base menial who was standing near perceived this,
and he immediately struck our Lord on the face with his iron gauntlet,
exclaiming at the same moment, 'Answerest thou the High Priest so?' Jesus
was so nearly prostrated by the violence of the blow, that when the
guards likewise reviled and struck him, he fell quite down, and blood
trickled from his face on to the floor. Laughter, insults, and bitter
words resounded through the hall. The archers dragged him roughly up
again, and he mildly answered, 'If I have spoken evil, give testimony of
the evil; but if well, why strikest thou me?'
Annas became still more enraged when he saw the calm demeanour of
Jesus, and, turning to the witnesses, he desired them to bring forward
their accusations. They all began to speak at once:--'He has called himself
king; he says that God is his Father; that the Pharisees are an
adulterous generation. He causes insurrection among the people; he
cures the sick by the help of the devil on the Sabbath-day. The
inhabitants of Ophel assembled round him a short time ago, and
addressed him by the titles of Saviour and Prophet. He lets himself be
called the Son of God; he says that he is sent by God; he predicts the
destruction of Jerusalem. He does not fast; he eats with sinners, with
pagans, and with publicans, and associates with women of evil repute. A
short time ago he said to a man who gave him some water to drink at the
gates of Ophel, "that he would give unto him the water of eternal life,
after drinking which he would thirst no more." He seduces the people by
words of double meaning,' etc., etc.
These accusations were all vociferated at once; some of the
witnesses stood before Jesus and insulted him while they spoke by
derisive gestures, and the archers went so far as even to strike him,
saying at the same time, 'Speak; why dost thou not answer?' Annas and his
adherents added mockery to insult, exclaiming at every pause in the
accusations, 'This is thy doctrine, then, is it? What canst thou answer
to this? Issue thy orders, great King; man sent by God, give proofs of
thy mission.' 'Who art thou?' continued Annas, in a tone of cutting contempt;
'by whom art thou sent? Art thou the son of an obscure carpenter, or art
thou Elias, who was carried up to heaven in a fiery chariot? He is said
to be still living, and I have been told that thou canst make thyself
invisible when thou pleasest. Perhaps thou art the prophet Malachy,
whose words thou dost so frequently quote. Some say that an angel was
his father, and that he likewise is still alive. An impostor as thou
art could not have a finer opportunity of taking persons in than by
passing thyself off as this prophet. Tell me, without farther preamble,
to what order of kings thou dost belong? Thou art greater than
Solomon,--at least thou pretendest so to be, and dost even expect to be
believed. Be easy, I will no longer refuse the title and the sceptre
which are so justly thy due.'
Annas then called for the sheet of parchment, about a yard in
length, and six inches in width; on this he wrote a series of words in
large letters, and each word expressed some different accusation which
had been brought against our Lord. He then rolled it up, placed it in a
little hollow tube, fastened it carefully on the top of a reed, and
presented this reed to Jesus, saying at the same time, with a
contemptuous sneer, 'Behold the sceptre of thy kingdom; it contains thy
titles, as also the account of the honours to which thou art entitled,
and thy right to the throne. Take them to the High Priest, in order
that he may acknowledge thy regal dignity, and treat thee according to
thy deserts. Tie the hands of this king, and take him before the High
Priest.'
The hands of Jesus, which had been loosened, were then tied across
his breast in such a manner as to make him hold the pretended sceptre,
which contained the accusations of Annas, and he was led to the Court
of Caiphas, amidst the hisses, shouts, and blows lavished upon him by
the brutal mob.
The house of Annas was not more than three hundred steps from that
of Caiphas; there were high walls and common-looking houses on each
side of the road, which was lighted up by torches and lanterns placed
on poles, and there were numbers of Jews standing about talking in an
angry excited manner. The soldiers could scarcely make their way
through the crowd, and those who had behaved so shamefully to Jesus at
the Court of Annas continued their insults and base usage during the
whole of the time sent in walking to the house of Caiphas. I saw money
given to those who behaved the worst to Jesus by armed men belonging to
the tribunal, and I saw them push out of the way all who looked
compassionately at him. The former were allowed to enter the Court of
Caiphas.