Quick Facts
Priest
Role
18 BC – 36 AD
Lifespan
The World They Lived In
18 BC36 AD
Roman Empire
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The Jewish high priest who presided over the Sanhedrin trial of Jesus and orchestrated his condemnation. Appointed by the Roman prefect Valerius Gratus around 18 AD, Caiaphas held the office for an unusually long tenure, indicating political skill in navigating Roman rule. His unwitting prophecy — 'it is better that one man die for the people' (John 11:50) — was recognized by the Gospel writer as a divinely ironic statement about the substitutionary nature of Jesus' death. The ossuary believed to be his was discovered in Jerusalem in 1990.
The Jewish high priest who presided over the Sanhedrin trial of Jesus and orchestrated his condemnation.
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