New Testament
High Priests Timeline

A Lifelong Position

The office of High Priest, established by God, was meant to be a lifelong position filled by those in the bloodline of Aaron (Exodus 29:9, 29). Jewish religious leaders, when death required them to act, would select someone to serve in this important responsibility based on a variety of factors.

What we find, however, as we approach and enter into the time of the New Testament, is that the position of High Priest began to be treated far as a political appointment rather than a solemn duty of heredity.

Herod Picks Priest

Herod the Great, who began to rule over Judea as the "king of the Jews" just before the New Testament era, started the trend of replacing High Priests at his own pleasure. The Romans, after his death, would continue this practice.

Herod's first appointment to the position of High Priest was a man named Ananelus (Ananel), whom the Jewish historian Josephus describes as "an obscure priest out of Babylon" (Antiquities of the Jews, Book 15, Chapter 2, Section 4).

Pilate's Dispute with High Priest

Gerard David, 1480 - 85

In 36 B.C., Herod makes Aristobulus III, who was only 17 years old at the time, the High Priest. In less than a year, however, he has him murdered through drowning (Book 15, Chapter 3, Section 3). He then reappoints Ananel to the position he once held. Herod will end up appointing four other High Priests up to the time when the New Testament record begins.

High Priests During Jesus' Ministry

Only two High Priests, Annas and Caiaphas, are mentioned by name in the Gospels (Luke 3:2). They were both alive during Jesus' ministry and were instrumental in causing his murder (John 11:51, 18:12 - 14, 24, etc.). Caiaphas was also instrumental in the persecution of Christians after Jesus' resurrection (Acts 4:6, 5:17, 21). He aided a young Saul by granting him authority to persecute Christians in foreign lands (9:2).

It was a High Priest named Ananias, who presided over the Sanhedrin, whom the Apostle Paul was brought before to explain a temple riot he seemed to cause (Acts 23:2 - 4).

High Priests appointed
by Herod the Great

Appointed by Archelaus
Ethnarch of Judea, Samaria, Edom

Appointed by Quirinius
Roman Legate of Syria and Judea

Appointed by Valerius Gratus
Roman Prefect of Judea

Appointed by Vitellius

Appointed by Agrippa I
Roman Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea

Appointed by Herod of Chalcis
Tetrarch of kingdom north of Judea

Appointed by Agrippa II
King of Chalcis

Appointed by the people
during the last war