The chief priests were a group of high-ranking religious officials who oversaw the temple and worship in Jerusalem during the time of Jesus. According to the Gospels, the chief priests played a major role in opposing Jesus and conspiring to have him crucified. Here is an overview of who the chief priests were and what role they played in biblical history:
Origins and Background
The office of the chief priest originated during the time of King David when Zadok was appointed as the first high priest over the temple in Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 6:8-15). The position was passed down among Zadok’s descendants and became one of great power and prestige in Israelite society. Under the Mosaic law, the high priest acted as the mediator between God and the people, representing the nation before God through sacrifices and intercession (Exodus 28-29; Leviticus 8-9).
By the time of Jesus, the office of high priest had become highly political. The Roman authorities appointed and removed high priests at will, with frequent turnover in the decades before Jesus’ ministry. Caiaphas, the high priest who presided during Jesus’ trial, held the office for an unusually long period from around 18-36 AD (Matthew 26:3). In addition to the high priest, there was also a larger group of chief priests who formed part of the Sanhedrin (the Jewish high court) and managed the daily affairs of the temple.
The chief priests represented the top tier of temple officials, drawn from the priestly families who controlled the temple cult. They worked closely with the high priest and were typically members of the Jewish aristocracy in Jerusalem. The chief priests supervised temple operations, oversaw sacrifices, managed temple finances, and guarded the holiness of the temple complex. As heads of the Sanhedrin, the chief priests also exercised religious and legal authority over the Jewish people.
Opposition to Jesus
According to the four Gospels, the chief priests were among Jesus’ chief antagonists in Jerusalem. They saw Jesus as a threat for several reasons:
- Jesus was an outsider from Galilee with no formal religious training, yet claimed authority to interpret the law and prophets (Mark 11:27-33).
- He challenged the commercialization of temple worship by driving out the money changers (Mark 11:15-19). This disrupted temple operations overseen by the chief priests.
- Jesus threatened the power and prestige of the chief priests through his popularity with the people (John 11:47-48).
- His messianic claims seemed politically dangerous and the priests feared He would provoke Roman reprisals (John 11:48).
The Synoptic Gospels record that the chief priests repeatedly came into conflict with Jesus during Passion Week. They challenged his authority (Mark 11:27-33), plotted to arrest him stealthily (Mark 14:1-2), and spearheaded the effort to condemn Jesus to death before the Roman governor Pilate (Mark 15:3-11). Matthew says the chief priests and elders bribed Judas to betray Jesus so they could arrest him away from the crowds (Matthew 26:14-16, 47). Overall, the Gospels portray the chief priests as jealous, corrupt, power-hungry men who refused to accept Jesus as Messiah.
Role in the Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus
As leaders of the Sanhedrin, the chief priests played an instrumental role in putting Jesus on trial and pressuring Pilate to impose a death sentence.
After Jesus was arrested in Gethsemane, he was taken first to the house of Annas, the former high priest, and then to Caiaphas, the current high priest (John 18:12-14, 19-24). Annas, Caiaphas, and the assembled chief priests questioned Jesus and charged him with blasphemy for claiming to be the Messiah, the Son of God (Matthew 26:57-68; Mark 14:53-65). They declared he was worthy of death, but lacked authority under the Romans to carry out executions (John 18:31).
So early Friday morning, the chief priests brought Jesus before Pilate to request the death penalty (Mark 15:1). They accused him of treason against Rome by claiming to be king of the Jews (Luke 23:2). When Pilate proved reluctant to crucify Jesus, the chief priests stirred up the crowd to demand his crucifixion over the release of Barabbas (Mark 15:11). They persisted in accusing Jesus until Pilate acquiesced and sentenced him to be crucified (Matthew 27:20-26).
Although the Jewish people as a whole cannot be held responsible for Jesus’ death, the Gospels clearly place primary blame on the chief priests and other religious leaders for engineering his execution. They saw Jesus as a threat to their power and privilege (John 11:48), so they handed him over to the Romans to eliminate that threat.
Later Interactions with the Apostles
The chief priests continued to oppose the spread of Christianity in the early chapters of Acts. Peter and John were arrested and brought before Annas and Caiaphas after preaching and healing in the temple (Acts 4:1-22). After ordering the apostles flogged, the chief priests prohibited them from speaking about Jesus. However, the apostles continued to preach openly. The chief priests later arrested all the apostles and put them in public custody (Acts 5:17-18). They were eventually released by an angel (Acts 5:19-20).
The chief priests allowed Stephen to be stoned after he delivered a speech accusing them of killing the Messiah (Acts 6:12-15). Saul of Tarsus (later the apostle Paul) was present at Stephen’s stoning and began ravaging the church “entering house after house; dragging off men and women” to prison (Acts 8:3). This persecution scattered believers from Jerusalem into Judea and Samaria (Acts 8:1). King Herod Agrippa I executed the apostle James and imprisoned Peter in an effort to appease the chief priests and Jewish leaders (Acts 12:1-4). The book of Acts portrays the chief priests as the driving force behind early persecution of the fledgling church in Jerusalem.
Qualifications and Duties
To serve as a chief priest, a man had to meet the following qualifications according to the Law of Moses:
- Be a descendant of Aaron in the tribe of Levi (Exodus 28:1).
- Be without any physical defects or blemishes (Leviticus 21:16-23).
- Be at least 30 years old (Numbers 4:3).
- Be ceremonially clean and not in mourning when serving (Leviticus 21:1-15).
The chief priestly duties included:
- Supervising daily operations of temple worship and sacrifices (1 Chronicles 23:4-5).
- Keeping the lamp in the holy place burning and the showbread replaced weekly (Exodus 27:20-21).
- Offering incense twice daily on the altar of incense (Exodus 30:7-8).
- Supervising the other priests and Levites in temple service (1 Chronicles 15:11).
- Overseeing temple finances and administration of gifts and tithes (2 Kings 12:4-16).
- Coordinating with the king regarding temple affairs (2 Kings 12:4-8).
- Maintaining ritual purity standards within the temple complex (Leviticus 21:1-15).
- Ruling on difficult cases of law and settling disputes (Deuteronomy 17:8-13).
- Participating in religious festivals, ceremonies, and sacrifices (2 Chronicles 35:8).
The high priest alone could enter the Most Holy Place once per year on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). He offered sacrifices for his own sins and the people’s sins, foreshadowing the atoning work of Christ (Hebrews 9:1-14).
Vestments and Insignia
The high priest wore special vestments that set him apart and symbolized his office:
- Ephod – An embroidered vest with gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread (Exodus 28:6-14)
- Breastpiece – Contained 12 gemstones engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel (Exodus 28:15-30)
- Robe – Worn underneath the ephod, woven completely of blue material (Exodus 28:31-35)
- Turban – Made of fine linen wrapped in a blue, purple, and scarlet sash (Exodus 28:36-39)
- Golden plate – Engraved with “Holy to the Lord” attached to the front of the turban (Exodus 28:36-38)
These distinctive garments set apart the high priest and his unique role as intercessor between God and His people. The chief priests likely wore simpler white linen robes when performing temple duties (Revelation 1:13).
Contrast with Jesus Christ
The author of Hebrews highlights several differences between the old priesthood under Aaron and the new, eternal priesthood under Jesus Christ:
- Imperfect priests versus Jesus the perfect, sinless priest (Hebrews 5:1-3; 7:26-28)
- Many priests due to death versus Jesus the permanent priest (Hebrews 7:23-25)
- Weak, sinful priests versus Jesus the powerful, exalted priest (Hebrews 7:26-28)
- Animal sacrifices versus Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:1-14)
- Earthly temple versus Jesus’ ministry in heaven itself (Hebrews 9:11-14, 23-28)
- Mediate a covenant by sacrifices versus Jesus mediates by His own blood (Hebrews 9:15-22)
Whereas the old priesthood was limited and temporary, Jesus fulfills the role of high priest perfectly and permanently as the mediator of the new covenant prophesied by Jeremiah (Hebrews 8:1-6).
Lessons for Today
Although the office of chief priest no longer exists, their example provides several lessons for religious leaders today:
- Guard against valuing power, prestige, or privilege over true spiritual leadership.
- Avoid jealousy of those working outside existing religious institutions.
- Uphold justice and integrity rather than defending institutions at all costs.
- Remember that large crowds and impressive buildings are not true measures of success.
- Prioritize careful study of Scripture over maintaining tradition.
- Point people to Jesus rather than drawing attention to yourself.
The chief priests allowed institutional stability to blind them to what God was doing through Jesus. Religious leaders today face the same temptation to value institutional power over God’s will. Like the chief priests, we must be careful not to oppose God’s work in our midst when it challenges our position or control. As the true high priest, Jesus is the only mediator we need between God and ourselves.
Names and Examples
The Bible mentions several chief priests by name who interacted with Jesus and the early church leaders:
- Annas – High priest from around 6-15 AD, questioned Jesus after his arrest (John 18:13-24)
- Caiaphas – High priest from 18-36 AD who presided at Jesus’ trial (Matthew 26:3-5, 57-68)
- Ananias – High priest around 47-58 AD, condemned Paul before the Sanhedrin (Acts 23:1-5)
- Theophilus – High priest from 37-41 AD, opposed the apostles (Luke 3:2; Acts 4:6)
- Eleazar – Son of Annas, high priest from 16-17 AD (John 18:13)
- Jonathan – Son of Annas, high priest from 36-37 AD (Josephus)
In addition, the Jewish historian Josephus mentions several other chief priests and members of high priestly families who lived around the time of Jesus and the early church.
Significance
As religious leaders in Jerusalem, the chief priests held considerable power and influence in Israel during New Testament times. The Gospels portray them as jealous opponents of Jesus who played a central role in conspiring against Him and convincing the Romans to crucify Him.
The chief priests saw Jesus as a threat to their authority and privilege. Their actions highlight the danger religious leaders face in defending institutions and power structures at the expense of obeying God. The chief priests provide a sobering example of how spiritual blindness and jealousy can lead to opposition to God’s work.
At the same time, Jesus willingly endured rejection by the chief priests and death on the cross out of love for humanity. Their actions fit into God’s larger plan of redemption. Jesus is now our great High Priest who intercedes for us in the heavenly temple. So the failure of Israel’s earthly priesthood ultimately points to the greater priestly work of Christ.
