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Bible Encyclopedias
Ananus
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or (῎Ανανος , prob. a Greek form of Hanan, q.v.), the name of several men in Josephus.
1. The senior of that name, whose five sons all enjoyed the office of high- priest (Josephus, Ant. 20, 9, 1), an office that he himself filled with the greatest fidelity (War, 4:3, 7). He is probably the same as Ananus, the son of Seth, who was appointed highpriest by Cyrenius (Ant. 23, 2, 1), and removed by Valerius Gratus (ib. 2). He is apparently the ANNAS (See ANNAS) (q.v.) mentioned in the Gospels.
2. Son of the preceding, high-priest three months, A.D. 62, by appointment of Agrippa (Josephus, Ant. 20, 9, 1). He was a man extremely bold and enterprising, of the sect of the Sadducees; who, thinking it a favorable opportunity, after the death of Festus, governor of Judaea, and before the arrival of Albinus, his successor, assembled the Sanhedrim, and therein procured the condemnation of James, the brother (or relative) of Christ, who is often called the bishop of Jerusalem, and of some others, whom they stigmatized as guilty of impiety, and delivered to be stoned. This was extremely displeasing to all considerate men in Jerusalem, and they sent privately to King Agrippa, who had just arrived in Judaea, entreating that he would prevent Ananus from taking such proceedings in future. He was, in consequence, deprived of his office. He was exceedingly active in opposing the Zealots (Josephus, Life, 38; War, 4, 3, 9-14), and, in consequence, was put to death at Jerusalem at the beginning of the Jewish wars, A.D. 67 (ib. 4, 5, 2).
3. Son of Bamadus, the most barbarous of all the guards of Simon the tyrant during the final siege of Jerusalem (Josephus, War, 5,13, 1). He was from Emmaus, and deserted to the Romans before the capture of the city (ib. 6, 4, 2).
4. A governor (of the Temple), sent by Quadratus as a prisoner to Rome, along with the high-priest Ananias (Josephus, Ant. 20, 6, 2); called in the parallel passage (War, 2, 12, 6) the son of this Ananias. He was perhaps the same elsewhere (War, 2, 19, 5) called the son of Jonathan (comp. War, 2, 12, 5).
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McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Ananus'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/a/ananus.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
