Bible Lexicons

Αννας (WH Ἅννας, see their Introductory § 408), Αννα (on this genitive cf. Winer's Grammar, § 8, 1, p. 60 (59)), ὁ (in Josephus, Ἀνανος; from Hebrew חָנַן to be gracious), a high priest of the Jews, elevated to the pontificate by Quirinius the governor of Syria circa A.D. 6 or 7; but afterward, A.D. 15, deposed by Valerius Gratus, the procurator of Judaea, who put in his place, first Ismael, son of Phabi, and shortly after Eleazar, son of Annas. From the latter, the office passed to Simon; from Simon circa A.D. 18 to Caiaphas (Josephus, Antiquities 18, 2, 1f); but Annas, even after he had been put out of office, continued to have great influence: John 18:13, 24. This explains the mistake (but see references below (especially to Schürer), and cf. ἀρχιερεύς, 2) by which Luke, in his Gospel (according to the true reading ἀρχιερέως) and in Acts 4:6, attributes to him the pontificate long after he had been removed from office. Cf. Winers RWB under the word Annas; Keim in Schenkel i., p. 135f; Schürer in the Zeitschr. für wissensch. Theol. for 1876, p. 580f (also in his Neutest. Zeitgesch. § 23 iv.; and BB. DD. under the word).