MEDITATION ON OUR LORD'S PASSION: The Twelfth Meditation Of The Acts In Annas House, And His Sending To Caiphas

DÜRER, Albrecht 

Small Passion: 12. Christ before Annas 

1511

And they brought Jesus first to Annas, for he was father in law to Caiphas, who was the high Priest of that year: And Caiphas was he, which gave counsaile to the Jews: Because it is necessary that one man dye for the people Jo.11.49.

Consider first that Christ was brought to Annas, either because he should be carried to his father in law Caiphas, an old man, which should succeed the next year in the high priesthood, and dwelling in the way to the high Priests house, or else for the traitor, to whom (as Saint Cyrill saith) Annas was appointed by the Priests to pay the reward of his treason, for the taking of our Lord.

Behold thou the affections of every man; the cruel joy of this most wicked Annas, triumphing that at the last his enemy was taken, the flattering congratulations of the Soldiers, the covetousness of Judas having now received his money, the modesty of Christ and his cheerful mind to suffer for thee.

Consider secondly that mention is here made of the council which Caiphas game, for the putting of Christ to death; that it may be showed that he persecuted his death who first gave the counsel of his death.

Secondly that thou waist learn that all things which our Lord suffered in his passion, did not happen unto him so much by human counsaile, as by the will of God. For those words of the death our Lord, although Caiphas uttered them out of a wicked mind, yet he spake them by the instinct of the holy Ghost, who useth to apply the words of the wicked for the profit of the just, & that he might teach thee, that God the Father enjoyed, & God the Son took upon him this cruel passion, only for the love of mankind, that thou again might be carried into the love of God with all thy heart & mind.

Thirdly that thou maist know, that God never forgetteth sins past, though perhaps they are out of thy mind. For all things are kept in memory, and an account shall be demanded at the hour of death.

Fr. Francis Costerus S.J. 1616