Anna (Hanne), the Former High Priest
Hanne is the father-in-law of Caiphas (Joseph), the High Priest, the High Priest in office.
However, he seems to wield the real power in the Sanhedrin, both through his personal position (he is a former High Priest) and through the influential people he has placed there:
- Nahum, his trusted man, even his henchman,
- His son-in-law in the supreme pontificate.
- His sons: five of them have been or will become High Priests in turn.
One fact illustrates this hidden power: Eleazar ben Annas, his eldest son (also a former High Priest), becomes a rapist and murderer. Anna convenes a session of the Sanhedrin, which he manipulates through Caiphas. The rapist is acquitted, the crime covered up, and the innocent accuser imprisoned.[1]
Four other of his sons sit on the Sanhedrin in the priestly college: Ananias, Jonathas, Matthias, and Theophilus.
His hostility toward Jesus is evident from the beginning of Jesus’ public life. He is alerted by reports from the Pharisees of Galilee (for example[2]). But Anna takes a stand against Jesus only at his arrest. He conducts the preliminary interrogation ([3]). He is then "an old man".
John, who reports this, notes "that he was known to the High Priest, and that he went with Jesus into the High Priest’s palace."[4] Indeed, Anna had business relations with Zebedee, the father of the two Apostles James and John. John also recalls that his father reserved "the best fish" that he collected for the High Priest, a social obligation.
His condemnation is foretold by Jesus.[5]
His name
Hanân or Anne means "Grace, favor" – Historical: Name of the mother of Samuel the prophet.
Where is he mentioned in the work?
Apostolic Journey in Judea: GRM 70 GRM 85 The Last Shepherds: GRM 109Cycle of the Ten Commandments: GRM 123 End of Year Feasts: GRM 135
Sending the Apostles and Disciples on Mission: GRM 272
Phoenicia and Upper Galilee: GRM 334 GRM 342 The Penultimate Passover: GRM 365 GRM 376
The Resurrection of Lazarus: GRM 546 GRM 549 The Exile in Samaria: GRM 566 The Return to Jerusalem: GRM 577 GRM 581 GRM 582
Holy Week: 9.7 GRM 588 9.15 GRM 596 9.17 GRM 598 The Passion: GRM 604
Learn more about this character
Anna (Hanan, or Annas ben Seth) was appointed High Priest in 7 AD by Quirinius, governor of Syria. He was deposed in 15 by Valerius Gratus, procurator of Judea. However, the habit of calling him by his title remained. He was 37 years old at the time of his appointment. He was therefore 60 at the time of the trial of Jesus.
Bishops Augustin and Joseph Lemann remark about him:"For fifty years, the pontificate remained almost uninterruptedly in his Family; five of his sons successively assumed this dignity (Eleazar in 16/17; Jonathan (Jonathas) in 36/37 and 44; Theophilus in 37/41; Matthias in 42/43 and Ananias in 63, not to mention his son-in-law Caiphas and his grandsons Yehohanan (John), and Matthias). Thus this Family came to be called 'the priestly Family', as if the priesthood had become hereditary there".The major Temple offices also belonged to him. The historian Josephus reports that Anna was considered by the Jews to be the most fortunate man of his time. But he also notes that the Spirit in this Family was "proud, bold, cruel."[6]
Notes and references
Note: Quotations from the work of Maria Valtorta on this page currently use machine-translated text and will gradually be replaced by the official English translation. Until then, the official translation may be consulted through the reference link provided with each quotation.