The High Priests
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The high priests were appointed by the government and were supposed to hold office for life; but in reality, they were constantly deposed and replaced. Josephus counts twenty-eight from the accession of Herod the Great until the destruction of Jerusalem. We can readily identify twenty-seven whose names are listed below.[1]
Appointed by Herod the Great (37-4 BC)
1. Ananel or Hannanel (-37 to -36)
2. Aristobulus (Judah Aristobulus III) (-35). He was the legitimate heir to the High Priesthood, as a member of the Hasmonean family, but he was only sixteen; Herod then chose Ananel. Aristobulus was the younger brother of Mariamne Maccabee, Herod’s wife, and therefore the king’s brother-in-law. Herod appointed him at the urging of Alexandra, his mother-in-law, then had him executed. Ananel then served as high priest for a second time (-34 to -30).
3. Jesus or Joshua ben Phabi (-30 to – 23). Herod removed the high priesthood from him to give it to his father-in-law Simon, on his marriage to Mariamne II.
4. Simon ben Boethus (or Boëthus), father of Queen Mariamne II (circa 24 to 5 BC). According to other data, the high priest, the king’s father-in-law, would have been Boethus himself. It would therefore be the High Priest who welcomed the young Mary to the Temple and married her a few years later. Not to be confused with his namesake and probably his relative: Simon Boetos, contemporary of Christ.
5. Matthias (or Mattathiah), son of Theophilus (5-4 BC)
6. Joasar, (Yoasar) ben Boethus (4 BC - 1-2 AD). Brother or son of Simon (see above § 4). He will be appointed a second time: see below § 8.
Appointed by Archelaus (4 BC - 6 AD)
7. Eleazar, brother of Joasar, son of Boethus (1-2 AD)
8. Jesus (Joshua), ben Sie then Joasar for the second time (1/2-6 AD)
"These last high priests were insignificant and had no influence. We believe (and this is an opinion we defended in chapter four of the first book of this work) that the famous Hillel was at that time president of the Sanhedrin. Having come to Jerusalem thirty-six years before Jesus Christ, he would have begun his presidency around the year thirty. According to some, he died in the year five BC, and according to others in the year ten AD".[2]
Appointed by Quirinius (6 AD)
9. Ananos (Josephus), Hannas (New Test.), in Hebrew Hanan, son of Seth (6-15 AD)"Hanan was, in our opinion, the first high priest to preside over the Sanhedrin. Hillel had died; the government had just passed to the Romans who wished to directly control the Sanhedrin by having its president in their hands. Hanan was powerful, the Pharisees marginalized as official power; everything explains and justifies this transfer of presidency".[3]
Appointed by Valerius Gratus (15-26 AD)
10. Ismael Ben Phabi I (15-16 AD)
11. Eleazar ben Hanan (16-17 AD). The eldest son of High Priest Anna who, besides his own pontificate, was the father of five high priests (Eleazar, Jonathan, Theophilus, Matthias, and Hanan in 63) as well as the father-in-law of Caiaphas
12. Simon ben Kamithos (17-18 AD)
13. Joseph, nicknamed Kaiaphas or Caiaphas (18-36 AD). He was the son-in-law of Hanan
Appointed by Vitellius (35-39 AD)
14. Jonathan ben Annas (36-37 AD)
15. Theophilus ben Hanan (38-42 AD)
Appointed by Agrippa I (41-44), the king who triggered the first anti-Christian persecution
16. Simon Kantheros, son of Boethus (42 AD, a few months)
17. Matthias ben Hanan (42-43)
18. Elionaios ben Kantheros (43-44)
Appointed by Herod of Chalcis (44-48)
19. Joseph ben Kamithos (44-46)
20. Ananias ben Nebedaios (circa 47-59)
Appointed by Agrippa II (50-100)
21. Ismael ben Phabi II (circa 59-61 AD)