Two Jewish High Priests: Biblical Error or Historical Fact?

Both John and Luke indicate that there were two Jewish High Priests during the time of Jesus. Isn't this a Bible error? The Law of Moses specified only one high priest at a time. However, by examining the historical context, we see that this supposed problem is easily resolved.

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[survivaloptions]

It always amazes me that skeptics living 1 to 2 thousand years after the fact think that they know more about being a first century Jew living in the Holy Land than a first century Jew living in the Holy Land.

[FRodriguez_]

I love how a 1st century Jewish historian is countering 19th-21st century claims trying to disprove Christianity. God moves in mysterious ways! Blessings to you and your wonderful ministry. Keep up the good work!

[PyrBen]

What's up with this "guilty until proven innocent" mentality among Bible scholars?

[centurysince]

Another great video. It’s amazing how confident people (skeptics) can be about how exact functions were carried out 2000 years ago in a city that was completely leveled by the Romans in 70AD.

[tomteacher]

As there have been two popes, two dalai lamas etc. At a given times.

[MatthewChenault]

It’s also a good example of why something established in the Old Testament - hundreds of years prior - were altered by the Jews and the Romans by the time of the New Testament. Just because the high priest position is “for life” in the Old Testament period does not mean it would be the case in the New Testament period.

[ApolloV]

It’s like how sometimes there is a retired monarch along side the actual monarch. The retired monarch is still treated with the same respect as the reigning monarch. Except, in this case, the other high priest is a deposed former high priest. In a similar situation to what happened after Nebuchadnezzar deposed the king of Judah and replaced him with what Neb thought would be a loyal vassal king. You got the vassal king and the exilarch.

[northeastchristianapologet]

There’s how things are supposed to work and then there’s politics. Some things change but some things stay the same.

[SdaBoy]

Wait this is unlisted…. Am I a hacker?

[juancarlosaliba]

I think here, is that Annas was the de facto high priest while Caiaphas is the actual high priest.

So a de facto high priest and the actual high priest may work in the time of Jesus.

[lumix]

Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. I'm trusting in nothing but the blood of Jesus to pay for my sins to keep me out of hell. Just like accepting a plea bargain in court. Thank you LORD!

[gizmorazaar]

The content of your videos are so well-researched, and I appreciate being able to watch them and being filled in on historical debates that I didn't even know about before! They help me to become a more informed and better Christian. Thank you!

[exerciserelax]

Love how you are digging up all these old scholars who refute the modern skeptics.

[williamavitt]

This is no different than how from 2013 to 2022 there were 2 Popes. Yes, after the abduction of Benedict XVI, Francis was the Pope and had all papal authority. However, it was still proper to refer to Benedict XVI by his papal name and as "Holy Father" until his death

[jonathanccast]

When I clicked on this video, I thought it was about the time of David, when there very clearly were two high priests, Abiathar and Zadok.

[TheEpicProOfMinecraf]

This is a really cool video. I had never heard of either the objection nor the response before. I'm glad to see it!

I've also seen folks saying that Luke got Herod wrong in Acts, specifically because Agrippa, the grandson of one of the Herods, was reigning at the time. This has struck me as an odd objection and one that I think would be reasonable to address. The book I remember it from was Miller's (I think) text on Second Temple Judaism.

[SantaFe]

According to the Mosaic Law, the office of high priest was for life, but the Romans didn't about such the said legal code. There is supposed to be one pope at a time, but there was a time when there were three of them in office at once.

[AnHebrewChild]

Good video! Americans still call Barack Obama, "President Obama, " even though he is no longer the current presiding US President. Same goes for other past presidents.

For those who wish to do further digging into the question, John Gill's commentary on Luk3:2 is a great read. Gill includes other possibilities such as include Talmudic citations, for example,

GILL: It seems most likely therefore, that [Annas] was the "Sagan" of the priests, of which office mention is frequently made, in the Jewish writings; *_f._* yea, we often read of Chanina, or Chananiah, or Ananias, perhaps the same with this Annas, who is called, סגן כהנים, "the Sagan of the priests." *_g._* This officer was not a deputy high priest, or one that was substituted to officiate occasionally, in the room of the high priest, when any thing hindered him, or rendered him unfit for his office; as on the day of atonement, if the high priest contracted some pollution, they substituted another to minister. *_h._* This was not the "Sagan", but another priest; and even such an one was called an 'high priest, ' as appears from the following story: *_i._*
"It happened to Simeon ben Camhith (a predecessor of Caiaphas), that he went out to speak with the king, on the evening of the day of atonement, and the spittle was scattered from his mouth, upon his garments, and he was unclean; and his brother Judah went in, and ministered in his stead in the high priesthood... (etc, etc)"


——
*f.* Targum in 2 Kings xxiii. 4. & xxv. 18. & in Jer. xx. 1. 3. & xxix. 26, & lii. 24.

*g.* Mishnah. Shekalim, c. 6. sect. 1. T. Babylonian T. Yoma, fol. 8. 1. Juchasin, fol. 57. 1

*h.* Mishnah. Yoma, c. 1. sect. 1.

*i.* Talmud. Hieros. Yoma, fol. 38. 4. Megilla, fol. 72. 1. Horayot, fol. 47. 4. Talmud. Bab. Yoma, fol. 47. 1. Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 2. fol. 180. 3.

[hglundahl]

2:41 I think "high priest that year" refers to the liturgic functions of high priesthood.

That would explain if Zacharias was performing the High Priest role of Yom Kippur, even if (as I recall) he was not listed as a (ruling) high priest in Josephus.

[BramVanhooydonck]

Robert Tailor would also say "There's never but 1 pope."