In the narrative of the synoptic gospels, after the arrest of Jesus, he is taken to the private residence of
Caiaphas, the high priest.
Matthew 26 (
Matthew 26:57) states that Jesus was taken to the house of
Caiaphas the
High Priest of Israel, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.
Mark 14 (
Mark 14:53) states that Jesus was taken that night "to the high priest" (without naming the priest), where all the chief priests and the elders gathered. According to John's gospel, Jesus was taken not to Caiaphas but to Annas, who questioned him only privately. A former high priest and father-in-law of Caiaphas, Annas remained very influential. The fact that Jesus was taken not to Caiaphas but to Annas is explained on the ground that the latter's palace was nearer the place of arrest than that of the former. Peter and other disciples, however, being ignorant of the state of affairs, went to Caiaphas's house in the night. In all four Gospel accounts, the trial of Jesus before the priests and scribes is interleaved with the
Denial of Peter narrative, where
Apostle Peter, who has followed Jesus, denies knowing him three times. The intercalated narrative of Jesus' resolute determination offers contrast to the
framing narrative of Peter's aggrieved denials (Mark 14:53–54, 14:66–72).
Luke 22 (
Luke 22:61) states that as Jesus was bound and standing at the priest's house Peter was in the courtyard. Jesus "turned and looked straight at him", and Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken to him: "Before the
rooster crows today, you will disown me three times." Although the Gospel accounts vary with respect to some of the details, they agree on the general character and overall structure of the trials of Jesus.
Mark 14:55–59 states that the chief priests sought witnesses to testify against Jesus but did not find any. Matthew characterizes these as false witnesses. Many gave false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. Finally two came forward and accused him of saying "I am able to destroy the temple and raise it again in three days". Theologian Eckhard J. Schnabel points out that if the Sanhedrin had wished to contrive false testimony they would have prepared the witnesses so that their statements would have confirmed rather than contradicted each other. In the Gospel accounts, Jesus speaks very little and gives very infrequent and indirect answers to the priests' questions, according to
John 18:22, prompting an officer to slap him. In
Matthew 26:62, the lack of response from Jesus prompts the high priest to ask him, "Answerest thou nothing?" In the Gospel accounts, the men holding Jesus at the high priest's house mock, blindfold, insult and beat him, sometimes slapping him and asking him to guess who had hit him.
Mark 14:61 states that the high priest then asked Jesus, "Art thou the
Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" And Jesus said, "I am", at which point the high priest tore his own robe in anger and accused Jesus of blasphemy. In
Matthew 26:63, the high priest said, "Tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus responded, "You have said it", and added, "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven", prompting the High Priest to tear his own robe, According to John,
Nicodemus was with Joseph of Arimathea to recover and bury Jesus' body, leading to the inference that he also dissented. == Morning arraignment and trial ==