Problem: Whom did Jesus see first upon His arrest, Annas or Caiaphas? It was Annas.
Solution: Led to Caiaphas (Matthew 26:57) – “And those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.”
Led from Annas to Caiaphas (John 18:19,24) – “The high priest therefore questioned Jesus about His disciples, and about His teaching . . . 24Annas therefore sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.”
At the time of Jesus there were two high priests: Annas and Ciaphas. Luke 3:2 says, “in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.” Also, Acts 4:5-6 says, “And it came about on the next day, that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem; 6and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of high-priestly descent.” John 18:19 says that the high priest questioned Jesus and then in verse 24 it says that Annas (supposedly the high priest of verse 19), sent Jesus to Caiaphas who was, as we have seen, also High Priest. Furthermore, when Matthew 26:57 says that Jesus was led to Caiaphas, it is not denying that He first saw Annas.
Therefore, Annas saw Jesus first, and then He was sent to see Caiaphas.
