Jesus’ High Priestly Inquisitor in John Eighteen

The depiction of Jesus' inquisition before "the high priest" in John 18 is ambiguous. Scholars have long puzzled over the sequence of events and questioned whether Annas or Caiaphas is the examiner. They have sought to clarify the pericope by, among other approaches, rearranging the events grammatically or via textual emendation. This essay explores these approaches and concludes that a narrative-critical reading that preserves the traditional textual arrangement and credits John’s intended audience with a shared knowledge extending beyond the text, is preferable.