Caiaphas had regarded Jesus as his rival. The eagerness of the people to hear the Saviour, and their apparent readiness to accept His teachings, had aroused the bitter jealousy of the high priest. But as Caiaphas now looked upon the prisoner, he was struck with admiration for His noble and dignified bearing. A conviction came over him that this Man was akin to God. The next instant he scornfully banished the thought. Immediately 705 his voice was heard in sneering, haughty tones demanding that Jesus work one of His mighty miracles before them. But his words fell upon the Saviour's ears as though He heard them not. The people compared the excited and malignant deportment of Annas and Caiaphas with the calm, majestic bearing of Jesus. Even in the minds of that hardened multitude arose the question, Is this man of godlike presence to be condemned as a criminal?

Kajfas havde betragtet Jesus som sin medbejler. Folkets iver efter at høre Frelseren tale og deres tilsyneladende villighed til at tage imod hans lære havde vakt en bitter skinsyge hos ypperstepræsten. Men da Kajfas nu betragtede fangen, blev han grebet af beundring over hans ædle og værdige optræden. Han følte sig overbevist om, at denne mand var beslægtet med Gud. I næste øjeblik viste han med hån denne tanke fra sig. Straks efter lød hans stemme hovmodigt og spottende, da han krævede, at Jesus skulle gøre et af sine undere for dem. Men det var, som om Frelseren slet ikke hørte, hvad han sagde. Folket sammenlignede Annas og Kajfas ophidsede og ondskabsfulde optræden med Jesu rolige, majestætiske holdning. Selv i denne forhærdede skares sind dukkede dette spørgsmål op: Skal dette menneske, der virker som en Gud, virkelig dømmes som en forbryder