People all over the world are in the second week of Lent in solidarity with the Christ of God and his passion to save the sinners. The sinners tried their best to eliminate their Savior. The sinners conspired, collaborated their evil tactics to do away with him because he was the Truth. Tom Houston, in his ‘Characters around the Cross’ characterizes Caiaphas the incumbent high priest and Annas, his father-in-law who Caiaphas had just succeeded , being entangled in nepotism of high order. For, all through the time Jesus was tried, condemned and crucified, Caiaphas as the high priest was the chief actor behind the scenes as well as on the stage. Both Annas and Caiaphas were Sadducees who did not believe in the Resurrection and so made a strong case with that belief in condemning Jesus. Annas was appointed as the high priest by the Roman authority in AD 7, but his son Eleazer replaced him. Eleazer had to dance to his father’s tune only. Eleazer was also deposed after two years but Caiaphas, was appointed and he officiated all through the trial and condemnation of Jesus. Even after Caiaphas tenure ended in A.D.37 Tom points out that four more sons of Annas were to succeed Caiaphas consecutively. This highest parliament of the Jews and the political machinery of the Romans on the Jews became a family parliament. The family even moved the court room from the traditional place to the house of the high priest in the market. This high office of the priests was held consecutively by the five sons and the son-in-law of Annas (roughly the first 60 years of the Christian Era). Annas’ family was not only wealthy but also well united, strong that they could grease even the strong hands of the Romans who had the authority to appoint or depose the high priest. The temple business that made Jesus angry was a very solid source of income for the priest’s family. Tom quotes the Talmud, that great Jewish book, where a curse on Annas family is recorded, “Woe to the sons of Annas, themselves high priests, their sons treasurers, their sons-in-law assistant treasurers, while their servants beat the people with sticks”. We can imagine the harsh condition which was behind the condemnation and crucifixion of Jesus. That was nepotism.
The word nepotism is said to have originated from the Latin word, nepotes, meaning ‘nephew’ in English. This nepotism is a pandemic all over the world and in some cultures the practice is called “brotherization” it is said. This term would make this practice clearer to many non English speaking communities except that it may sound like gender exclusive. It certainly includes women. We should see that a common institution is not brotherized, a government facility is not brotherized, because the rational law, the law of the land itself is for justice and equity. Moreover, have not the spiritual ideals inspired and formulated the Constitutions? For that matter, the church should never be brotherized in terms of both genderization of the ministers or using the church as employment centre for the family. The church accuses the government of nepotism while at times committing that same sin within the church. This is said here with due respect to those few who do not commit this sin.
The church should be staffed not following dynastic principle but by much prayers, seeking the direction of the Spirit. We have seen that the family of Annas and Caiaphas the high priest family snatched all the posts and the resources of the Temple.
Sadly, for the security of this brotherized system, for hoarding all the Temple resources by that family, for safeguarding their parochial belief (such as the negation of the Resurrection by the priestly family) Jesus was crucified by perversion of justice, as the prophet Isaiah foretold (Is.53:8). The Government and its laws are God’s instruments for maintaining peace, justice, and equity for all people. Humans at times grease the Government machinery for functioning smoothly to their favor. There are also times when the governments decide to remain silent. This is because most governments of the world are run on democratic principle and when the evil becomes majority the governments are thus voted down. While nepotism in its constructive level can be practiced it should never snatch or hoard facilities and resources of the rightful persons thus depriving them. Caring for the immediate family members is the obligation of all but in the process it should not break the law of love and equity. If nepotism in civil societies is considered bad it should be considered worse in the Church.
Ezamo Murry 5th Mile, Dimapur
