John Calvin Commentary John 18:13

"and led him to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year." — John 18:13 (ASV)

And led him away to Annas first. The other Evangelists omit this circumstance, because it does not greatly affect the substance of the narrative; for nothing was done there that was worth recording. Perhaps the convenience of the place induced them to imprison Christ in the house of Annas, until the high priest assembled the council.

The high priest of that year. He does not mean that the office of the high priesthood was annual, as many have wrongly supposed, but that Caiaphas was high priest at that time, which appears clearly from Josephus. By the command of the Law, this honor was for life, and ended only at the death of the one who held it; but ambition and internal strife gave the Roman governors opportunity to dethrone one high priest and put another in his place, as they pleased, either for money or for favor. Thus Vitellius deposed Caiaphas, and appointed Jonathan, the son of Annas, to be his successor.