Sanhedrin

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The Judgment of the Sanhedrin: He is Guilty! by Nikolai Ge, 1892

The Sanhedrin was the highest legislative body in ancient Jewish society and derives its name from the Greek word synedrion (συνέδριον),[1] which means sitting together. It held judicial authority and functioned as an autonomous body with political and administrative powers. The Sanhedrin existed in major cities throughout Judea, and the largest one in the Jerusalem Temple was called “Great Sanhedrin.” Sanhedrin in the Bible usually refers to the Great Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin, which had a significant role in Jewish society, was ultimately dissolved in AD 70 following the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple.

Origins of the Sanhedrin

The Great Sanhedrin in Jerusalem was composed of 70 members, a tradition traced back to the appointment of 70 elders by Moses.[2][3] While local assemblies of elders existed in earlier times to handle disputes and guide communities,[4] a fully-fledged institution resembling the Sanhedrin did not emerge until later. After the Babylonian exile, Ezra, the scribe and priest, along with Nehemiah, gathered governors and elders to form a governing body for guiding the people.[5] This body is believed to have evolved into the Sanhedrin during the period between the Old Testament and New Testament. After the prophet Malachi, no prophet who directly proclaimed God’s word appeared for about 400 years until Jesus Christ preached the gospel. During this time, the Jewish people relied on the Sanhedrin to make decisions on their affairs.

Composition

Illustration of ancient Jewish Sanhedrin council from an 1883 Encyclopaedia: The seats of the Sanhedrin were arranged in a semicircle around the high priest.

The Great Sanhedrin of Jerusalem Temple was chaired by the high priest and held the largest number of members, making it the highest authority. In major cities throughout Judea, smaller Sanhedrins of 23 members also existed. Council members primarily consisted of nobles, priests, and scribes.

Great Sanhedrin Sanhedrin
Location Temple of Jerusalem Major Cities
Composition 71 (70 general members + 1 president) 23 (general members)
  • President: High Priest
The high priest was originally a lifetime position, and its direct lineal descendants succeeded it. The Roman Empire, which ruled Judea, prohibited the succession of titles and directly involved in the appointment and dismissal of the high priest to curb their power. This led to situations where multiple high priests, including both active and former ones, coexisted.[6] During the trial of Jesus, the acting high priest was Caiaphas, but Roman soldiers and Jewish officials first brought Jesus to Annas, a former high priest. Annas is the one who served as the high priest from AD 6 to 15. After his retirement, he appointed his son-in-law Caiaphas as high priest, and supervised the Jerusalem Sanhedrin from behind the scenes.[7]
  • General Members
Originally, the Sanhedrin consisted of Sadducees and priestly nobles, but gradually the scribes and the Pharisees were included. The Jerusalem Sanhedrin included the high priests, elders, and teachers of the law, and most of them were the Pharisees or the Sadducees.[8][9][10][11][12] Joseph of Arimathea, who placed Jesus in the tomb, was also a member of the Sanhedrin.[13]

Functions of the Sanhedrin

The Sanhedrin, which was established to exercise religious and political autonomy, settled various conflicts in Jewish society and exercised judicial authority in accordance with the law. Even under Roman rule, it served as the chief legislative and judicial body for Israel. Decisions required unanimous agreement, and the council had both civil authority under Jewish law and administrative power, including issuing arrest orders.[14][15][16] However, the authority to impose capital punishment was reserved for the Romans.[17]

Sanhedrin in the New Testament

The Sanhedrin in the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles primarily refers to the Great Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. The key actions carried out here are as follows.

  • The Trial of Jesus
The Sanhedrin convicted Jesus of blasphemy and handed Him over to death on the cross.[18] According to the Jewish legal text Mishnah, the council was supposed to convene daily, except on the Sabbath and feast days, and only during daylight hours. Decisions were to be reviewed the following day to ensure justice and avoid errors. However, Jesus’ trial was an illegal deviation from these rules. It took place at night, in the courtyard of the high priest Caiaphas[19][20] rather than the designated meeting place, and no retrial was conducted.
  • The Trial of Apostles
The apostles of the early Church, who preached the gospel, were also summoned and interrogated by the Sanhedrin.[15][21]

Dissolution of the Sanhedrin

The Sanhedrin exerted great influence in the Jewish community. The Jewish War that broke out against Rome in AD 66 was centered on the Jerusalem Temple where the Great Sanhedrin was. In AD 70, the Roman army led by Titus suppressed the rebellion and destroyed the Temple of Jerusalem. Shortly thereafter, a new Sanhedrin was established at Jabneh (now, Yibna), led by the Pharisees, but it lacked political authority and differed significantly from the original Sanhedrin in its function and influence.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Strong's Greek: 4892. συνέδριον, BibleHub
  2. ↑ "Numbers 11:16–24".
  3. ↑ What Was the Sanhedrin?, Blue Letter Bible
  4. ↑ "2 Chronicles 19:7–20".
  5. ↑ "Ezra 10:7–8".
  6. ↑ "Luke 3:2".
  7. ↑ "John 18:12–14".
  8. ↑ "Mark 15:1".
  9. ↑ "Luke 22:66".
  10. ↑ "Acts 5:17–18".
  11. ↑ "Acts 5:21".
  12. ↑ "Acts 23:6".
  13. ↑ "Mark 15:43".
  14. ↑ "Mark 14:43".
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Acts 4:1–3".
  16. ↑ "Acts 9:1–2".
  17. ↑ "John 18:31".
  18. ↑ "Matthew 26:65–66".
  19. ↑ "Matthew 26:58–59".
  20. ↑ "John 11:47".
  21. ↑ "Acts 4:5–17".
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