The Sanhedrin

Today we continue our walk towards Holy Week and the activities which transpired during that time. The Sadducees and the Pharisees had a work venue called the Sanhedrin.

(sănhĕd‘rĭn) , ancient Jewish legal and religious institution in Jerusalem that appears to have exercised the functions of a court between c.63 B.C. and c.A.D. 68. The accounts of it in the Mishna do not correspond to those in Josephus or in the New Testament. Rabbinic sources generally portray it as a body of Torah scholars presided over by the leader of the Pharisees. Greek sources view it as an aristocratic council led by the high priest. Some sources describe a body of 71 members, others of 23 members. Some scholars maintain that there probably were two Sanhedrins—one political and civil, and the Great Sanhedrin, purely religious. In 1807, Napoleon appointed a “French Sanhedrin” of 71 members, made up of both rabbis and laymen, to consider the relationship between Jews and the state.BibliographySee H. Mantel, Studies in the History of the Sanhedrin (1961).

Early Christianity

In the Gospels

Main article: Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus

The Sanhedrin is mentioned frequently in the Gospels. According to the Gospels, the council conspired to have Jesus killed by paying one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, thirty pieces of silver in exchange for delivery of Jesus into their hands. When the Sanhedrin was unable to provide evidence that Jesus had committed a capital crime, the Gospels states that witnesses came forward and accused the Nazarene of blasphemy — a capital crime under Mosaic law. But, because the Sanhedrin was not of Roman authority, it could not condemn criminals to death, according to John 18:31, but this claim is disputed, for example Acts 6:12 records them ordering the stoning of Saint Stephen and also James the Just according to Antiquities of the Jews 20.9.1. The Jesus Seminar’s Scholars Version translation notes for John 18:31: “it’s illegal for us: The accuracy of this claim is doubtful.”

Circa 30 CE, the Gospels continues, Jesus was brought before the Roman governor of Judaea Province, Pontius Pilate, for decision. The Christian account says that Pilate disagreed with the Sanhedrin’s decision, and found no fault — but that the crowd demanded crucifixion. Pilate, it is speculated, gave in because he was concerned about his career and about revolt — and conveyed the death sentence of crucifixion on Jesus. For more information on this subject, see Jesus’ Roman Trial.

It should be noted, however, that the New Testament also claims certain members of the Sanhedrin as followers of Jesus. Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea are two such men that are named in the Gospels.

The Christian accounts of the Sanhedrin, and the role the council played in the crucifixion of Jesus, is frequently cited as a cause of Christian anti-Semitism, and is thus normally considered a sensitive topic.

A Sanhedrin also appears in Acts 4-7 and 22:30-23:24, perhaps the one led by Gamaliel.

As you might have guessed by now, the main reasons I placed these topics on the blog was because I knew I had a vague grasp of this material.

There is an abundance of fascinating material on the internet. I got this material from www.answers.com and www.wikipedia.com. I hope you enjoyed this material

Carol

Bible Breath: Preach gospel / To all nations