The Jewish Virtual Library Tells Us:
The ancient Jewish court system was called the Sanhedrin. The Great Sanhedrin was the supreme religious body in the Land of Israel during the time of the Holy Temple. There were also smaller religious Sanhedrins in every town in the Land of Israel, as well as a civil political-democratic Sanhedrin.
The Sanhedrin judged accused lawbreakers, but could not initiate arrests. It required a minimum of two witnesses to convict a suspect. There were no attorneys. Instead, the accusing witness stated the offense in the presence of the accused and the accused could call witnesses on his own behalf. The court questioned the accused, the accusers and the defense witnesses.
The Great Sanhedrin dealt with religious and ritualistic Temple matters, criminal matters appertaining to the secular court, proceedings in connection with the discovery of a corpse, trials of adulterous wives, tithes, preparation of Torah Scrolls for the king and the Temple, drawing up the calendar and the solving of difficulties relating to ritual law. (1)
The Blue Letter Bible Says:
The Sanhedrin was a Jewish council of seventy-one members, (also called sages). They were patterned after the seventy elders that God established through Moses. In the gospels they are called, "the council of the elders." In Judea, they were under Roman authority and could not carry out capital punishment. This is why we find them sending Jesus to Pilate after they had condemned Him to death. They acknowledged to Pilate that they did not have the authority to execute anyone. When Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70 the Sanhedrin ceased to exist.
The word "Sanhedrin" is a combination of two Greek words meaning, "seated together." They were a ruling body of seventy-one members with the High Priest as the chief officer.
Were They Patterned After Moses?
The number was probably patterned after the seventy elders of Israel that the Lord established under Moses.
The Lord therefore said to Moses, "Gather for me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you" (Numbers 11:16).
The Council Of The Elders
They are called the "council of the elders" in the gospels.
At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them (Luke 22:66).
They Were Under Roman Authority
Since Israel was subject to the Romans in Jesus' day the Sanhedrin ruled under the Romans in civil and religious matters. They were not allowed to put anyone to death. Therefore they sent Jesus to Pontius Pilate to have Him put to death.
Now when morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus to put him to death; and they bound him, and led him away and delivered him to Pilate the governor (Matthew 27:1,2).
They Had No Right To Execute Jesus
They acknowledged to Pilate that they had no right to execute.
So Pilate came out to them and asked, "What charges are you bringing against this man?" "If he were not a criminal," they replied, "we would not have handed him over to you." Pilate said, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law." "But we have no right to execute anyone," the Jews objected. This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled John (John 18:29-32).
The Sanhedrin Was Abolished After Jerusalem Was Destroyed
The Sanhedrin was abolished after the city of Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed in A.D. 70. The control over the city of Jerusalem was no longer theirs. (2)
Author: Don Stewart.
Source: BlueLetterBible.org (2)
References For Further Study:
Sanhedrin - Jewish Encylopedia
Sanhedrin - Jewish Virtual Library (1)
Picture Source: Wikipedia
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