Sanhedrin

Sanhedrin , ancient Jewish legal and religious institution in Jerusalem that appears to have exercised the functions of a court between c.63 BC and c.AD 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.

Bibliography: See H. Mantel, Studies in the History of the Sanhedrin (1961).

Sanhedrin (Heb. loan from Gk., sunhedrion). When or if it existed, the supreme political, religious and judicial body in Erez Israel during the Roman period. There is much scholarly discussion therefore as to the composition and function of the Sanhedrin, especially whether there were two or more ‘sanhedrins’, or councils, from which the impression of a single Sanhedrin was formed—in other words, the assimilation of councils into Sanhedrin would mean that the Sanhedrin as such never existed in the period of the second Temple.

Sanhedrin Ancient Jewish religious council, prominent in Jerusalem during the period of Roman rule in Palestine. The Great Sanhedrin is believed to have served as a legislative and judicial body on both religious and political issues. Jesus Christ appeared before the Sanhedrin after his arrest.