The Sanhedrin is a Greek word that literally means “joint meeting”, “meeting”. In fact, it is a college of senior officials who are going to solve administrative issues. In ancient Jews, the Sanhedrin is the highest religious organ, as well as the highest city court.
The term was spread in Judea in the Hellenistic era. A description of the powers of the Sanhedrin, the rules of conduct of its meetings and other related aspects are available in a treatise called “Sanhedrin”. The latter is included in the Mishnu - an integral part of the Talmud.
Several meanings
The Sanhedrin is a term that has several meanings. Among them are the following:
- In Ancient Judea, it is the highest collegial institution with judicial and political functions.
- The Pharisees have a council of two schools, such as shammites and hillelites. He sat until the destruction of Jerusalem and made decisions important to Judaism. He was called the Sanhedrin of eighteen decrees.
- In ancient Greece, it was an organ that was created by Philip II, the king of Macedonia, with the goal of leading the Corinthian Union.
- In France, under Napoleon, an advisory body composed of laymen and rabbis who drafted legislation concerning the Jewish population.
- The treatise contained in the fourth section of the Mishnah - Nezikine - and called "Sanhedrin".
- In Portugal, since 1818, the Sanhedrio is a secret society of a revolutionary liberal type, which consisted of masons and the military. His goal was to promote the introduction of liberalism in Portugal.
For a better understanding of the meaning of the word "Sanhedrin", the first of the above organs will be further considered. He existed in two forms.
Small Sanhedrin
Unlike the ordinary court, which consisted of three people, this body consisted of 23 people. He was entitled to conduct criminal trials. They issued verdicts providing for punishment as a punishment or the death penalty. At the same time, the decision to take deprivation of life required a majority of votes, and not less than two. Judgments were handed down the morning after the hearing.
The imposition of the death penalty by this authority was rather rare. This was due to the presence of many stringent procedural requirements.
Great Sanhedrin
Such an authority also existed in Jerusalem. He was the highest state institution (council) and the highest judicial institution among the Jews. Consisted of 71 members. The composition of the Sanhedrin resembled the aristocratic Senate: apparently, the students of its participants became its members. They got there by co-optation, which means introducing new people into the elected body by his own decision.
The Sanhedrin could include:
- koens are priests;
- Levites - representatives of the tribe of Levi;
- Jews who had a pedigree.
Proselites, i.e. strangers, were not allowed there.
Requirements for Participants
A number of requirements were imposed on the members of the Sanhedrin. These included the following:
- Lack of mutilation.
- Knowledge of the Torah.
- Language skills, basic science, crafts.
- Initiation in the customs of sorcerers and astrologers.
He presided over this Nashi body, which convened the meeting. It could be the high priest. The Sanhedrin gathered in a special hall, which was called the Hall of hewn stones. He was in Jerusalem at the Temple. In some special cases, the meetings were held in the Nashi house. Seats in the meeting were arranged so that the presiding judge could see all those present.
Functions
The discussion in the Great Sanhedrin was subject to the most important matters. These were questions concerning, for example:
- war and peace;
- replacing government posts;
- setting a calendar;
- liturgical institutions;
- judgments on the capacity of priests;
- false prophet cases;
- expansion of Jerusalem;
- restructuring of the Temple;
- trial of the whole city.
The influence of this institution could even extend to the king. Although it was believed that the king was not subject to trial, by and large the judicial power of this body also concerned royal monarchs. So, the king could not start a war without the consent of the Sanhedrin.
The right to life and death
Initially, the Sanhedrin - ancient sources confirm this - was a body that had the right to decide on the life and death of the accused. However, after the Romans conquered Judea, his power was limited. Although he could still impose the death penalty, to execute them it was necessary to obtain the consent of the Roman governor.
As stated in the Talmud, the Great Sanhedrin left the Temple 40 years before the latter was destroyed. Since one of the important conditions for the imposition of the death penalty was the presence of this body at the Temple, the executions ceased.
At the same time, a later commentary present in the Talmud does not exclude cases of the return of the Sanhedrin to its place. According to legend, this institution changed its stay ten times.
After the destruction of Jerusalem, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai restored the Sanhedrin in Yavne. But this was no longer a judicial body, but an academy of law, which had legislative functions. Under Theodosius II, Gamaliel VI, the last head of the institution, was stripped of all rights. With his death that followed in 425, the trail of the Sanhedrin finally disappeared.
In the new testament
As is known from the Gospel, it was the body under consideration, headed by Anna and Caiaphas, that Jesus Christ was condemned to death. The sentence of the Sanhedrin, after some hesitation, was approved by Pontius Pilate, Roman governor in Judea.
Among the members of the court were people who sympathized with Jesus. Later they were canonized in Christianity. The New Testament names such names as Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, who buried Christ, and Gamaliel. The latter was a teacher of the Apostle Paul.