Interesting Facts
The Sanhedrin
PrintQuestion:
Just prior to His last Passover, Jesus told His disciples that He would “be delivered up to be crucified” (Mt 26:2). During this time, the chief priests, scribes and elders assembled at the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest, and plotted to kill the Messiah (Mt 26:4; Mk 14:1; Lk 22:2). I am under the belief that this group made up what was called the Sanhedrin. Is this true and what was the Sanhedrin?
Our Answer:
Note: the Sanhedrin was the highest Jewish judicial body during the Greek and Roman periods. It has been suggested that it was composed of seventy members plus the high priest. Nothing is known of the way in which vacancies to this tribunal were filled; however, members of the Sanhedrin probably held office for life, and successors were likely appointed either by existing members or by the leading political authorities. They were apparently drawn from three classes: the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders.
