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Kingdom Administration, part 3

The Jerusalem Council (Sanhedrin)

Sometime during the second century B.C., the Jews set up The Council, known also as the Sanhedrin (Greek equivalent). The Jerusalem Sanhedrin arose during the 400 years of “silence” after the post-exilic prophets—Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi—had all passed away, along with Ezra and Joshua the high priest. During those centuries, no prophets arose in Judea who could organize and lead an authoritative body of Spirit-filled judges who could receive revelation to clarify the laws.

There is no single founding date, but by the first century B.C., it was already firmly established. Based upon the precedent set by Moses in Numbers 11:16, 17, where Moses appointed 70 judges, The Jerusalem Council totaled 71members, including the high priest as president, according to later Jewish tradition.

Following the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, the Jerusalem Sanhedrin ceased to exist in its original form. According to rabbinic sources, it was reconstituted at Jamnia (Yavneh) under the leadership of Johanan ben Zakkai. Until 70 A.D. the Jerusalem Sanhedrin had exercised judicial, legislative, and to some extent political authority under Roman oversight.

The Yavneh Sanhedrin had little or no civil authority, since Judea was now under direct Roman military rule. This body functioned primarily as a religious and legal authority rather than a political court and later moved to Usha, Sepphoris, and Tiberias. It eventually disappeared, traditionally in the fifth century A.D.

The Council, as established by Moses, was supposed to function as an extension of Moses’ own authority and revelation. God told him, “I will take of the Spirit who is upon you and will put Him upon them” (Numbers 11:17). The problem, of course, has always been that human nature and the carnal mind creep into even the best organizations over a period of generations. Men continue to enjoy the privileges of reputation and scholarship, while the Holy Spirit’s influence declines.

Church Councils

When Jesus finally arrived on the scene, he was the Anti-type of Moses (Deuteronomy 18:18, 19; Acts 3:22, 23), setting the stage for a Council under the New Covenant. His disciples were trained to judge the twelve tribes of Israel, and there was also a larger body of “the seventy” (Luke 10:1, 17), running parallel to the 70 that Moses had appointed.

These were meant to replace the Sanhedrin, which had been disqualified by its rejection and condemnation of the Messiah (Mark 14:55).

The underlying problem was that during the previous 400 years, with no prophet to bring them light, “the traditions of men” gradually replaced the laws of God (Matthew 15:9 KJV). These traditions were men’s carnal understanding of the law, rather than the law itself. More than that, these traditions were based on an Old Covenant mindset which needed an upgrade, as Jesus Himself set forth in His “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7). The Sanhedrin was unable or unwilling to implement the changes that were necessary when the Anti-type of Moses arrived. These changes are set forth in greater detail in the book of Hebrews.

Hence, Christ trained His own Council members, and when the dispute arose over physical circumcision (Acts 15:1), the first New Covenant Council was held at Jerusalem (49 A.D.). Peter, Paul, and Barnabas were prominent members of this Council, and James presided. The decision is set forth in writing in Acts 15:15-21, and copies of a written letter was given to the apostles as proof to those who were not present at the gathering (Acts 15:23-29).

The second Council was the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D., followed by the Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D. Unfortunately, by this time, the apostles had been dead for centuries, and the Holy Spirit was no longer influential among most church leaders. If there were any genuine members of Christ’s Council, they were overwhelmed by carnal men who made deals and compromises with their opponents. Many even sold their votes, much like politicians do to this day.

Virtually all historians agree with this assessment, and yet the traditions of the church elders continue to be considered as absolute truth, as if the Holy Spirit had ratified their doctrines and behavior. Hence, Jewish traditions were replaced by Christian traditions, and very quickly, were enforced by death penalty threats for any deviation from Church Council decisions. In the end, more people were executed as dissenting Christians than were ever executed by the earlier Jewish Councils.

Jeremiah put his finger on the problem in his day, but his admonition fully applies to the Church to this day. Jeremiah 23:18-22 says,

¹⁸ But who has stood in the Council [sôd] of the Lord, that he should see and hear His word? Who has given heed to His word and listened? … ²⁰ The anger of the Lord will not turn back until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart; in the last days you will clearly understand it. ²¹ I did not send these prophets, but they ran. I did not speak to them, but they prophesied. ²² But if they had stood in My Council [sôd], then they would have announced My words to My people and would have turned them back from their evil way and from the evil of their deeds.

This seems to imply that “My Council,” being “secret, hidden” (Amos 3:7), was not the same as the visible Council that was acceptable to the temple priests and well known among the people. Just because a Council (organization) can trace its origins back to Moses (or to Christ) does not mean it continues to be legitimate in God’s eyes. More than that, just because such Councils consist of prophets does not necessarily mean that they are legitimate.

Even prophets, who have a genuine gift, can disagree with God and interpret the Word according to their own intellect (carnal minds). The Word and our understanding of the Word are two different things. How God defines words may be different from men’s definitions. This is a language barrier. There are times when a prophet is given a genuine prophecy, but then misunderstands it, because his definitions differ from God’s definitions.

A helpful study of such key words can be read here:

https://godskingdom.org/studies/books/key-words-in-the-bible/