Synedrion

Synedrion, from the Greek synedrion meaning “assembly” or “council,” is the term used in classical sources to refer to the supreme religious and legal authority of the Jewish people during the late Second Temple period. It is commonly identified with the Sanhedrin described in Jewish and Christian texts, and the Greek form appears in works such as Josephus, Philo, and the New Testament.

Two bodies are usually distinguished. The Great Sanhedrin or Grand Assembly consisted of 71 members and operated in Jerusalem, typically presided over by the Nasi (prince) with the Av Beit Din as deputy. The Lesser Sanhedrin, numbering 23 judges, functioned in various communities and handled many judicial matters at a local level. Members came from diverse scholarly and priestly backgrounds, including Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribal figures, and they interpreted and administered Jewish law.

Functions and authority of the synedrion included interpreting Torah, deciding legal questions, resolving matters of ritual and civil law, and, in theory, addressing capital offenses. However, Roman rule limited the power of the court, particularly in capital punishment, which often required imperial permission. The Sanhedrin also produced and maintained halakhic rulings and supervised religious practice in Jerusalem and the Temple complex.

The destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE markedly reduced the Sanhedrin’s influence. Over time, Jewish legal authority shifted to Rabbinic academies in the Land of Israel and, later, in Babylonia, which continued to study and apply Halakha in new contexts. In historical and scholarly usage, synedrion refers to this ancient institution as the central Jewish legal and ecclesiastical body of its era.