The Sanhedrin that governed in Jesus' time was one of the principal players in his execution. The Sanhedrin was a group of religious leaders appointed to be judges for the people. While not traditionally involved in such shady practices as falsifying evidence in order to bring about someone's death, Jesus was doing much to disrupt their work and undermine their authority.
http://biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26:59&version=NIV
Topics: Religious Leaders, Sanhedrin, Judges, Council
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