Governance of Israel
In the 10th century BCE, the Israelite kingdoms of Judah and Israel emerged. The Hebrew Bible states that these were preceded by a single kingdom ruled by Saul, David and Solomon, who is said to have built the First Temple.
INDEX:
INTRODUCTION:
The purpose of this page is to document and analyze the structure of governance for the children of Israel down through the ages. Since Scripture details how YHWH's people are supposed to behave towards authority, I think it is important to understand who that authority was and how it was structured.
NOTES:
1st CENTURY GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE:
(G) How the High Priest Spoke to the Audience that included the Pharisees
John 11:47 [NKJV], "Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, What shall we do? For this Man works many signs."
John 11:48, "If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation."
John 11:49, "And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, You know nothing at all, ..."
For the high priest to say to his audience that included the Pharisees, "you know nothing at all", it seems obvious that he had no fear of the Pharisees and there could hardly be any substance to the idea that the Pharisees had so much authority over the Temple that they could push him around as they might choose.
Treatise on the Biblical Calendar, second edition (abbreviated TBC2) by Herb Solinsky pg 71e
(H) Pilate's Understanding of the Chief Priests' Authority
Mark 15:10 [NKJV], "For he [Pilate] knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy."
"If the chief priests did not have primary authority, but instead the Pharisees controlled the Temple area, the chief priests would have had less reason to be envious of the authority exercised by the Nazarene through the miracles. Instead the Pharisees would have played a more prominent role during the trial due to their authority, and the Pharisees would have shown envy. Note that Mark 15:10 does not say, "The Pharisees had handed Him over", but instead, "the chief priests had handed Him over". The last two times in Matthew that the Pharisees are mentioned are Mat 23:39; 27:62, but the trial occurred between these places. The last time that the Pharisees are mentioned in the other three Gospels are Mk 12:13; Lk 19:39; John 18:3, but these are all before the trial began. Thus the Pharisees by name seem totally absent from the trial."
Treatise on the Biblical Calendar, second edition (abbreviated TBC2) by Herb Solinsky pg 72b
(I) The Role of Gamaliel
Acts 5:34 [NKJV], "Then one in the council [= Sanhedrin] stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel ..."
"If Gamaliel was the presiding officer of the Sanhedrin this would not merely say "one in the Sanhedrin". The language of the New Testament shows that Gamaliel was not the head of the Sanhedrin. Appendix A refers to the Babyonian Talmud concerning the title nasi and Gamaliel along with others in his lineage"
Treatise on the Biblical Calendar, second edition (abbreviated TBC2) by Herb Solinsky pg 72e
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
10"For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy." (KJV)
"If the chief priests did not have primary authority, but instead the Pharisees controlled the Temple area, the chief priests would have had less reason to be envious of the authority exercised by the Nazarene through the miracles. Instead the Pharisees would have played a more prominent role during the trial due to their authority, and the Pharisees would have shown envy."
47"Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles." (KJV)
48"If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation." (KJV)
49"And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all," (KJV)
"For the high priest to say to his audience that included the Pharisees, "you know nothing at all", it seems obvious that he had no fear of the Pharisees and there could hardly be any substance to the idea that the Pharisees had so much authority over the Temple that they could push him around as they might choose."
34"Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;" (KJV)
"If Gamaliel was the presiding officer of the Sanhedrin this would not merely say "one in the Sanhedrin"."
REFERENCE LINKS:
- Treatise on the Biblical Calendar, second edition (abbreviated TBC2) by Herb Solinsky (WWW.THEBIBLICALCALENDAR.ORG)