1. The great council of the Sanhedrin, which sat at Jerusalem. [SANHEDRIN]
2. The lesser courts, ( Matthew 10:17 ; Mark 13:9 ) of which there were two at Jerusalem and one in each town of Palestine. The constitution of these courts is a doubtful point. The existence of local courts, however constituted, is clearly implied in the passages quoted from the New Testament; and perhaps the "judgment," ( Matthew 5:21 ) applies to them.
3. A kind of jury or privy council, ( Acts 25:12 ) consisting of a certain number of assessors, who assisted Roman governors in the administration of justice and in other public matters.