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Bible Dictionaries
Council, Councillor
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words
or "a uniting in counsel" (sun, "together," boule, "counsel, advice"), denotes (a) "counsel" which is given, taken and acted upon, e.g., Matthew 12:14 , RV, "took counsel," for AV, "held a council;" Matthew 22:15; hence (b) "a council," an assembly of counsellors or persons in consultation, Acts 25:12 , of the "council" with which Festus conferred concerning Paul. The governors and procurators of provinces had a board of advisers or assessors, with whom they took "counsel," before pronouncing judgment. See CONSULTATION.
properly, "a settling together" (sun, "together," hedra, "a seat"), hence, (a) "any assembly or session of persons deliberating or adjusting," as in the Sept. of Psalm 26:4 (lit., "with a council of vanity"); Proverbs 22:10; Jeremiah 15:17 , etc.; in the NT, e.g., Matthew 10:17; Mark 13:9; John 11:47 , in particular, it denoted (b) "the Sanhedrin," the Great Council at Jerusalem, consisting of 71 members, namely, prominent members of the families of the high priest, elders and scribes. The Jews trace the origin of this to Numbers 11:16 . The more important causes came up before this tribunal. The Roman rulers of Judea permitted the Sanhedrin to try such cases, and even to pronounce sentence of death, with the condition that such a sentence should be valid only if confirmed by the Roman procurator. In John 11:47 , it is used of a meeting of the Sanhedrin; in Acts 4:15 , of the place of meeting.
Joseph of Arimathaea is described as "a councillor of honorable estate," Mark 15:43 , RV; cp. Luke 23:50 (not as AV, "counsellor").
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Vines, W. E., M. A. Entry for 'Council, Councillor'. Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ved/c/council-councillor.html. 1940.
