Tribunal

TRIBUNAL. The Place where judicial Proceedings are exercised and administred. Moses appointed,¹ that in every City there should be Judges and Magistrates, who should hear and determine Differences that might arise in the Country: And that if any thing of difficulty should occur, it should be referred to the Place which the Lord should chuse, and be laid before the High-Priest, or Priests of the Race of Aaron, and before the Judge that the Lord should raise up there for the time being. See what is said before, in the Articles JUDGE, and SANHEDRIM. The Rabbins pretend, that there were three kinds of Tribunals in Israel; one of three Judges, another of twenty -three, and another of sixty. The Tribunal of three Judges was in every Village, and determined Causes where only Money Matters, and ordinary Affairs were concerned: The Tribunal of three and twenty Judges was kept in Cities, and could take cognizance of Matters relating to Life and Death. Lastly, the xvii. 31.third Tribunal of sixty, was singular, being held only at Jerusalem, in one of the Apartments in the Temple. This is what the Jews call the great Sanhedrim, to the Authority of which, even the King, the High-Priest, the Tribes of Israel, the false Prophets, and the Affairs of Religion, were subject. The Rabbins affirm, that the Privilege of judging in capital Causes was taken away from this Council forty Years before the Destruction of the City and Temple of Jerusalem; that is to say, in the 30th Year of the Vulgar Æra, and seven Years before the Death of our Saviour. Wherefore the Jews said then to Pilate, that it was not permitted them to condemn any one to death: It is not lawful for us to put any man to death.

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