Smith’s Bible Dictionary

Council

The great council of the Sanhedrin, which sat at Jerusalem. [SANHEDRIN]

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.

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.

Smith’s Bible Dictionary, William Smith (1863). Public domain, from the CrossWire SWORD module.