# Jewish authorities, Jewish leader

## Facts:

The term “Jewish leader” or “Jewish authority” refers to religious leaders such as the priests and teachers of God’s laws. They also had the authority to make judgments about non-religious matters as well.

* The Jewish leaders were the high priests, chief priests, and scribes (teachers of God’s laws).
* Two main groups of Jewish leaders were the Pharisees and Saduccees.
* Seventy Jewish leaders met together in the Jewish Council in Jerusalem to make judgments about matters of law.
* Many Jewish leaders were proud and thought they were righteous. They were jealous of Jesus and wanted to harm him. They claimed to know God but did not obey him.
* Often the phrase “the Jews” referred to the Jewish leaders, especially in contexts where they were angry at Jesus and were trying to trick or harm him.
* These terms could also be translated as “Jewish rulers” or “men who ruled over the Jewish people” or “Jewish religious leaders.”

(See also: [Jew](../kt/jew.md), [council](../other/council.md), [high priest](../kt/highpriest.md), [Pharisee](../kt/pharisee.md), [priest](../kt/priest.md), [Sadducee](../kt/sadducee.md), [scribe](../kt/scribe.md))

## Bible References:

* [Exodus 16:22-23](rc://en/tn/help/exo/16/22)
* [John 02:19](rc://en/tn/help/jhn/02/19)
* [John 05:10-11](rc://en/tn/help/jhn/05/10)
* [John 05:16](rc://en/tn/help/jhn/05/16)
* [Luke 19:47-48](rc://en/tn/help/luk/19/47)

## Examples from the Bible stories:

* __[24:03](rc://en/tn/help/obs/24/03)__ Many __religious leaders__ also came to be baptized by John, but they did not repent or confess their sins.
* __[37:11](rc://en/tn/help/obs/37/11)__ But the __religious leaders of the Jews__ were jealous, so they gathered together to plan how they could kill Jesus and Lazarus.
* __[38:02](rc://en/tn/help/obs/38/02)__ He (Judas) knew that the __Jewish leaders__ denied that Jesus was the Messiah and that they were plotting to kill him.
* __[38:03](rc://en/tn/help/obs/38/03)__ The __Jewish leaders__, led by the high priest, paid Judas thirty silver coins to betray Jesus.
* __[39:05](rc://en/tn/help/obs/39/05)__ The __Jewish leaders__ all answered the high priest, “He (Jesus) deserves to die!”
* __[39:09](rc://en/tn/help/obs/39/09)__ Early the next morning, the __Jewish leaders__ brought Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor.
* __[39:11](rc://en/tn/help/obs/39/11)__ But the __Jewish leaders__ and the crowd shouted, “Crucify him!”
* __[40:09](rc://en/tn/help/obs/40/09)__ Then Joseph and Nicodemus, two __Jewish leaders__ who believed Jesus was the Messiah, asked Pilate for Jesus’ body.
* __[44:07](rc://en/tn/help/obs/44/07)__ The next day, the __Jewish leaders__ brought Peter and John to the high priest and the other __religious leaders__.

## Word Data:

* Strong’s: G2453
