COURTS of Justice
COURTS of Justice
- Have authority from God # Ro 13:1-5
- SUPERIOR COURT 2a) Held first by Moses alone in the wilderness
# Ex 18:13-20
2b) Consisted subsequently of priests and Levites # De 17:9 Mal 2:7 2c) Presided over by the governor or the high priest # De 17:12 Jud 4:4,5 2d) Held at the seat of government # De 17:8 2e) Decided on all appeals and difficult cases # Ex 18:26 De 1:17 17:8,9 2f) Decisions of, conclusive # De 17:10,11 3) INFERIOR COURT 3a) In all cities # De 16:18 2Ch 19:5-7 3b) Held at the gates # Ge 34:20 De 16:18 21:19 Job 5:4 3c) Judges of, appointed by the governor # Ex 18:21,25 De 1:9-15 2Sa 15:3 3d) All minor cases decided by # Ex 18:26 2Sa 15:4 3e) All transfers of property made before # Ge 23:17-20 Ru 4:1,2 4) Re-established by Jehoshaphat # 2Ch 19:5-10 5) Re-established by Ezra # Ezr 7:25 6) SANHEDRIM OR COURT OF THE SEVENTY 6a) Probably derived from the seventy elders appointed by Moses # Ex 24:9 Nu 11:16,17,24-30 6b) Mentioned in the latter part of sacred history # Lu 22:66 Joh 11:47 Ac 5:27 6c) Consisted of chief priest, &c # Mt 26:57,59 6d) Presided over by high priest # Mt 26:62-66 6e) Sat in high priest’s palace # Mt 26:57,58 7) OF THE ROMANS IN JUDEA 7a) Presided over by the governor or deputy # Mt 27:2,11 Ac 18:12 7b) Place of, called the hall of judgment # Joh 18:28,33 19:9 7c) Never interfered in any dispute about minor matters or about religion # Ac 18:14,15 7d) Could alone award death # Joh 18:31 7e) Never examined their own citizens by torture # Ac 22:25-29 7f) Appeals from, made to the emperor # Ac 25:11 26:32 28:19 8) Generally held in the morning # Jer 21:12 Mt 27:1 Lu 22:66 Ac 5:21 9) Sometimes held in synagogues # Mt 10:17 Ac 22:19 26:11 Jas 2:2 10) PROVIDED WITH 10a) Judges # De 16:18 10b) Officers # De 16:18 Mt 5:25 10c) Tormentors or executioners # Mt 18:34 11) JUDGES OF 11a) Called elders # De 25:7 1Sa 16:4 11b) Called magistrates # Lu 12:58 11c) Rode often on white asses # Jud 5:10 11d) To judge righteously # Le 19:15 De 1:6 11e) To judge without respect of persons # Ex 23:3,6 Le 19:15 De 1:17 Pr 22:22 11f) To investigate every case # De 19:18 11g) Not to take bribes # Ex 23:8 De 16:19 11h) To judge as for God # 2Ch 19:6,7,9 11i) To decide according to the law # Eze 44:24 11j) To promote peace # Zec 8:16 11k) Sat on the judgment-seat while hearing causes # Ex 18:13 Jud 5:10 Isa 28:6 Mt 27:19 11l) Examined the parties # Ac 24:8 11m) Conferred together before giving judgment # Ac 5:34-40 25:12 26:30,31 11n) Pronounced the judgment of the court # Mt 26:65,66 Lu 23:24 Ac 5:40 12) Both the accusers and accused required to appear before # De 25:1 Ac 25:16 13) CAUSES IN, WERE OPENED BY 13a) The complainant # 1Ki 3:17-21 Ac 16:19-21 13b) An advocate # Ac 24:1 14) THE ACCUSED 14a) Stood before the judge # Nu 35:12 Mt 27:11 14b) Permitted to plead their own cause # 1Ki 3:22 Ac 24:10 26:1 14c) Might have advocates # Pr 31:8,9 Isa 1:17 14d) Exhorted to confess # Jos 7:19 14e) Examined on oath # Le 5:1 Mt 26:63 14f) Sometimes examined by torture # Ac 22:24,29 14g) Sometimes treated with insult # Mt 26:67 Joh 18:22,23 Ac 23:2,3 14h) The evidence of two or more witnesses required in # De 17:6 19:15 Joh 8:17 2Co 13:1 14i) Witnesses sometimes laid their hands on the criminal’s head before punishment # Le 24:14 15) False witnesses in to receive the punishment of the accused # De 19:19 16) Corruption and bribery often practised in # Isa 10:1 Am 5:12 8:6 17) THE JUDGMENT OF 17a) Not given till accused was heard # Joh 7:51 17b) Recorded in writing # Isa 10:1 17c) Immediately executed # De 25:2 Jos 7:25 Mr 15:15-20 17d) Witnesses first to execute # De 17:7 Ac 7:58 17e) Allusions to # Job 5:4 Ps 127:5 Mt 5:22 17f) Illustrative of the last judgment # Mt 19:28 Ro 14:10 1Co 6:2