The Sanhedrin Issues Rough Judgements

In Acts, Chapter 6 and 7, a righteous believer named Stephen is accused of blaspheming the Temple and the Law of Moses by "the Assembly of the Freedmen". They stir up the crowds and they arrest him and bring him to the Sanhedrin where Stephen gives a long and passionate speech about the history of Israel.

I always thought Stephen's speech was directed at the Sanhedrin and that the Sanhedrin stoned him. But reading more closely, Stephen's testimony was directed towards the FALSE WITNESSES.

Yeshua Endorsed the Sanhedrin?

Yeshua and his disciples respected the authority of the Sanhedrin, even when they were severely mistaken.

But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the SANHEDRIN: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Matthew 5:22

Righteous Judges

Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimethia were also of the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin in was Jerusalem was not mentioned in the Gospels, as the trial of Yeshua was a "sanhedrin" of the pharisees and chief priests that condemned Yeshua.

The Sanhedrin is mentioned in Acts 5 and Acts 7. We hear Gamaliel speak from his position on the Sanhedrin in Acts 5. In Acts 5, the apostles were arrested for preaching in the Temple, but when they were about to be brought before the SANHEDRIN, the prison cell was already empty, an angel releasing them that they may preach further in the Temple. He said:

And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. Acts 5:38-39

The People, The Elders, The Scribes of Jerusalem

Stephen was not making his case to the Sanhedrin, he responds to their question "are these things so?" by turning to his accusers, and rather than defend himself, he shows how they are the ones blaspheming the law! Who are the false witnesses? The people, the elders, and the scribes of Jerusalem.

And they [those from the assembly of the freedmen] stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon [Stephen], and caught him, and brought [him] to the Sanhedrin. Acts 6:12

Who are these people who caught Stephen and brought him to the Sanhedrin? The same people the Pharisees call "cursed" for not knowing the Law! Yet Nicodemus warned against making such a judgment.

So there was a division among the people because of him. And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him. Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) Doth our law judge [any] man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?" John 7:43-51

The Sanhedrin

FALSE Charge against Stephen:

This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against... the law... we have heard him saying that Jesus of Nazareth shall... change the customs which Moses delivered us."

Response from Stephen:

You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears,
You always resist the Holy Ghost,
You persecute the prophets just as your fathers did,
You have became traitors and murders of the Righteous One,
You who have received the Law as a mandate from angels...
BUT YOU HAVE NOT KEPT [THE LAW]!!!!

When THEY heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with [their] teeth.

Who are the "THEY"? The false witnesses! They litterally began BITING Stephen with their teeth! They wanted him dead, it was a MOB!

The Sanhedren Couldn't Stone Anyone

Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.”

They were afraid the SANHEDRIN would not rule in their favor and begin testing them if they kept the Law, so they took matters into their own hands and brought Stephen outside of the city and administered their own form of unlawful "justice".

The mob proved Stephen's point, that they are traitors and murders, resisting the Holy Spirit, uncircumcised in heart and hears and they do not keep the law.

Conclusion

After looking more deeply into this concept, I came to the surprising conclusion that the Sanhedrin did not administer the stoning of Stephen, but rather, it was the same mob that cried "crucify him" concerning the Messiah. The same mob that kills the prophets, just like their fathers.

The crowds took matters into their own hands, treating Stephen as if he were a false prophet, and murdered him outside the gates of Jerusalem. Likely because the Sanhedrin was about to begin asking questions.