Lexical Summary gerousia: Council of Elders, Senate Original Word: γερουσία Strong's Exhaustive Concordance council of elders, SanhedrinFrom geron; the eldership, i.e. (collectively) the Jewish Sanhedrin -- senate. see GREEK geron NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom gerón Definition a council of elders NASB Translation Senate (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1087: γερουσίαγερουσία, γερουσίας, ἡ (adjective γερούσιος, belonging to old men, γέρων), a senate, council of elders; used in secular authors of the chief council of nations and cities (ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι αἱ γερουσιαι, Xenophon, mem. 4, 4, 16; in the O. T. of the chief council not only of the whole people of Israel, Exodus 3:16, etc.; 1 Macc. 12:6, etc.; but also of cities, Deuteronomy 19:12, etc.); of the Great Council, the Sanhedrin of the Jews: Acts 5:21, where to τό συνέδριον is added καί πᾶσαν τήν γερουσίαν τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ and indeed (καί explicative) all the senate, to signify the full Sanhedrin. Cf. Schürer, Die Gemeindeverfassung d. Juden in Rom in d. Kaiserzeit nach d. Inschriften dargestellt. Leips. 1879, p. 18f; Hatch, Bamp. Lects. for 1880, p. 64f.) Topical Lexicon Word and Concept Strong’s Greek 1087 designates the formal council of elders, a body that functioned as a deliberative and judicial assembly within Jewish society. While the noun is distinct from the more common New Testament term for “elders” (presbyteroi), it shares with that word the idea of maturity, authority, and communal oversight. Historical Background 1. Patriarchal Roots – Genesis 50:7 and Exodus 3:16 attest to Israelite “elders” who represented the tribes in matters of covenant and governance. Usage in the Septuagint The Septuagint frequently employs the word group around gerōn (“elder”) to translate Hebrew zāqēn. On several occasions the translators render collective leadership with γερουσία, reinforcing the notion of a standing council (for example, Exodus 17:5; Deuteronomy 27:1 LXX). This precedent explains its ready adoption in the Greek of Acts. New Testament Occurrence Acts 5:21 contains the only New Testament use: “When the high priest and his associates arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles.” (Berean Standard Bible) Luke’s double reference (“Sanhedrin” and “full assembly of the elders”) intensifies the scene: the apostles’ preaching so unsettled Jerusalem’s leaders that every level of authority was summoned. Significance for Jewish Governance • Composition – Senior priests, influential scribes, and heads of leading families. Implications for Early Church Ministry 1. Opposition Heightened – The gathering of the complete gerousia shows the full institutional weight marshalled against the gospel, underscoring the courage granted to the apostles by the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:31). Doctrinal and Practical Reflections • Human Councils versus Divine Commission – The gerousia wielded historical prestige, yet could not restrain the advance of the gospel. Authority is valid only when it aligns with God’s revealed will (Acts 5:29). Summary Strong’s Greek 1087 captures the notion of Israel’s historic senate, a venerable institution that, in Acts 5:21, opposes the gospel but inadvertently magnifies the risen Christ. Its lone appearance in the New Testament accentuates the dramatic clash between entrenched tradition and the fresh authority of the Spirit-empowered church. Forms and Transliterations γερουσία γερουσιαν γερουσίαν γερουσίας gerousian gerousíanLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |