International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

Senate; Senator:

sen’-at, sen’-a-ter: In Ps 105:22, “teach his senators (the Revised Version (British and American) “elders”) wisdom.” The Hebrew is zaqen, “elder” Septuagint presbuteroi). In Ac 5:21, “called the council together and all the senate of the children of Israel.” The Greek gerousia, is here evidently used as a more precise equivalent of the foregoing “council” (sunedrion), to which it is added by kai, explicative. Reference is had to the Sanhedrin. This term gerousia occurs in Septuagint Ex 3:16, etc., and in 1 Macc 12:6; 2 Macc 1:10; 4:44 of the supreme council of the Jews (see GOVERNMENT). Originally, like the gerousia of the Jews, the representatives of families and clans (gentes), the senators were subsequently the ex-magistrates, supplemented, to complete the tale of members, by representatives of patrician (in time also of plebeian) families selected by the censor. The tenure was ordinarily for life, though it might be terminated for cause by the censor. Although constitutionally the senate was only an advisory body, its advice (senatus consultum, auctoritas) in fact became in time a mandate which few dared to disregard. During the republican period the senate practically ruled Rome; under the empire it tended more and more to become the creature and subservient tool of the emperors.

I am sure many who read my blog yesterday were thinking; “Don’t go there!” This isn’t about politics but rather how conquering rulers held influence over Israel with lasting effects. 

The land of modern-day Israel was conquered and ruled by various groups, including the Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Fatimids, Seljuk Turks, Crusaders, Egyptians, Mamelukes, Islamists and others. Source History.com

When we look to the bible, especially the books of the prophets of the Babylonian exile we can see how that culture influenced language and restricted service. This happened with the Greeks also and then the Romans. Influence is influence and if history has taught us anything it is the rulers that set the tone for the nation. Israel has had its share of bad rulers that the religious leaders could not hold in check.

Luke 11:47 Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed.

Acts 7:52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered,

Romans 11:3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.”

Looking back to Exodus it is no surprise that 58 of the 60 with the Spirit resting upon them stopped prophesying. They probably saw it coming. Culture has always had influence over men making it difficult to hold to the truth. Difficult, but not impossible. We have to rely on the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide us in all truth.

Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”

Men can dedicate their whole lives to God but still find it difficult to be right.

Numbers 11:16-17 English Standard Version

16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. 17 And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.

This was the foundational principle for the Sanhedrin.

Numbers 11:24-25 English Standard Version

24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.

What did they stop? Obviously the Sanhedrin of Jesus’ time did not have the Spirit resting upon them. Let us continue to see what had happened.

Numbers 11:26-29 English Standard Version

26 Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”

And here we are today, thanks be unto our Lord Jesus Christ, fulfilling Moses’ word.

Historically it appears the tradition that began with Moses choosing the 70 was heavily influenced by the conqueror Alexander the Great and the practices of the Greek Senate.

Perhaps that is where things went wrong.