15:1 Early in the morning, after forming a plan, the chief priests with the elders and the experts in the law 1 and the whole Sanhedrin tied Jesus up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. 2
4:5 On the next day, 3 their rulers, elders, and experts in the law 4 came together 5 in Jerusalem. 6 4:6 Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and others who were members of the high priest’s family. 7
1 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.
2 sn The Jews most assuredly wanted to put Jesus to death, but they lacked the authority to do so. For this reason they handed him over to Pilate in hopes of securing a death sentence. The Romans kept close control of the death penalty in conquered territories to prevent it being used to execute Roman sympathizers.
3 tn Grk “It happened that on the next day.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
4 tn Or “and scribes.” The traditional rendering of γραμματεύς (grammateu") as “scribe” does not communicate much to the modern English reader, for whom the term might mean “professional copyist,” if it means anything at all. The people referred to here were recognized experts in the law of Moses and in traditional laws and regulations. Thus “expert in the law” comes closer to the meaning for the modern reader.
5 tn Or “law assembled,” “law met together.”
6 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
7 sn The high priest’s family. This family controlled the high priesthood as far back as