Sanhedrin 

Alexandria was the seat of government and the home of the seventy ruling elders of the Sanhedrin, but this ruling body was represented in Jerusalem. The Jerusalem Sanhedrin were responsible for the arrest and trial of Jesus, and for passing the decree of death upon him. But before that happened, the Jerusalem Sanhedrin closed all of the synagogues to Jesus. This was such an unprecedented action that it prompted five of its members to resign.

As a result of this disaffection in their ranks, the Sanhedrin looked the other way when Jesus came to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles and preached in the temple, fearing further defections in their ranks. They were shocked into virtual silence by Jesus’ bold decision to defy their orders. In addition, they knew that Jesus was loved and followed by many, and they feared to place him under arrest during these feast days.

Jesus also deliberately tried to challenge the Sanhedrin by openly restoring the sight of Josiah, the man born blind. His motive was to be called before them so that he could once more tell them the good news of divine sonship in the kingdom. This defiant act did get their attention, but instead of bringing Jesus before them, they brought Josiah before their Sabbath meeting for questioning – a meeting held in violation of their own rules regarding the Sabbath. The meeting ended in confusion and near-violence. However, they still feared to engage with Jesus.

After the resurrection of Lazarus, the Sanhedrin called a meeting, saying, "What shall we do with Jesus of Nazareth? They had to acknowledge that Lazarus had been resurrected, but they declared that this miracle had to have been caused by devils. As a result of this meeting, a decree was issued for Jesus’ death. This action was so unheard of that fourteen members of the Sanhedrin resigned in protest, closely followed by five more resignations.

When Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem a week before his death, the Sanhedrin once again feared to arrest him because of the upswell of positive public sentiment for the Son of Man. But they finally conspired with Judas to aid them in their middle-of-the-night arrest of the Master in the garden of Gethsemane, followed by his illegal trial and decree of death by crucifixion. On the day of Jesus’ death, a Sanhedrin death warrant was also issued for Lazarus, causing him to flee to Philadelphia.

Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea stood out as notable exceptions within the Sanhedrin's prevailing opposition to Jesus and his teachings. Nicodemus, a wealthy elder who was initially hesitant due to the Sanhedrin's antagonism, became a devoted supporter, providing a safe haven for Jesus and his followers, and later seeking Pilate's permission for Jesus' burial.

Joseph of Arimathea, also affluent and a Sanhedrin member, openly embraced Jesus' teachings alongside Nicodemus. Both eventually resigned from the Sanhedrin, openly declaring their faith. They played pivotal roles in Jesus' burial, using Joseph's family tomb. Their homes became focal points for Jesus' followers, with Jesus making post-resurrection appearances at both locations, signifying their significant contributions to early Christianity despite the risks associated with diverging from the Sanhedrin.