Note 11 at Mt. 5:22: The Jewish council was called the Sanhedrin and apparently originated during the years after the Babylonian exile. The Maccabees wrote of this governing body which was then called the senate (1 Mac. 12:6). The well- known historian, Josephus, also mentions it in his writings (Antiq. 12:3,3). It was composed of 71 members of which the high priest was the official president of the group. The number on the council may have corresponded to Moses and the 70 men that were chosen to assist him in governing the Jewish nation (Num. 11:16-17,24-25).

The Roman government allowed the Sanhedrin extensive powers, but apparently the Sanhedrin did not have the authority to put someone to death (Jn. 18:31). It had officers at its command and authority to make arrests on its own (Jn. 7:32,45-48). Jesus (Mt. 26:59; Lk. 22:66), Peter and John (Acts 4:5,15), Stephen (Acts 6:12), and Paul (Acts 22:30; 23:15; 24:20) were all tried before this council.

Note 12 at Mt. 5:22: In this verse, Jesus is showing that the new covenant He was beginning dealt with the heart and the motives whereas, the old Mosaic covenant dealt with outward acts. First John 3:15 clearly states that "whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer." This is exactly what Jesus was saying here and compares with Mt. 5:27-28.

Note 13 at Mt. 5:22: The Greek word used here for "hell" is "Geenna" (equals "Gehenna"), which represents the Hebrew word "Ge-Hinnom," meaning "the valley of Tophet" (Isa. 30:33; Jer. 7:31; 19:6-14). This is a valley just outside Jerusalem where fires burned refuse continually. Israelite kings also reared up altars in this valley and burnt their children to the pagan God, Molech. This received harsh rebukes and prophecies of judgment (Jer. 7:31; 19:6-14), and therefore, the valley of Hinnom began to symbolize eternal judgment and damnation or hell. Geenna is used 12 times in the New Testament (Mt. 5:22,29-30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15,33; Mk. 9:43,45,47; Lk. 12:5; Jas. 3:6);

Jesus used the term 11 times, and 10 of those times were in reference to eternal punishment of the wicked. Jesus referred to it being a place of fire (Mt. 18:9; Mk. 9:43-48; Lk. 16:24) and where the worm would not die (Mk. 9:44,46,48) and a place of torment (Lk. 16:24-25). Jesus also taught in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus that there is no escape from hell once a person has been placed there (Lk. 16:26). The word used for "hell" in this parable as well as 9 other times in the New Testament is "hades" (Mt. 11:23; 16:18; Lk. 10:15; 16:23: Acts 2:27,31; Rev. 1:18; 6:8; 20:13-14), and means the region of departed spirits of the lost. It corresponds directly with the Old Testament Hebrew word "sheol" which has been translated hell (Exa. Ps. 9:17), the grave (Exa. Gen. 37:35), and the pit (Exa. Num 16:30,33).