Council – An assembly of persons for consultation, deliberation, or advice.
God used this word in its various forms 25 times in Scripture: Once to Israel in their Masoretic Text Old Testament; 9 times to Israel in their Koine Greek Old Testament; 7 times to Israel in the transition book of Acts; and 8 times to the Body of Christ in the transition book of Acts.
In Israel’s Masoretic Text Old Testament, the princes of Judah maintained councils (plural). In Israel’s Koine Greek Old Testament, and the accounts in Acts, there were multiple councils (“… they will deliver you up to the councils, …”), and the councils consisted of Jewish elders, chief priests, scribes, Sadducees, and Pharisees.
Being that the Pharisees held independent councils, it stands to reason that the Sadducees and Herodians also held independent councils.
The councils listed in Scripture were always convened for the determination of the fate of those teaching the truth of God. And there is never a disclosure as to how many members sat in these various councils to determine the fate of the accused. Being that the condemned are ‘scourged in their synagogues’, we know that they are religious councils.
See also Assembly, Congregation, Gospel, Sanhedrin