These Jews were formally educated in Jewish law (and probably Roman law too as a comparative entity) and were approached by the public about their grievances. Some were Pharisees too. They were the authority on the Law and would interpret them for the public. They were learned men, teachers, and advisors to the religious leaders of their day. (Jesus might have listened to and enquired with a similar group of teachers at the temple when He was twelve years old). They were also religious lawmakers. Many of them were members of the Sanhedrin who as attorneys, heard and cross-examined the plaintiffs, defense, and the witnesses. However, the Chief Priest, who was the convener of the Council was the decision-maker and Chief Justice of the Jewish people.

The Lawyers, along with other Pharisees, rejected the counsel of God by refusing the baptism of John.
A Lawyer came to Jesus to test Him on the Jewish law. He asked Him which the greatest commandment in the Law is. Jesus was not one to be tempted so easily. He replied, there is not just one but there are two – both co-exist as the greatest. In other words, the question was faulty, ab initio. Jesus said unto him, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself”. – Matt 22:37-39.

Another time, another Lawyer came to him with another question and with an answer that Jesus gave the last time. (Eavesdropping?). And he, answering, said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself”. – Luke 10:27. Jesus told him to walk the truth so that he shall live. The Lawyer was not another one to return with a sorrowful face. He asked Him another sub-question. Who is my neighbor? It was then that Jesus narrated the parable of the good Samaritan. Through this parable, the Lord made it clear that it is not the Jew who knew how to keep the law for selfish ambitions that counted but a Samaritan (one looked down upon by a Jew) who showed how to love mankind with selfless love.

There were to be at least two eyewitnesses to confirm a charge or an offense. While Lawyers could not pass death sentences as they were under the Roman government, they could decide whether a criminal was worthy of capital punishment. Fast-forward to the trial of Jesus. The Lawyers, along with the others in the Council, were determined to condemn Jesus as worthy of death. Satan was trying his best to make the case water-tight against Jesus. And the seed of Satan was around to bow to his bidding. (That the “water-tightness” of the case fell through its blatant holes is another story to reckon with).