In His contest with the rabbis, it was not Christ's purpose to humiliate His opponents. He was not glad to see them in a hard place. He had 595 an important lesson to teach. He had mortified His enemies by allowing them to be entangled in the net they had spread for Him. Their acknowledged ignorance in regard to the character of John's baptism gave Him an opportunity to speak, and He improved the opportunity by presenting before them their real position, adding another warning to the many already given.

Under sin ordstrid med rabbinerne var det ikke Kristi formål at ydmyge sine modstandere. Det voldte ham ingen glæde at se dem trængt op i en krog. Han havde en betydningsfuld lære at bringe. Han havde ydmyget sine fjender ved at lade dem selv blive fanget i det garn, som de havde sat for ham. Den uvidenhed, de indrømmede med hensyn til, af hvad art Johannes dåb var, gav ham anledning til at tale, og han benyttede sig af anledningen til at sætte dem ind i deres egne virkelige forhold ved at give dem endnu en advarsel foruden de mange, de allerede havde fået.