Hoping to entrap him in his words, the chief priests and rulers sent the most malicious enemies of Jesus to him, who pretended to be interested in his teachings and desiring to be profited by his divine wisdom. They expected Jesus would be deceived by their pious pretensions, thrown off his guard and led to speak that which they could take advantage of to condemn him. They were mortified and angry that they had been compelled to endure the penetrating address of Jesus, laying bare their true condition and condemning their wickedness, yet were utterly unable to refute his words. {3SP 41.3}

I håb om at fange Jesus i ord sendte ypperstepræsternes og de øverste Jesu mest ondskabsfulde fjender til ham, og de foregav, at de interesserede sig for hans lære og ønskede at få godt af hans guddommelige visdom. De antog, at Jesus ville lade sig bedrage af deres fromme foregivender, og at han ville glemme at være på vagt og lade sig bevæge til at sige noget, som de kunne drage fordel af for at fordømme ham. De var skamfulde og forbitrede over, at de var blevet tvunget til at høre på Jesu gennemtrængende ord, som åbenbarede deres sande tilstand og fordømte deres ondskab. Men de var helt ude af stand til at modbevise hans ord.