His Own Words
What better way to entrap someone than to use their own words?
The Pharisees went and plotted to entrap Jesus in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away. - Matthew 22:15-22
We all like to hear things from the source.
The President said this, or the candidate said that. When it comes from the source, it gets our attention. It also fans the flames.
We may already have an opinion that we can claim is reinforced by what the person we are targeting says.
Using one's own words against them is the game we play.
If you said it, how can you deny it?
The Pharisees thought saw they had an opportunity to trap Jesus in his own words and they couldn't resist. They thought they knew how he would have to answer the question, but they hadn't considered the fact that Jesus understood their game.
What Jesus teaches us in this simple lesson is what he taught his disciples when he said "beware the yeast of the Pharisees".
When someone is out to get us, they will try every trick in the book, and then some, so we need to be ever vigilant, and we need to be clever.
We may think that we can't be as clever as Jesus when we are suddenly challenged, and that may be true, but if we plan ahead, if we give some thought to how others may try to trick us, we might just be able to develop an arsenal of retorts that help us win the battle.
More to come...