There are numerous accounts in the gospels of Jesus’ enemies trying to trap him with a question.  Rather than falling into their traps, Jesus always redirects the conversation, often in a way that points out their own hypocrisy.

Reading the story of the Good Samaritan recently (Luke 10:25-37), I reflected on our common reaction to how Jesus dispatches the Pharisees’ hostile questions.  We are so often gleeful at how Jesus bests the opposition because we are rooting for “his side,” but we don’t realize how we are identified with “their side.”  We think we’re on Jesus side, and he has graciously allowed that, invited us and made it possible, but when he was on the cross, it was for all of us; “our” side was against him, and he was alone.  My very smugness towards the Pharisees, the drawing of a line between me and them, shows how much I am like them, one of them.

When the expert in the law admits that the neighbor was the one who showed mercy, Jesus doesn’t say, “Ha!  Gotcha!” he surprisingly responds, “Go and do likewise,” inviting this man as well to be on his side.