The Jewish leaders attempt to trap Jesus, but Jesus shows that He is in control of things, not them. They cannot outwit, or outsmart Jesus. In the end they are the ones who get caught in a trap from which they cannot escape. Jesus outwits them, not simply because He is smarter (we don’t know how His human IQ compares to others), rather Jesus is without sin, His character is perfect, His heart is fully surrendered to His Father. So, He is not distracted or confused by competing or conflicting purposes pulling Him in different directions. The Jews, on the other hand, are torn by their need for the crowd’s approval, and even by a fear of their actions against them.
