Hostile testimony

An irony in the Gospels is that sometimes the disciples misunderstand Jesus, and sometimes his enemies misunderstand Jesus, but sometimes his enemies are quicker to pick up on what he means than his disciples. 

There's a sense in which it's possible to agree with Jesus too soon. Where premature agreement is a way of keeping Jesus at a safe distance. 

The enemies of Jesus took him more seriously than some of his followers. They were quicker to discern that he posed a threat to what they represented. Sometimes, if a reader reflexively agrees with a statement in the Gospels, that means he didn't let the message get in. He simply greets it at the door. Shakes hands. Then shuts the door–with the message standing outside on the porch. That's why hostile testimony can have a particular value.