Jesus warned Pharisees, scribes and religious lawyers with dire words of warning:
“Woe to you” and in the book of Matthew He added “hypocrites!” (See Matthew 23)

How did these religious leaders respond to Jesus’ accusations?
(NASB) Luke 11:53-54 “When He left there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile and to question Him closely on many subjects.
54 plotting against Him to catch Him in something He might say.”

They began plotting against Him – to trip Him up (which they never did).  At the illegal trials held against Jesus, lying witnesses were used (Matthew 26:59).  And the charge that they finally settled on: He blasphemed God by claiming He was the Son of God.
(Luke 22:70)  (And He was the Son of God and He still is the Son of God!)

It is impossible to defend yourself against hostility because the hostile person has already decided the verdict against you.

Jesus only spoke truth – that was His defense and His enemies never accepted His truth.

Followers of Christ can know that as Jesus was treated, so we will be treated.  Don’t be surprised!

Jesus said:
(NASB) John 15:18-20 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.
19 ‘If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.
20 ‘Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’  If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.”

When faced with open (or covert) hostility – use the defense Jesus used: speak the truth of God!