And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
Ver. 19. Jews sent priests] Whose proper office it was to inquire into new doctrines, and by preserving, to present knowledge to the people, who were to "seek the law at the priest's mouth," Malachi 2:7. Cicero complains of his Roman priests, that they were good honest men, but not very skilful. Bonos illos quidem viros, sed certe non pereruditos. (Cic. xx. de. Fin.) And Varro upbraids them with their ignorance of much about their own gods and religions. (Aug. Civ. Dei. iv. 1.)