Literally, those having been sent were. But the best texts omit the article, so that the remaining words form the pluperfect passive: “they had been sent from the Pharisees.” This addition of an explanatory circumstance is characteristic of John. Compare Joh 1:41, Joh 1:45; Joh 9:14; Joh 11:5, Joh 11:18; Joh 13:23.