They were unlearned; not wholly unlearned, but such as were without any polite learning, or more than ordinary education, such as every one amongst them had.
Ignorant men; idiots, so the Greek word, from whence ours come, signifying such as were brought up at home, and never acted in a larger sphere than the walls of their own house; having never been magistrates, or teachers of the law, or any way public persons; and spake only their mother tongue.
They took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus; which these rulers might easily take notice of, many of them frequenting his company too, Mat_21:23Luk_18:18Joh_12:42.