لَوْلَا يَنْهَىٰهُمُ ٱلرَّبَّـٰنِيُّونَ وَٱلْأَحْبَارُ عَن قَوْلِهِمُ ٱلْإِثْمَ وَأَكْلِهِمُ ٱلسُّحْتَ ۚ لَبِئْسَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَصْنَعُونَ Qur’an Al-Ma'ida (5:63)Lawla yanhahumu alrrabbaniyyoona waalahbaru AAan qawlihimu alithma waaklihimu alssuhta labisa ma kanoo yasnaAAoona
According to Baghawi, the rabbaniyun ("men of God" - see surah {3}, note [62]) stand, in this context, for the spiritual leaders of the Christians, and the ahbar for the Jewish scholars ("rabbis"). Regarding the "swallowing of evil", see note [54] above.