The Learned is the unnamed scholar in Isaiah’s prophecy quoted by Nephi about the coming forth of a sealed book (2 Nephi 27:14-18). In the prophecy, the Lord directs the man who holds the book to take the words that are not sealed and have another carry them to the learned, saying, “Read this, I pray thee”; the learned answers, “Bring hither the book, and I will read them” (2 Nephi 27:15). The text states he says this “because of the glory of the world and to get gain… and not for the glory of God” (2 Nephi 27:16).
When the man replies that he cannot bring the book because it is sealed (2 Nephi 27:17), the learned says, “I cannot read it” (2 Nephi 27:18). The book is then delivered to one who is not learned (2 Nephi 27:19). The Lord declares, “The learned shall not read them, for they have rejected them, and I am able to do mine own work,” and appoints the unlearned man to read the words instead (2 Nephi 27:20).