A realization about clerics and how some of them read the Bible

When I quoted this biblical verse in a recent post:

Mat 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

I wasn't sure if I remembered it exactly, but I did, but as I looked it up I read a bit of the text around that verse, and I realized something about clerics (pastors, ministers, priests, etc.). Many of them consider verses such as the above to be addressed solely to clerics, and not to all Christians.

Their notion of reading everything in context often narrows the biblical message, or pinches it, so much that they begin to see clerics as a sort of 'chosen few' and so-called 'lay people' as their passive, dumb sheep who couldn't get into heaven without the cleric's efforts on their behalf.

See how easy a diversion, or detour it is to getting on the road to Rome?

This is why the Reformation era doctrine of the priesthood of all believers is so important. This is why knowing the fact that all Christians are prophets, priests, and kings is so important. The Bible speaks to all Christians in verses such as Matthew 10:16.