John didn't "acquire" special knowledge or powers - it was by God he was given the free gift of the holy spirit to understand and to act and to teach in harmony with God's Word and God's will. John didn't go to special schools or learn from special websites or read the writings of special scholars.
The scribes and Pharisees sought to "acquire" "special knowledge" for wrong motives, and it is the same with such-like ones today. Because they are asking for the wrong reasons, to exalt themselves over others, the knowledge and understanding of the scriptures are hidden from them.
When Daniel chapter 11 was written down, the events foretold were yet future. Since many of those events have happened, part of those prophecies are now history. Some of the prophecies haven't happened yet. If Josephus recorded some of those events correctly in his histories after they happened, what of it? Does that negate that the prophecies were recorded in Daniel chapter 11? Not at all.
Jesus is the one who pours out the holy spirit on whoever Jehovah draws today. If it's some lowly, unscholarly, country-bumpkin of a person who figuratively eats locusts and honey, what of it? It wouldn't be the first time some lowly person looked down upon by society in general was used to deliver information. It's also not surprising when those who are looking to "scholars" for answers totally overlook the ones Jehovah sends. That is Jehovah's way. He has a sense of humor.
1 Corinthians 1:19-31
"For it is written: “I will make the wisdom of the wise men perish, and the intelligence of the intellectuals I will reject.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this system of things? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish?
"For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not get to know God through its wisdom, God was pleased through the foolishness of what is preached to save those believing. For the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks look for wisdom; but we preach Christ executed on the stake, to the Jews a cause for stumbling but to the nations foolishness.
"However, to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because a foolish thing of God is wiser than men, and a weak thing of God is stronger than men.
"For you see his calling of you, brothers, that there are not many wise in a fleshly way, not many powerful, not many of noble birth, but God chose the foolish things of the world to put the wise men to shame; and God chose the weak things of the world to put the strong things to shame; and God chose the insignificant things of the world and the things looked down on, the things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, so that no one might boast in the sight of God.
"But it is due to him that you are in union with Christ Jesus, who has become to us wisdom from God, also righteousness and sanctification and release by ransom, so that it may be just as it is written: “The one who boasts, let him boast in Jehovah.”"