RebE, I am not sure what is the context of people looking down at Talmidei Chachamim. We have lots of maamarim chazal that I see as definitions of a Talmid Chacham: merabim shalom b’olam, do not rebuke him in the morning for the aveira in the evening, etc.
I don’t think that people who are living these definitions are looked down upon in our communities, unless we are talking about some other societies, but then how would a pasuk interpretation affect them? Maybe the Rav’s idea is similar to Rashi quoting (his father?) R Yitzhak on Bereshis that we can point to the Chumash that EY was meant for us. How is that going to convince non-Jews? one explanation: it is there to strengthen ourselves and then we will be able to convince. Maybe same here this is to strengthen Talmidei Chachamim themselves.