2:18
Through the Law they knew the will of God (in certain areas). This was true. The gospel has not done away with the Law. The Law came from God, and reflects the will of God. This does not mean Christians have to follow all its minutiae. I don’t want to go into all of that here. But while the split into religious-civil-moral is very imperfect, it is nonetheless useful. The moral character and demands of God contained within the Law still apply. Indeed they applied before the Law was given! The particular laws for the civil operation of Israeli society do not have direct application, but do contain useful wisdom. The ceremonial/religious aspects do not apply, but do point towards the cross, and so are still useful. As I have said, this is a very rough and ready split, but is still helpful.
So the Jews knew what was right and what was wrong. They were instructed by the Law, and so could make accurate judgements on other societies.
2:19,20
Things then start to go wrong for the Jews. They saw themselves as a guide to the blind. This is what they would have been if they had actually kept the Law, actually lived by it. They saw themselves as having the light and being a light to those in darkness. Many Western progressives see themselves in the same way these days! They have the light and know how everyone else should live, while condemning anyone who questions them!
So the Jews saw themselves as instructors of the foolish and a teacher of children. The world needed to learn from them. In the law they had the embodiment of “truth and knowledge”. And so they did.
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