Romans 2:17......
"Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, 18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;".
Religion was no longer a crutch for "this" man. It caused him to be proud and self-sufficient.
Light created an added responsibility which brought a greater condemnation. The Jew had Ten (10) advantages over the Gentile.
The 1st 5 are what he WAS............
1. The name of a Jew.
2. Restest upon the Law.
3. Boastest in God.
4. Knowest the will of God.
5. Provest the things which are more excellent.
The next 5 are listed in verses 19-20and they are what the Jew DID.............
"And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, 20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.'
6. Are persuaded that they are thyself a guide to the blind.
7. Are a light to them in darkness.
8. A corrector of the thoughtless or immature.
9. A teacher of babes or proselytes.
10Having in the law the outward form of knowledge and truth.
Remember, Paul is addressing a representative Jewish person (verse 17) in this and the previous verses. He is showing all the benefits that person has received because of receiving the law from God. This person knows God's will. By that, they can evaluate everything to see what is "excellent," and what is not. In other words this person has a basis of understanding.
Now Paul adds that this person can serve as a guide to the blind and a light to those in darkness. In other words, God gave His law only to Israel. WHY was the Law of God given to the Nation of Israel???????????
I believe that The law was given to set the Israelites apart from the Canaanites and other pagan nations. The Israelites were set apart from all the rest of the world by God. Through the keeping of the law the Israelites secured their position as a “kingdom of priests, and an holy nation” to the Lord. (Exodus 19:6) This unique status was reflected in their keeping of the law. Because God is holy, He gave the law to His people to teach them to be holy as well. (Leviticus 20:7-8) Because Israel was set apart for God the law was given to keep them set apart.
Thus, they had the opportunity to show everyone else what was true and who God was. They possessed the light of God's truth that others needed.
Paul, however, is leading all of this buildup to a negative. He is asking that if all these things are true for Jewish people, why don't they live according to the law?
Is that ever a loaded question?????
Paul is going somewhere with his teaching and this is called SYSTAMATIC!
This is part of Paul's short-term goal of showing that even God's chosen people (Deuteronomy 7:6) fall short of His standards of perfection. In the longer view, this supports Paul's point that all people need to be saved by grace, through faith, apart from their own works (Romans 3:22–25).