Behold

Romans 2:17-20 Behold, thou are called a Jew, and rest in the law, and make thy boast of God, And know his will, and approve the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; And are confident that thou thyself are a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which has the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. 

‘Thou are called a Jew’ Paul now openly deals with the Jew asserting that his superior knowledge, privileges, and calling only serve to condemn him more than Gentiles who obey the law of nature. ‘Rest in the law’ they trusted in the law for salvation.

‘And know his will, and approve the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law’ the Jews knew God’s will for them: that they had to represent Him on earth under all the Gentiles in serving Him as the only God and by living in obedience according to His Word while receiving the many blessings and promises that was given to them. Doing so would lead others to repentance just as we today as individual parts of the body of Christ are commanded to do.

‘Are confident that thou thyself are a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness’ as God’s representatives on earth, they were to guide the blind (unsaved) through the light (Word) in the darkness (sinful world). 

‘An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which has the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.’ again, it is stated that the Jews were to instruct and teach the Gentile nations in the things they received from God.

Romans 1-8 proves that God’s grace extends to both Jews and Gentiles who believe. In Romans 9-11 shows why the Jews were rejected and cut off by God and why and how the Gentiles were called and elected to partake of gospel benefits. The fall of the Jews was not in itself the reason for the salvation of the Gentiles. They were to be saved whether the Jews accepted or rejected the gospel (Gen. 12:1-3; Rom. 4:1-25; Gal. 6:8-10).