What did the Pharisees think they were doing for God, and what was their problem?
The Pharisees thought they were doing God a service through self-righteousness, religious robes, and public praying. Their problem was not a lack of brain power but a lack of knowledge: they were totally ignorant of the things of God because they had never been taught, as Paul says, “being ignorant.”
Les explains that the Pharisees were religious and self-righteous, wearing robes and praying in public, and they thought they were doing God a service. But Les says they had no knowledge and were totally ignorant of the things of God. He qualifies that ignorance: it does not mean a lack of brain power, since even a brilliant person can be ignorant of a subject he has never been taught. Les uses electricity as an example—he may have intelligence, but if he was never taught electricity, he is ignorant of it. Likewise, these Jews had never been taught, so they were ignorant.
For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.