Jesus doesn't consider himself good?

[Hunter121]

Rad, thanks a lot everyone for your imput. Totally helpful. Now, where's the jumping smily face guy....?

I gotcha...........

[petepet]

I'm not questioning this in light of a recent thread, but I find this answer unsatisfactory.

Why would Jesus say that HE is not good, but God is? I could see this answer if Jesus said something along the lines of "Why do you call me good?" and left it at that. But he says that only God is good, and a plain reading of the text suggests that this interpretation is not the case.

Since the trinity is found in other texts, I'm not bringing it into question. Just this here.

Yes that is the point. Only God is Good, therefore if Jesus was good He was God.

As has been pointed out. To call Jesus 'good Master' was unique. It demonstrated that the young man saw in Jesus something beyond anything he had ever known. Jesus was simply telling him to think that through. 'Ask yourself' He is saying, 'why have you addressed me in a way in which you would not address anyone else? Why should you think that above all I can point you the way to eternal life? Is it because you are aware that I am more than just human, more than just another teacher? Only God is good. Does that mean that you have recognised My uniqueness?'

He would make this more explicit to Philip. 'You want to see the Father as Moses did? You want a theophany? You have seen the Father. He who has seen Me has seen the Father.' Philip was talking about an actual visible experience of the Father. He did not want a slick reply like, 'you can see the Father in the behaviour of godly men'. He knew that already. What he was asking for was a theophany. And Jesus was saying that he had had a theophany. He had had an actual visible experience of the Father. For to see Him was to see the Father. (see John 14.7-9). If it was just a slick reply he was showing Philip no favours, indeed was patronising him. His point was that He and the Father were so one that it was impossible to see Jesus without seeing the Father. Compare how later He would point out that He and His Father would come and dwell within them..

[david]

You have to be careful in that verse, because it does not imply at all that Jesus is not good. It is possible that the person talking to him had no idea he was Jesus the Son of God. But Jesus is indeed the good shepherd (John 10:11) and so is the Lord (Psalm 23:1), who work together as one (John 10:30, John 1:1).

[Gilligan]

Mark 10:18
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.

Luke 18:19
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.

Just trying to figure this one out...

Jesus is pointing out that He himself is God.

[BroRog]

Jesus many times answered questions with a question, which if they answered correctly would give them the answer they asked.

None of the interpretations I read in this thread make sense to me except this one.

[BroRog]

I think Bible commentators have gone the wrong direction here. The man refers to Jesus as "good teacher", which means that the adjective "good" modifies the noun "teacher". For this reason when Jesus says that only God is good, he means "only God is the good teacher." Setting aside Jesus initial answer for a second, notice the next thing Jesus says, "You know the commandments, 'Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.' " He brings the man back to the scriptures, because the scriptures contain all the information the man needs to find eternal life. God is the good teacher who taught his people how to find eternal life. That is what Jesus is saying. The man is actually asking, "Do you have anything else to add to what God already said that would help me find eternal life?" The answer is, "I'm not here to bring something new. The scriptures already contain every teaching that is necessary to find eternal life. That's why Jesus repeats the commandments back to the man.

Jesus is quite emphatic in his teaching. He repeats that he didn't come to destroy the law. He didn't come to begin a new religion. He came to say what the father wanted him to say. He came to do what the father wanted him to do. He came to explain and teach what the father wanted him to explain and teach. By telling the man that God is the only good teacher, he is telling the man that he didn't come to innovate or introduce new teachings which are different than what the father already revealed in the Bible.

[BibleGirl02]

Yeah but Jesus is God.

[slightlypuzzled]

First of all, Jesus had 'emptied' Himself of what Paul terms His equality with God..Phil. 2:6, and He subjected Himself to the Father to do His will, which was to die on the cross. So, when the rich young man asked his question, Jesus pointed to God as the first step of what is good, the covenant God made with the Israelites, of which the young man was a part of. Notice, that when the rich young man said he kept all the commandments (Jesus did not argue with him or deny this statement), but Jesus said that one thing more was required, to follow HIM (JESUS) above all things, which included the immense wealth that the rich young man possessed. Mark is simply pointing out the primacy of following Christ above all things...

[BroRog]

Yeah but Jesus is God.

This is true, however, the Bible also says that Jesus grew in wisdom from childhood to adulthood. In light of this we know that it was God who taught Jesus and gave him wisdom. So God was the good teacher.

[LookingUp]

...Jesus is quite emphatic in his teaching. He repeats that he didn't come to destroy the law. He didn't come to begin a new religion. He came to say what the father wanted him to say. He came to do what the father wanted him to do. He came to explain and teach what the father wanted him to explain and teach. By telling the man that God is the only good teacher, he is telling the man that he didn't come to innovate or introduce new teachings which are different than what the father already revealed in the Bible.

Makes sense--I like it!

[LookingUp]

This is true, however, the Bible also says that Jesus grew in wisdom from childhood to adulthood. In light of this we know that it was God who taught Jesus and gave him wisdom. So God was the good teacher.

Yes. God existing as the man Jesus was limited by his human nature.

[Katydid]

Luke 18:18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.



This was Jesus way of distinquishing himself from God. Jesus prayed to God and taught others to pray to God. Jesus was a prophet, a messenger, the Christ (annointed one), the sacrifice, the savior and the Son of God. But, he was not God.

[LookingUp]

Luke 18:18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.



This was Jesus way of distinquishing himself from God. Jesus prayed to God and taught others to pray to God. Jesus was a prophet, a messenger, the Christ (annointed one), the sacrifice, the savior and the Son of God. But, he was not God.

The Word, who was God (John 1:1) became flesh (John 1:14), who was called Jesus. God, as the Word, was made man and existed as a man with a human nature. How would you explain John 1?

The Word created all things (John 1:3) and by Jesus all things were created (Col. 1:16). How would you explain this?

[BroRog]

Luke 18:18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.



This was Jesus way of distinquishing himself from God. Jesus prayed to God and taught others to pray to God. Jesus was a prophet, a messenger, the Christ (annointed one), the sacrifice, the savior and the Son of God. But, he was not God.

He was a prophet; this is true. But Jesus was more than that as we see from this passage.

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. And He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, [both] in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. Col. 1:13-16

And here:

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. Hebrews 1:1-4

[Katydid]

He was a prophet; this is true. But Jesus was more than that as we see from this passage.

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. And He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, [both] in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. Col. 1:13-16

And here:

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. Hebrews 1:1-4

I said he was more than a prophet. Your first scripture shows that he is The Savior. Your second scripture supports my position that Jesus and The Father are 2 different entities.

The second set of scripture shows the differences clearly......Jesus is the heir to God's creation. He is God's representative. He sits on the right hand of God....not in God's seat.