Introduction

‘As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. ‘Good teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘Why do you call me good?’ Jesus answered. ‘No one is good—except God alone. Mark 10:17-18

This event is also recorded in Matthew 19:16-29 / Mark 10:17-30 / Luke 18:18-30.

The young man who addressed Jesus was rich, Matthew 19:16-30 / Mark 10:17-32. However, we must also remember that he was a ruler with some position in society. The positions for which James and John sought in the following case of Mark 10:35-45, is what this young ruler had but could not give up.

The young man wanted to know how to receive eternal life, Matthew 19:16 / Mark 10:17 / Luke 18:18. In other words, he was asking, what must he do to be saved? Which is the question the disciples asked, Matthew 19:25 / Mark 10:26 / Luke 18:26.

He did everything right since he was a young man, including keeping the last six of the ten commandments, Exodus 20:12-17. However, he failed to keep the first and greatest of the commandments to, ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength,’ Matthew 22:37-38.

The one thing he lacked was giving up his wealth, Matthew 19:20-21 / Mark 10:21 / Luke 18:22. He loved money more than God, Colossians 3:5. His wealth had become his security, Matthew 19:23-25 / Mark 10:23-25 / Luke 18:24-25.

Everett, in his commentary, says the following.

‘Jesus wanted this man to understand that no one could achieve salvation through good works, not even a Jewish “teacher.” Thus, Jesus said that there was no one that was good except God, Isaiah 64:6’.

The question, if Jesus was God, then why did He say, that ‘no one is good except God alone’, is often used by people to try and disprove the deity of Christ.

There are two possibilities on how to answer this question. Jesus could be saying, don’t call me good because He isn’t good or at least not as good as God the Father, or He means something a lot deeper than we think.

Notice that Jesus never says He is not good, but the rich ruler recognises He is. The rich ruler calls Jesus ‘good teacher’, Mark 10:17 / Luke 18:1. Jesus asks the rich ruler, ‘why do you call me good’, and then He says, ‘No one is good, except God alone’, Matthew 17:19 / Mark 10:18 / Luke 18:19.

Jesus is saying either I am God and good or I am neither God nor good. Or put another way, Jesus was saying if you address me as a ‘good teacher’, then I can’t help you, for no man is good. Only as God can I do anything to help you, Matthew 19:26 / Mark 10:27 / Luke 18:27.

Jesus wanted the young man to acknowledge Him as God. He wanted the rich ruler to see Jesus as God, who is good, not a mere good teacher. Jesus’ question was designed not to deny His deity, but rather to draw the rich ruler to recognize Christ’s divine identity.

It’s clear that Jesus was testing the young man when He said, ‘no one is good, except God alone’, Matthew 17:19 / Mark 10:18 / Luke 18:19. Jesus wasn’t denying His deity, He wanted the man to acknowledge His deity.

If he genuinely believed Jesus is God, Hebrews 1:3, instead of walking away sad, he would have followed Him to secure his eternal inheritance, Matthew 19:21-22 / Mark 10:21-22 / Luke 18:22-23.

Smith, in his commentary, says the following.

‘What He is doing is trying to awaken the consciousness of this man to the fact that he has received a divine revelation. He is getting close. “Why did you call me good?” The reason why you called me good, is because you, though you don’t realize it, have recognized something about me.’

Conclusion

How can Jesus be God if no one is good except God alone? Think about it this way. Jesus claims only God is good, but the rich ruler and Jesus also claim that Jesus is good, and so, common sense tells us that Jesus is claiming to be God.

If Jesus is good what does that make Him? It makes Him God, 1 Chronicles 16:34 / Psalm 25:8 / Psalm 119:68. Afterall, He is the Word, who became flesh and dwelt among us, John 1:1-3 / John 1:14 / Philippians 2:5-11. He said, ‘I AM the Good Shepherd’, John 10:11.