Luke 18:19

‘And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? None is good, save one, even God.” '

Jesus challenges his use of ‘good' in this way, asking him to consider what he means by it. He does not deny that it is true, but points out that its usual usage at that time was as something reserved to God. The question therefore is as to whether the man has used it carelessly, or whether he intends by it some deeper meaning. However else we interpret it, Jesus was clearly intending to make the young man think, not repudiating the idea out of hand. He in no way denies its application to Himself. Had He not acknowledged its justice He would have rejected it out of hand, openly and clearly, reacting in horror. But the question that He was asking was, does the man himself realise what he is saying? He will certainly need to recognise something special about Jesus in view of the challenge about to be brought to him. But Jesus will not make the claim for Himself. He is the very opposite of the Pharisee that we left behind earlier. He leaves others to make that decision. He will not boast about Himself. (Although elsewhere He can say, ‘which of you convicts Me of sin?' (John 8:46). Again as here He brings out the fact by a question, not by a claim. Pure goodness makes itself known in action and life not by claims).

Note on ‘Why Do You Call Me Good?'

Various alternatives have been suggested for what Jesus meant by this question. They are of varying quality.

1) Jesus meant, “You must not call me good unless you recognise me as God. If you can see my goodness, learn your lesson from it as to Who and What I am.'

2) Jesus is indicating that His goodness is dependent on the Father's goodness, (see John 5:19) so that the title of absolute goodness belongs only to the Father.

3) Jesus was not prepared to accept the title of good until His probation was past. Until His life was complete He would not have earned the honour.

4) Jesus is taking the attitude of a man towards God, as He always did. He was here as a man among men pointing them to God. They were not to look to honour Him, however good He was, but to honour His Father.

5) He is stating a recognised truth and rebuking the man for his casual attitude towards goodness, revealed by his using the term ‘good' without thinking it through.

6) He recognises that the man sees Him as uniquely good and is seeking to imitate Him in order to receive eternal life (compare in Matthew, ‘what good thing must I do'). He realises that the man is therefore aiming to be like Him, and really thinks that he can be. But He does not want him to try to imitate Him in this way. He wants him to look to God as his standard. So He is seeking to turn his thoughts away from Himself as the standard of goodness to God.

Certain conclusions must be drawn. Firstly that only God Himself can be seen as truly ‘good'. Secondly that Jesus does not vociferously deny the appellation, which He would have done had He seen it as totally unfitting, but wants the man to think through what he has said. When a Rabbi asked questions of his hearers it was in order to expand on the idea under discussion. Thirdly that He is unhappy about the way that the man is using the idea of goodness, and wants him to be more careful in his use of the term.

A further thing that must ever be borne in mind is that Jesus, while constantly drawing attention to the sin of others, never Himself shows any consciousness of sin. In someone of His moral sensitivity that is a clear indication that He saw Himself as without sin. Thus the solution we come to must take that into account.

End of note.