Matthew 19:17

Matthew 19:17. Why askest thou me of that which is good? One there is who is good. The common version follows a reading corrected to conform with the other two. The variety sheds light on the whole conversation. Either two questions and answers occurred, or Matthew gives this form to bring out the true sense. There is but one good Being and one good thing, namely, God Himself. What the young ruler needed was not to do some good work or' to learn some speculative morality, but to acknowledge God as the Supreme Good and act accordingly. This strikes at his sin, the love of riches. It does not mean: ‘ask God; read His commandments, do not ask me.' The other accounts present this alternative: Christ either claims that He is Himself God, or denies His own perfect goodness. The answer rebukes the error of the question, that eternal life can be won by good works.

But if thou wouldest enter into life, keep the commandments. The possibility of doing this perfectly had just been denied. Our Lord therefore seeks to show the young man how much he falls short of such a keeping of the commandments. What follows shows that his obedience, however strict, did not recognize God as the supreme good.