Seeing the Light: 4. "If Jesus is God, why did He ask the man why he called Him good if only God is good?"

Seeing the Light: 4. "If Jesus is God, why did He ask the man why he called Him good if only God is good?"

The question comes from the following verses:

- Matthew 19:17 (KJV), "And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."

- Mark 10:18 (KJV), "And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

- Luke 18:19 (KJV), "And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God."

All three verses are the same account in different Gospels. Here is the full context from Matthew:

Matthew 19:16-22 (KJV), "And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

Matthew 19:23-26 (KJV), "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible."


--ADDRESSING MATTHEW 19:16-22--
Notice: Jesus does not deny being good, He states that there is one who is good: God. But Jesus did not say, "I am not good". In fact, Jesus was actually trying to assess if the man meant what he said when he called Jesus "good". Jesus goes through some of the 10 Commandments with the man, all of which the man states he has kept. Even though the man has kept the commandments Jesus asked about,  the man indicated he was lacking something. Jesus tells the rich young ruler to sell all that he has and to give to the poor, and to follow Him... to which the man went away upset.

Why would the man go away upset? The man knew that his devotion, his focus, his attention, his worship was to his riches and not to Jesus. Jesus told the man to sell all he had and give to the poor and "come and follow me"; but why did Jesus not say "follow God"? This is another instance of Jesus revealing that He is the Almighty God.

How?

Luke 16:13 (KVJ), "No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

Jesus states here that people cannot serve both God and mammon (riches, money, etc.), something that the rich young ruler was trying to do. Again, this verse further shows that when Jesus told the man to forsake his riches and to "come and follow me" Jesus was revealing that He is the Almighty God in whom we must serve.


--ADDRESSING MATTHEW 19:23-26--
Let's focus on verses 25-26, "When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible"

The disciples ask Jesus who can be saved, and Jesus says it is impossible for man, meaning it is impossible for man to go to heaven by his own merit. Jesus then states though, with God all things are possible. Again, Jesus is claiming here that He is the Almighty God.

How?

Isaiah 33:22 (KJV), "For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us."

Isaiah 43:11 (KJV), "I, even I, am the LORD ; and beside me there is no saviour."

Matthew 18:11 (KJV), "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost."

Acts 4:10-12 (KJV), "be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

1 John 4:14 (KJV), "And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world."


So, "If Jesus is God, why did He ask the man why he called Him good if only God is good?"

Jesus did not deny His goodness, He stated only God is good, to which Jesus then exposed the man's love for riches rather than love for God. Jesus then said to the man to sell everything and to "follow me", Jesus did not say sell everything and "follow God". In Luke 16:13, Jesus says a person cannot serve both God and riches. This ties exactly into the rich young ruler's encounter with Jesus, where Jesus basically says for the man to forsake his riches and "follow me (God)"!
Additionally, after Jesus says "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." the disciples then ask Him, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus then said to them, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible" Jesus was simply saying, "with me this is possible". The LORD is the savior of the Old Testament and New Testament, because He is the same LORD. With Jesus as our Savior, having the name by which all men must be saved, all things are possible.