Only God is good, what does Jesus mean in Mark 10?

[zoidar]

Mark 10
17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 18 And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone."

What does Jesus mean by only God is good. He himself is God, isn't he as good as the Father? I have read a few explainations but none has really given me an answer that I'm satisfied with.

One explanation I have been given is that Jesus talks about his human nature, which isn't as good as the father.

Another one is that Jesus means that everything good comes from the Father, he himself is begotten from the Father, so the Father is the source of all good. So even Jesus has the same goodness as the Father, he from one point of view isn't as good since he is begotten from the Father.

An idea I have myself is that Jesus talks from the belief that man has about him, that Jesus is just a prophet, a man. The man calls him: "Good teacher", which seems to point to that he has no idea of who Jesus is. So Jesus replies from that perspective of the man, that if he only is a man, then why does he call him good, since only God is good. In doing so Jesus is saying indirectly: "If you want to continue to call me good, you also have to acknowlege that I'm God".

Do you got better explanations?

 

[Sabertooth]

"If you want to continue to call me good, you also have to acknowlege that I'm God".

I agree with this statement.

 

[SkyWriting]

In doing so Jesus is saying indirectly: "If you want to continue to call me good, you also have to acknowledge that I'm God".

Do you got better explanations?

More like "You are speaking to much more than a "teacher",
but you are hearing from the 'I AM" you have read so much about.

 

[dreadnought]

Mark 10
17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 18 And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone."

What does Jesus mean by only God is good. He himself is God, isn't he as good as the Father? I have read a few explainations but none has really given me an answer that I'm satisfied with.

One explanation I have been given is that Jesus talks about his human nature, which isn't as good as the father.

Another one is that Jesus means that everything good comes from the Father, he himself is begotten from the Father, so the Father is the source of all good. So even Jesus has the same goodness as the Father, he from one point of view isn't as good since he is begotten from the Father.

An idea I have myself is that Jesus talks from the belief that man has about him, that Jesus is just a prophet, a man. The man calls him: "Good teacher", which seems to point to that he has no idea of who Jesus is. So Jesus replies from that perspective of the man, that if he only is a man, then why does he call him good, since only God is good. In doing so Jesus is saying indirectly: "If you want to continue to call me good, you also have to acknowlege that I'm God".

Do you got better explanations?

A district superintendent in my church (the person between the bishop and pastors) held a seminar on something called process theology. One of its beliefs, if I understood correctly, is that we all strive to be happy. As it turns out, the way of the Lord is the best way to be happy. And so it is, only the Father is good.

 

[St_Worm2]

An idea I have myself is that Jesus talks from the belief that man has about him, that Jesus is just a prophet, a man. The man calls him: "Good teacher", which seems to point to that he has no idea of who Jesus is. So Jesus replies from that perspective of the man, that if he only is a man, then why does he call him good, since only God is good. In doing so Jesus is saying indirectly: "If you want to continue to call me good, you also have to acknowledge that I'm God".

Do you got better explanations?

Hi Zoidar, I agree, seeing the question "why do you call me good?" as something that actually meant, "do you understand who I really am?" (the Lord is not in need of information, of course, as if this was an indication of the scope of His omniscience, rather, the question is for this man's benefit and concerned his salvation).

This fits with the rest of this passage, including the Lord's explanation of how the man might obtain eternal life, IOW, by obeying the commandments (which is true in a certain sense, of course, but which He also knows cannot be done).

Yours and His,
David

 

[TuxAme]

One explanation I've heard is that you should read that verse with an "upward inflection" somewhere, either on you or why.

"Why do you call me good?" or "Why do you call me good?". Either way, He is asking the rich man to answer this question for himself. He doesn't know that Jesus is God, so He is essentially asking the man to reflect on what makes him think that Jesus is good (and a credible person to answer his question).

 

[drjean]

I believe it is a rhetorical question, wanting them to search their own minds and hearts and think about what they inquire.

 

[dreadnought]

I believe it is a rhetorical question, wanting them to search their own minds and hearts and think about what they inquire.

I think the Lord means what he says.

 

[drjean]

I think the Lord means what he says.

And?
Jesus often spoke in parables and stories and with questions back. He IS the Word.

 

[dreadnought]

And?
Jesus often spoke in parables and stories and with questions back. He IS the Word.

It's easy to differentiate between a commandment and a parable.

 

[drjean]

It's easy to differentiate between a commandment and a parable.

Sorry but I have no idea what you are having an issue with regarding my post. There is nothing wrong with my post, not Scripturally even.

 

[royal priest]

An idea I have myself is that Jesus talks from the belief that man has about him, that Jesus is just a prophet, a man. The man calls him: "Good teacher", which seems to point to that he has no idea of who Jesus is. So Jesus replies from that perspective of the man, that if he only is a man, then why does he call him good, since only God is good. In doing so Jesus is saying indirectly: "If you want to continue to call me good, you also have to acknowlege that I'm God".

Do you got better explanations?

I agree with this point. Except I think Jesus' intention was more to humble the "good" man, than make him realize who Jesus really was. The man was only looking for an opportunity to impress the "good teacher" with how good he himself was. As if the man was saying ,"hey good teacher, we're all relatively good especially me."

 

[A_Thinker]

Mark 10
17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 18 And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone."

What does Jesus mean by only God is good. He himself is God, isn't he as good as the Father? I have read a few explainations but none has really given me an answer that I'm satisfied with.

One explanation I have been given is that Jesus talks about his human nature, which isn't as good as the father.

Another one is that Jesus means that everything good comes from the Father, he himself is begotten from the Father, so the Father is the source of all good. So even Jesus has the same goodness as the Father, he from one point of view isn't as good since he is begotten from the Father.

An idea I have myself is that Jesus talks from the belief that man has about him, that Jesus is just a prophet, a man. The man calls him: "Good teacher", which seems to point to that he has no idea of who Jesus is. So Jesus replies from that perspective of the man, that if he only is a man, then why does he call him good, since only God is good. In doing so Jesus is saying indirectly: "If you want to continue to call me good, you also have to acknowlege that I'm God".

Do you got better explanations?

I also think that Jesus was trying to stir (or not) the realization that He ... was God.

 

[dreadnought]

Sorry but I have no idea what you are having an issue with regarding my post. There is nothing wrong with my post, not Scripturally even.

I think the Lord meant it when he said no one is good but the Father. People are trying to be happy. We will learn that the way to be happy is to obey the Lord's commandments.

 

[drjean]

I think the Lord meant it when he said no one is good but the Father. People are trying to be happy. We will learn that the way to be happy is to obey the Lord's commandments.

Well I am unsure of why you chose to pick my reply out of the list, as there are others that differ than what you say. I am not the OP, so perhaps address your posts to that.

My reply in no way implies Jesus didn't mean what He said.
Be well.

 

[RDKirk]

I agree with this point. Except I think Jesus' intention was more to humble the "good" man, than make him realize who Jesus really was. The man was only looking for an opportunity to impress the "good teacher" with how good he himself was. As if the man was saying ,"hey good teacher, we're all relatively good especially me."

Yes, that was a question that jerked the man short. His "good teacher" didn't really mean anything--it was just a perfunctory introductory clause to get to what he really wanted to say. But Jesus jerked him off his perch with the first words out of his mouth.

He fully expected Jesus to agree that he was already good enough to merit eternal life.

 

[zoidar]

Yes, that was a question that jerked the man short. His "good teacher" didn't really mean anything--it was just a perfunctory introductory clause to get to what he really wanted to say. But Jesus jerked him off his perch with the first words out of his mouth.

He fully expected Jesus to agree that he was already good enough to merit eternal life.

This fits with the rest of this passage, including the Lord's explanation of how the man might obtain eternal life, IOW, by obeying the commandments (which is true in a certain sense, of course, but which He also knows cannot be done).

Yours and His,
David

Jesus continues by saying:

Mark 10
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.’” 20 And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.”21 Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.

Jesus felt love for him, so the man who came to him must have come with good intentions. If he came to Jesus like the pharisees with some kind of trick in the box, I'm sure Jesus wouldn't have felt love for him. The man believed he had kept the law perfectly. Which actually brings me to another question. Maybe that is for another thread? Is it possible or not to keep the 10 commandments?

Please don't post the answer here but in the new thread:

Is it possible to keep the 10 commandments?

 

[Desires Light]

Mark 10
17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 18 And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone."

What does Jesus mean by only God is good. He himself is God, isn't he as good as the Father? I have read a few explainations but none has really given me an answer that I'm satisfied with.

One explanation I have been given is that Jesus talks about his human nature, which isn't as good as the father.

Another one is that Jesus means that everything good comes from the Father, he himself is begotten from the Father, so the Father is the source of all good. So even Jesus has the same goodness as the Father, he from one point of view isn't as good since he is begotten from the Father.

An idea I have myself is that Jesus talks from the belief that man has about him, that Jesus is just a prophet, a man. The man calls him: "Good teacher", which seems to point to that he has no idea of who Jesus is. So Jesus replies from that perspective of the man, that if he only is a man, then why does he call him good, since only God is good. In doing so Jesus is saying indirectly: "If you want to continue to call me good, you also have to acknowlege that I'm God".

Do you got better explanations?

Much is lost in antiquity my friend.

 

[dreadnought]

Well I am unsure of why you chose to pick my reply out of the list, as there are others that differ than what you say. I am not the OP, so perhaps address your posts to that.

My reply in no way implies Jesus didn't mean what He said.
Be well.

Didn't you say he was being rhetorical?

 

[drjean]

Didn't you say he was being rhetorical?

Indeed I did.
Using rhetoric does not imply non-truth.

21 Rhetorical Devices Explained
BY Paul Anthony Jones
November 11, 2016


Rhetoric is often defined as “the art of language.” That might sound like a bit of a cliché (which it is), but it’s actually quite a nice way of saying that rhetorical devices and figures of speech can transform an ordinary piece of writing or an everyday conversation into something much more memorable, evocative, and enjoyable. Hundreds of different rhetorical techniques and turns of phrase have been identified and described over the centuries—of which the 21 listed here are only a fraction—but they’re all just as effective and just as useful when employed successfully.

21 Rhetorical Devices Explained (Warning: one offensive phrase might be included, but has been seen on this site, perhaps in error "when ... freezes over")