Matthew 19:17 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments."

NIV: "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments."

NASB: And He said to him, 'Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you want to enter life, keep the commandments.'

CSB: "Why do you ask me about what is good?" he said to him. "There is only one who is good. If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."

NLT: Why ask me about what is good?' Jesus replied. 'There is only One who is good. But to answer your question — if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.'

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.

NKJV: So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

This verse suffers from a double dose of misinterpretation. Both major statements made here are frequently ripped from their contexts and applied in ways not intended by Scripture.

A serious and wealthy young man has approached Jesus with a life-and-death question. He has asked what good deed he must do to have eternal life (Matthew 19:16). The man is clearly a religious person and a faithful follower of Judaism. Since Luke 18:18 describes him as a ruler, some commentators speculate that he was a Pharisee or other religious leader in Israel.

As Jesus so often does, He answers the young man's question with a question of His own. He immediately challenges the assumption the man's question revealed. He asks why the young man asks Him about what is good. Mark's account phrases both the question and Jesus' answer slightly differently. The young man calls Jesus "Good Teacher," and Jesus asks why the man calls Him good (Mark 10:17–18).

Jesus' point seems to be the same in either case. Why does the young man see Jesus as "good" or the source of knowledge about true goodness? Contrary to what some skeptics claim, Jesus is not saying to the young man that He is not good. Rather, Jesus is emphasizing that the point is a pursuit of goodness. Jesus insists there is only One who is good. That One is God. In a roundabout way, Jesus is asking the man, "are you calling me God?" Jesus, as God's Son, is one with Him. It is Jesus' goodness on which we must rely in order to be truly saved (John 3:36).

The significance of this question plays into the rest of this encounter. If Jesus is God, and the standard of goodness, then those who truly seek good will follow His instruction (John 14:15). Christ will demonstrate to this man that he cannot be good enough to have eternal life on his own. He will need to receive Jesus' goodness so he can have eternal life.

Continuing that same lesson, Jesus tells the man to keep the commandments in order to see salvation. Perfect goodness would be required to be saved based on our own efforts. Yet, Jesus is not dismissively telling the man, "just be good." The purpose of this statement is to point out that the man's goodness is imperfect. In the end, the man's response shows that he is not, in fact, truly willing to follow God (Matthew 19:22).

Matthew 19:16–30 describes Jesus' conversation with a wealthy young man who asks how to attain eternal life. Jesus begins by establishing a standard of goodness, suggesting the man keep all the commandments. When the man says he has done this, Jesus suggests he give up his wealth to follow Him. The man's sad reaction proves he's unwilling to make God the real priority of his life. Using this as an example, Jesus warns that wealth can make it difficult for someone to accept salvation.

Pharisees ask Jesus if it is lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause. Jesus reminds them marriage was designed by God at creation. Divorce, then, is lawful only in the case of sexual immorality. A rich young man asks Jesus what good thing he must do to have eternal life. Jesus insists only God is good. He challenges the man's sincerity by asking him to give all his wealth to the poor and follow Him. The man's refusal demonstrates how easy it is to prefer wealth to dependence on God. In response to the disciples' question, Jesus says salvation is impossible with men but not with God.

Matthew 19 follows Jesus' teachings about temptation and forgiveness in chapter 18. This passage begins with Jesus leaving behind Galilee and heading toward Jerusalem the long way around. Jesus tells the Pharisees that divorce is legal only in cases of sexual immorality. Jesus blesses little children and then answers a rich young man who asks how to have eternal life. The man leaves sad after Jesus challenges him to give his money to the poor and follow Him. Jesus says salvation is impossible with men, but not with God. Chapter 20 contains additional parables and examples, and is the last before Jesus arrives in Jerusalem in the days just prior to His crucifixion.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.