3540 — There Is None Good but God
By A. L. C.
Why did Jesus say, "There is none good but one, that is, God," when Jesus Himself knew no sin? See Matt. 19:17. For the simple reason that He Himself was God. The question that He asked and the statement that He made were simply to lead the young man to look more deeply into the essential truth than he would otherwise. With the young man it was evidently mere form when he said, "Good Master, what good thing shall I do?" and Jesus wanted him to understand the words that He was saying. "Why callest thou Me good? there is none good [none absolutely perfect] but one, that is, God." He did not by that say to the young man, "I am God," and yet Jesus was truly God. This, of course, He did not affirm nor deny; He wanted the young man to understand the words that He was using. If he could but learn them aright, they were rightly used when he said, "Good Master," for he was addressing One who came from the very bosom of the Godhead. And Jesus demonstrated this by reading the young man's heart and pointing out to him just what his duty was before God.