Luke 18:19

The verse Luke 18:19 records a pivotal moment in Jesus' interaction with a rich young ruler. Jesus' response to the ruler's opening address challenges the conventional understanding of "good" and points to the ultimate source of all true moral excellence.

Context

This statement by Jesus is a direct reply to the rich young ruler, who approached Him asking, "Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" (as seen in Luke 18:18). The ruler's respectful address, "Good Master," might have been a common honorific. Jesus' follow-up question in verse 19 serves not as a denial of His own goodness or deity, but as a profound challenge to the ruler's understanding of what "good" truly means when applied to a person, especially in the context of inheriting eternal life. This encounter is also paralleled in the Gospels of Matthew 19:17 and Mark 10:18.

Key Themes

• The Nature of Absolute Goodness: Jesus' statement emphasizes that true, absolute goodness belongs to God alone. Human goodness is always relative and imperfect when compared to the divine standard. This highlights God's unique holiness and moral perfection as the ultimate benchmark.
• A Challenge to Superficiality: Jesus is not denying His own inherent goodness or divinity. Instead, He is probing the rich young ruler's heart and intellect. Was the ruler using "Good Master" as a polite, casual title, or did he truly understand the profound implications of attributing such a quality, which belongs uniquely to God, to Jesus? Jesus forces him to consider the source and definition of genuine goodness.
• God's Unrivaled Perfection: The verse underscores God's singular position as the source and embodiment of all moral excellence. This theme is consistent throughout Scripture, affirming that every good and perfect gift comes from God, the Father of lights.

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word translated as "good" in this passage is agathos (ἀγαθός), which denotes inherent moral goodness, excellence, and uprightness. By posing the question, "Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God," Jesus elevates the conversation beyond a simple greeting. He implies that if the ruler truly understood the depth of agathos, he would recognize that such perfection is a divine attribute. This prompts the ruler, and us, to consider the true identity of Jesus Himself—is He merely a good teacher, or is He something more, connected to the very essence of God's goodness?

Practical Application

This verse provides significant insights for believers today:

• Defining True Goodness: It challenges us to align our understanding of "goodness" not with human standards or societal norms, but with God's perfect and absolute character. This perspective fosters humility, helping us recognize our own moral limitations and our constant need for God's grace and righteousness.
• Acknowledging God's Sovereignty: The statement reaffirms God's supreme authority and unique moral standing in the universe. It calls us to worship and reverence, acknowledging that only God possesses absolute goodness, and any goodness we exhibit is derived from His divine nature.
• Deepening Our Understanding of Jesus: For those who believe in Jesus as the Son of God, this exchange is not a denial of His deity, but an invitation to a deeper understanding. Jesus is indeed good, not merely as a man, but because He is one with the Father, embodying the very goodness of God. It encourages us to contemplate the profound mystery of Christ's divine-human nature.