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NASB | Mark 10:18 And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Mark 10:18 Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is [essentially] good [by nature] except God alone. |
Bible Question:
Can some please explain to me in context Mark chapter 10.Especially this verse. 18"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone. Why did Jesus tell them not to him good teacher? |
Bible Answer: Hi, Noveta! I understand what you are saying... it seems a contradiction in terms: Jesus being God is Good... We must remember that Jesus did not come to claim his Divinity on earth (my kingdom is not of this world--John 18:36); rather, He came to serve (both to die on the Cross in our stead and to instruct us of the errors of the world and of the new Covenant that began in Him); He gave Himself the title of Son of man, though His birth titles clearly demonstrate that He was waaaay more (Isaiah 9:6--God and Father; Isaiah 7:14--God with us). It is even more confusing when in John 13 He seems to be retracting His words as He tells the disciples that: "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. (John 13:13) So how can Jesus be the Lord and still not "good teacher?" If we view this in light of other Scripture we can begin to understand the seeming contradiction: For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. (Luke 22:27) After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?" "Yes, he does," he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. "What do you think, Simon?" he asked. "From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes--from their own sons or from others?" "From others," Peter answered. "Then the sons are exempt," Jesus said to him. "But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours." (Matthew 17:24-27) Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented. (Matthew 3:13-15) These three examples demonstrate that there was something deeper taking place: Luke 22:27: Jesus clearly reveals His Authority and His Supremacy over the disciples, yet He maintains His station as "servant." Matthew 17:24-27: Jesus demonstrates the irony of being charged a Temple tax--but He does not send the collector emptied-handed! Matthew 3:13-15: Here, John the Baptist is aware of Jesus' Origins, bows to His Authority and reject the idea of he having any dominance over Christ... Jesus reminds John that He came as the Lamb of God, hence He must abide by Scripture! As the Son of man (Lamb of God) Jesus could not officiate His full Divinity (Philippians 2:5-8), though there are moments when He allows the knowledge of His Divinity to seep through! There could also be a hidden revelation in this passage as Jesus states that only God alone is good... this is very silimar to passages where the Pharisees and masters of the law themselves state that Jesus is equating Himself to God or that He makes Himself God; other similarities are found in Jesus rebuking the spirits not to reveal that He is the Son of God/Messiah and when He tells the disciples not to reveal, just yet, certain things that they witnessed. Sadly, some use Scripture such as this to attempt to deny Jesus' Divinity! God Bless! Angel |