Many people know about Jesus saying to a rich young man, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:25). The man elicited this remark by addressing him as “Good Teacher” (v. 17). Jesus replied, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone” (v. 18).
In the past, church fathers and many subsequent traditionalist Christians have insisted that Jesus here implied that he was God. Their obvious reasoning was that Jesus is good, no one is good except God, therefore Jesus must be God. Before we examine this faulty reasoning, we should briefly consider Matthew’s account.
All three synoptists relate this encounter between Jesus and the rich young man. But Matthew records Jesus’ response differently as follows: “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good” (Matthew 19:17).
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Author: Kermit Zarley
Keywords: Trinity, Triunity, Trinitarianism, Trinitarian, Arianism, Arian, Three in one, Three gods, Three gods one person, Arius, Arias, Nicene Creed, Nicaea, Nicea, Athanasian Creed, Athanasius, Father son holy spirit, Father son holy ghost, Triune, Three persons in one God, Socinian, Socinianism, Socinian heresy, Jesus God, God the Son, Nicene, Nicean Creed, Council of Nicaea, Council of Nicea, homoiousios, Homoousios, Homoiousian, rich young ruler
Bible reference(s): Mat 19:17, Mark 10:17-18, Luk 18:19
Source: “Did Jesus Indicate He Was God to the Rich Young Man?” The Restitution of Jesus Christ, 2008.
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