Luke 18:19
And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
Original Language Analysis
αὐτῷ
unto him
G846
αὐτῷ
unto him
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
3 of 16
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
4 of 16
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Ἰησοῦς
Jesus
G2424
Ἰησοῦς
Jesus
Strong's:
G2424
Word #:
5 of 16
jesus (i.e., jehoshua), the name of our lord and two (three) other israelites
Τί
Why
G5101
Τί
Why
Strong's:
G5101
Word #:
6 of 16
an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions)
λέγεις
callest thou
G3004
λέγεις
callest thou
Strong's:
G3004
Word #:
8 of 16
properly, to "lay" forth, i.e., (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas g2036 and g5346 generally refer to an
οὐδεὶς
none
G3762
οὐδεὶς
none
Strong's:
G3762
Word #:
10 of 16
not even one (man, woman or thing), i.e., none, nobody, nothing
μὴ
G3361
μὴ
Strong's:
G3361
Word #:
13 of 16
(adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas g3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether
Cross References
Hebrews 7:26For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;James 1:17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Historical Context
Jewish monotheism insisted God alone possessed absolute goodness. Human righteousness was always relative and flawed (Isaiah 64:6). By claiming 'no one is good except God,' Jesus forces the ruler to examine both
- his own goodness—is he truly righteous as he claims?
- Jesus's identity—if Jesus is good, He must be divine.
This encounter reveals that questions about earning eternal life must begin with recognizing God's absolute holiness and human inability to meet that standard.
Questions for Reflection
- What two conclusions about Jesus's identity does His statement 'no one is good except God' force the ruler to consider?
- How does recognizing God's absolute goodness expose the inadequacy of human attempts at righteousness?
- Before discussing 'how to be saved,' why must you first confront 'who can save'?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God—Jesus challenges the ruler's casual use of agathos (ἀγαθός), 'good.' Ti me legeis agathon (τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν)—'why do you call me good?' Oudeis agathos ei mē heis ho theos (οὐδεὶς ἀγαθὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ θεός)—'no one is good except one, God.'
Jesus isn't denying His divinity but forcing the ruler to think: either
The ruler used 'good teacher' as flattery; Jesus transforms it into confrontation. Before discussing eternal life, the ruler must recognize who stands before him. Casual religious titles won't suffice when facing the Holy One whose goodness exposes all human unrighteousness.