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Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by malvisguy212: 4:08pm On Nov 15, 2015 |
In the Gospels, a rich, young man approached Jesus and said to him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus gave the infamous reply,“Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” This story is found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke; critics of Jesus’ claims to deity often use it as ammunition in their case for a non- divine Jesus. It seems, they argue, that Jesus is denying deity here by refusing the title ‘GOOD’ as it is something reserved solely for God. I contend that even a surface-level reading of this narrative does not even remotely support that conclusion. I don’t see how Jesus’ clarification of God’s nature is equivalent to him denying deity. This is akin to someone coming to me and calling me, “Dr. Paul.” I respond by saying, “Why do you call me doctor? No man can be a doctor, only he who holds a doctorate.” I can either mean one of two things: 1. No one can be a doctor unless he holds a doctorate. 2. I do not hold a doctorate. 3. Therefore, I am not a doctor. or… 1. No one can be a doctor unless he holds a doctorate. 2. I hold a doctorate. 3. Therefore, I am a doctor. By asking “Why do you call me doctor?”, am I denying my title? Of course not. I am simply clarifying what the title means. I am neither validating nor rejecting the title. In any case, I don’t have a doctorate (yet!) but the point still stands. You can see how such reasoning is completely absurd, and yet this is what we see when critics use Jesus’ words in this passage to try to show his non deity. Having said all of that, let’s have another look at what Jesus said in this passage. He only said two statements: 1. Why do you call me good? 2. No one is good except God The only piece of information that Jesus gave is this: No one is good but God. There are 2 ways to understand his statement: 1. Only God is good. 2. I am not good. 3. Therefore, I am not God. or 1. Only God is good. 2. I am good. 3. Therefore, I am God. In this specific instance, from these words alone, Jesus does make known to us which of these he meant. It is both ignorant and presumptive of anyone to use this passage, alone, to argue for Jesus’ non-deity. Why should the first reading be the desirable one over the second reading? Jesus’ statement that only God is good does not, itself, tell us whether he was affirming or denying being God. But if we keep reading, we find that Jesus sheds some light on what he meant. Jesus answers the man’s original question about obtaining eternal life with this“You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.'” The man responds :”Teacher, I have kept all of these since I was a boy.” Then Jesus finishes with: “One thing you lack. Go, sell everything you have then come, follow me.” To summarize: In response to the man’s question, “What must I do to gain eternal life?”, Jesus responds by telling him to follow the commandments. But which commandments does Jesus list? Notice that Jesus only lists the commandments that dealt with civil affairs. The Ten Commandments of Moses were divided into 2 parts: Laws on dealing with God and Laws on dealing with others. Respectively, these were the moral and civil laws. Jesus names the civil law for the young man and the young man responds like any good Jew would, These I have kept since I was young.” The man was doing great on keeping the civil law, but not so much with the moral law. Instead of then quoting the first four commandments to the young man,the commandments that dealt with man’s relationship with God, Jesus told the young man, “Sell your possessions and follow me.” In other words, “Your god is your money. Get rid of that and follow me.” Jesus is equating obeying the moral law with following himself. The manner in which men can obtain eternal life is by getting rid of the false gods in their lives and following Jesus , replacing them with him! This claim is monumental! And it gives us an answer to our initial dilemma. Did Jesus deny or affirm his deity in asking, “Why do you call me good?” I think the answer is clear in light of the rest of that conversation with the young man. Jesus equated following himself with keeping the moral law and obeying the commandments that governed man’s relationship with God. Thus, in bringing up this passage as ammunition for a non-divine Jesus, the critic shoots himself in the foot by bringing to the table a text in which Jesus clearly claims deity. 6 Likes 3 Shares |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by Jozzy4: 5:46pm On Nov 15, 2015 |
Malvisguy212 , in as much as I enjoyed reading the above analogy , i disagree . - when Jesus say " God" , he is refering to His Father . For example : john 14:1 " exercise faith in God, exercise faith also in me" The big question is : who did he identify as God ? Himself ? Of course , not himself but his father . Bro , nobody is good except God ( The Father) Exercise Faith In God ( The Father) - John 14:1 2 Likes |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by malvisguy212: 6:01pm On Nov 15, 2015 |
Jozzy4:Jesus christ is a man who was possessed by God Himself, that is why He say "I and the Father are ONE" why dint you quote the rest of John 14? 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it 4 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by Jozzy4: 6:06pm On Nov 15, 2015 |
malvisguy212: Simple question : who did Jesus call " God" at john 14:1 ? |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by malvisguy212: 8:48pm On Nov 15, 2015 |
Jozzy4:Jesus, his human nature, call God His father on many occasions. What did Jesus mean when He say "I and the father are ONE? " further more, what did He means in this conversation with Philip; John 14. 9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. I want you to carefully notice the last statement "The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority" what does this indicate? Jesus did not speak on His own authority, why ? Because it was the Father(God) who dwell in Him speak. (just like A demon possessed man do not speak on his own authority) 2 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by Jozzy4: 10:03pm On Nov 15, 2015 |
Dont let us divert the topic , the focus is who did Jesus Call God when he said : " nobody is good except God" malvisguy212: @ bold , you confirmed it that Jesus use God for his father . Thats the point |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by malvisguy212: 10:19pm On Nov 15, 2015 |
Jozzy4:you are picking word that suit you and ignored the rest, did you not read were I say "Jesus in his HUMAN nature called God His father?". Did I say in his Divine nature ? You need to go back and read the 4 gospel again, not just read but with the help of the spirit. 1 Like |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by Jozzy4: 7:36am On Nov 16, 2015 |
malvisguy212: Absolute crap ! That means we men call God our father because of human nature ? When they become partakers of the divine nature , they wont acknowledge him as Father again ? Jesus Call God his father even in the divine nature - Rev 3:5b 3 Likes |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by malvisguy212: 7:54am On Nov 16, 2015 |
Jozzy4:then you should be able to answer my questions. Analyze John 14:9-11. |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by Jozzy4: 8:00am On Nov 16, 2015 |
malvisguy212: 1. Jesus is not the Father . 2 . The Father in me doesnt mean the Father dwells in Jesus , not a literal statement Take for example john 17:21 " that they may be in us" , does it mean the apostles will dissapear to literally dwell inside Jesus and his father in heaven ? 3 Likes |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by malvisguy212: 8:21am On Nov 16, 2015 |
Jozzy4:why do you keep on believing in false doctrine? Who say Jesus is the father? Let us quote the John 17:21-23 21 that all of them may be one, Father, JUST as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. This verse is a prayer to all believers. In verse 21 the word "just" indicate it was an EXAMPLE , just as God is in Jesus, Jesus urge the believers to be ONE , Jesus was teaching how the disciples can have relationship with God, 4 Likes |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by Jozzy4: 8:25am On Nov 16, 2015 |
malvisguy212: okay |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by plappville(f): 10:20am On Nov 16, 2015 |
malvisguy212: If Jesus is not the Father, who is He? We know that the Father is Yahweh God Almighty? Who then is Jesus? |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by Nobody: 10:45am On Nov 16, 2015 |
Hell fire will so much roast some people.Jesus is clearly implying he ain't God yet you pagans who call yourselves xtians choose to twist his words to justify your idolatory. 3 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by Nobody: 10:46am On Nov 16, 2015 |
plappville:He is the SLAVE of Allah |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by Nobody: 12:00pm On Nov 16, 2015 |
malvisguy212: Jesus in his HUMAN nature also said that I and my Father are one. |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by plappville(f): 1:49pm On Nov 16, 2015 |
crusadistic: Shut up!! Allah is idol. Allah cannot see thé food poison that killed Muhammad (may problèm be upon him) as families world's wide are weeping/crying in pains. |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by plappville(f): 1:51pm On Nov 16, 2015 |
crusadistic: Those who believe Jesus is God are far better than you who denied his death... 1 Like |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by tartar9(m): 2:28pm On Nov 16, 2015 |
plappville:so those who believe Jesus is not God and wasnt crucified like a criminal are less better than those who bow to the creation rather than the creator 1 Like |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by plappville(f): 2:59pm On Nov 16, 2015 |
tartar9: You got it wrong. Those who believe in the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus. And that He is the son of God. To them given Power to be called Sons of God. But those who rejected the mentioned above are led by the spirit of The anti-Christ... Islam fits in.. 1 Like |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by Scholar8200(m): 3:07pm On Nov 16, 2015 |
JMAN05:Just as the Father called the Son God: But to the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a scepter of justice. Hebrews 1:8 likewise in Isaiah 9 4 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by malvisguy212: 6:02pm On Nov 16, 2015 |
plappville:1. Jesus has two natures, He is God and man. 2. Each nature is full and complete , He is fully God and fully man. 3. Each nature remains distinct. 4. Christ is only one Person. 5. Things that are true of only one nature are nonetheless true of the Person of Christ. Jesus is a man. A man who was possessed by God. 2 Likes |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by malvisguy212: 6:05pm On Nov 16, 2015 |
crusadistic:tartar9 this thread is not for your like, learn to established some boundary. |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by malvisguy212: 6:07pm On Nov 16, 2015 |
Scholar8200:God bless you my brother. 2 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by Scholar8200(m): 6:11pm On Nov 16, 2015 |
malvisguy212:Amen; and you too. 1 Like 1 Share |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by mickey45: 6:54am On Nov 17, 2015 |
malvisguy212: Acts 20:28 “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” 2 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by SamjohnnyB(m): 8:56am On Nov 17, 2015 |
malvisguy212:God bless u big 1 Like 1 Share |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by Vecto(m): 9:13am On Nov 17, 2015 |
If Jesus was good then the question makes no sense 1 Like |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by malvisguy212: 9:21am On Nov 17, 2015 |
SamjohnnyB:and you too my brother 1 Like |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by malvisguy212: 9:22am On Nov 17, 2015 |
Vecto:is Jesus a bad person? |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by Nobody: 3:06pm On Nov 17, 2015 |
Scholar8200: How does this tie with the purpose of that my comment? Or want to call my attention to a verse u think is ur best shot? Will you then be fair and say the same thing to that person whom the words was first applied? Can u do that? |
Re: Why Do You Call Me Good? Analyze. by Nobody: 3:13pm On Nov 17, 2015 |
malvisguy212: Oga go and respond to my comment to u, and u are here blessing him when his comment didn't solve ur problem. |
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