₦airaland Forum

Jesus escoriated a woman who simply called him good master or teacher, by saying "why call me good, when the Only One Who is Good is God in Heaven?" When Jesus said this he was yet unlifted, clearly part of mankind on earth. What did Paul say since we see that Jesus was less than good since he had run with the devil (devil deals with a person or keeps him under his influence when he is bad) and no one can be good with devil influencing him!

Let us look what the Bible really says before we jump to conclusions too quickly. This event you are refering to is written in the Gospel as recorded by Mark, chapter 10:


13 People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." 16 And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. 17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
18 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered.
"No one is good -- except God alone.

19 You know the commandments: `Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'" 20 "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 22 At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

First we have to observe that this man is "praising Jesus highly" but then goes on to NOT obey what Jesus tells him he should do to inherit the eternal life that he desires.

Some quick remarks about the context. Jesus has just taught the people that to enter the kingdom of God (= get eternal life) we need to accept it as a gift, just like the children who have no inhibitions to accept gifts. Jesus tells us that we have to "unlearn" our adult behavior of "having to earn everything" because we cannot earn God's favor and grace, but have to accept it as a free gift of love. And the next we read is that this man comes up and asks "what MUST I DO to inherit eternal life". This shows how much this is entrenched in our nature and how hard it is to accept the pure grace of God. God's grace is without pre-conditions but not without consequences. Whoever has tasted of God's grace will strive to live a life which is pleasing to God.

We can only guess why exactly this man is praising Jesus so highly when he approaches him. Maybe he thought if he praises Jesus first, he might get a more favorable answer from him? One that is "easier to fulfill"? Isn't that a common approach of many people towards those who are (perceived to be) in authority on a certain issue? But Jesus looks through these smoke screens and goes right to the core problem. Jesus isn't swayed by this man's attempt to win his favor the wrong way. This doesn't mean that this man was a total hypocrite - just trying to manipulate a bit in his own favor. Jesus won't let him do so.

Jesus peels away the man's attempt to 'manipulate' in his favor. And he says to him, "don't use divine attributes for me IF you are not willing to follow what I am going to tell you". Jesus does then make this clear by showing him WHO [what] really is his 'god'. Jesus with this question "WHY do you call me good -- only God is good" and his exposure of the man's true heart makes clear that this statement has to be read as "Only call me "good" [meaning: (from) God], if you are prepared to fully submit to what I will tell you".

And though this does explain the statement, to fully understand the dynamic of this incident we have to look even more carefully. There is much more. No prophet has ever talked in this "presumptious" way.

"How can I get eternal life?" is the question. "Follow ME!" is the answer that Jesus gives.

Do you see what he is claiming? He does NOT say, these are the teachings that God has given me. Follow these rules and you will get to heaven. Neither did he just say, "follow God, submit to God", but he said "Follow ME!".

Jesus talks to this man as if it is in his hand to give eternal life. Follow Jesus and you have eternal life. And that by the way a constant topic in the teaching of Jesus. And it is completely against the tradition of Jewish teachers, which are approached and chosen by their students. But none of the disciples chose Jesus. It is always Jesus who comes up to them and "claims them" and commands them to follow him.

I am not a hater of paul, but a caller of attention to his statement versus what Jesus of the Bible said!

Why must you open your post with a lie? all muslims hate brother Paul.

While Jesus said, "oh israel, your Lord and my Lord is but One God". What is the opinion of Paul to this, since we see that Trinity was developed after Jesus was lifted to heaven by his Able Lord?

Why quote snippets of the Bible? Jesus claimed equality with the God the Father. "Jesus said to them, 'My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.' For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God" (John 5:17-18).
"Then they asked him, 'Where is your father?' 'You do not know me or my Father,' Jesus replied. 'If you knew me, you would know my Father also'" (John 8:19) "'I tell you the truth,' Jesus answered, 'before Abraham was born, I am!'" (John 8:58). "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30).

Therefore the Jews certainly understood that Jesus was claiming to be God and they sought to kill Him because of it. "'What about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, "I am God's Son"? Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.' Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp." (John 10:36-39). This is just one incident where the Jewish authority sought to take Jesus or to stone Him and He escaped out of their hands because His time had not yet come (John 8:20).

So Paul had nothing to say about this than what Jesus himself claimed!

Nezan and friends, can any of you explain what jesus meant when he said to his disciples
'i am returning to my Father and your Father, my God and your God'

In as much as I know you will not take your time to rationally read this because of the way your islamic mind is programmed, I will just explain it for the benefit of others. When we call Jesus Son of God, what do you think is the implication? the simple implication is that God is His father . . . or are you too dumb to understand? The Son and the Father are also of one essence, see John 14:10 Jesus said, "I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the work . . . . This means that since the son is in the Faather and the Father is God, the Son is also God, and he received his divinity through his been of one essence with the Father. His calling the Father His God i just a form of respect, because He derived His divinity out of the Father.

You muslims are slaves of allah, but for us Christians, we are worthy to call God our Father because Jesus, the Son redeemed us with His innocent blood and brought us to the Father, that is why we can now proudly call him our Father.

Will get to watch the match.

I wonder why Abuja seat has been empty.

@OP; you are advocating a change to our culture?

Who was denying his governorship of the CBN?

Hmmm, all words, no action.

Why the special interest in Bode? is he not just one of the guilty?

Lover boy? is that love? The man is an animal.

We need to pray very well for the Argentina encounter.

Make dem allow the mallams joo, dem go beg for NASS na, wetin be dem own sef?

I think boys game more than girls.

See me see wahala. Na so Naija go continue to be??

United 4 ever.

@ OP; What was the disagreement? I believe you really hurt the man and he saw you as been unworthy of a wife material.

^ I thought the guy had serious issues to discuss.

If Chris Uba could arrange for the kidnap of a then sitting governor, I think kidnapping an old man is no big deal.

@OP; You wan kill the man? I no sure say you be good wife sef . . . see how you come dey expose the man for NL.

^ Alhaja, what does your err . . koran say of the virgin birth? are you asking me?

And tell me what's not demonic about worshipping a Jewish man and calling him GOD?

Because His the son of God who died for my sin. I know you wouldnt understand because the devil has blinded your eyes with his latest invention- atheism

Look, all are entitled to faith, but none is entitled to abuse. Especially when that abuse is directed at the faith of other people.

Oh, you mean I should turn the other cheek, right?

There is no reason why you should call another man's religion demonic.

Why not? how will satan reject his own? if you are a satanist, wont you be happy of been addressed as one?

The same words may be said for yours, given that you worship a human being, Jesus of Nazareth, and you state that he is God, notwithstanding that he severally stated that he was not God.

How can you, an atheist, claim to know Jesus and Christianity more than me? Get behind me satan.

The mithram conspiracy is an old lie that has since been discredited. No need cheering it up as a new noble idea.

^^ what I can only figure is that islam and mithraism are demonic religions.

^^ ha ha ha

May the good Lord help our cause.

I think Gbenga was getting too personal with attacks on that program . . . there is always need for moderation.

*sighs*

David and Noetic are damn good . . . my kudos!

Hmm . . . Anambra and its power mongers.

And as for copy catting, we find Nezan, Noetics, etc as copycats against Islam!

My friend, do you understand what 'copy catting' mean in this context? Mithraism was a false religion as much as islam is today, it was competing with Christianity just as the lie, islam is trying to compete with Christianity today, but God allowed His truth to overcome evil, that is why mithraism today, is consigned to the trash of history and Christianity is marching on as strong as ever. After the death of mithram, the devil developed another lie, islam, and they followers are trying to compete with Christianity but the truth will always prevail. People are now dusting the dustbins of history, trying to recreate mithraism and linking it to Christianity, which has fall flat on its face. I only wanted shakers to know that the old lie has been debunked since. As for islam, we are not copycats, we are only trying to present islam for what it is: a big lie against God and humanity.

the exact same applies to pagan copycatting and non factoring and though competes is Christianity against Islam!

islam and mithraism are both religions of the devil, there are not in the league of Christianity, so no need comparing!

Back in the Roman era, Mithraism was perhaps Christianity's leading competitor for the hearts and minds of others. Today Mithraism is religiously a non-factor, but it still "competes" with Christianity, in another way: It is a leading candidate for the "pagan copycat" thesis crowd as a supposed source for Christianity.

On this forum, another 'copycat' by name shakers has raised this topic again. You can read about this lie and the comprehensive debunking of it on this site:

http://www.tektonics.org/copycat/mithra.html