Mark 10:18?

[UnworthySoul]

Can anyone explain this to me? Mark 10:18 seems a bit tough for me to get my mind around.

Thanks!

 

[awalt]

What Jesus is really saying is “If you truly believe I am good, than you must know that I am God.” Because if only God is good, and I am good, than I am God.

 

[UnworthySoul]

It seems to me that Jesus, since he was talking to the rich man, was trying to turn the rich man back toward God as the source of all good by saying what He did. He Himself was not yet revealed as God so it makes sense that He would be cryptic about it. Maybe I’m wrong on this though. The wording of it just seems to throw me a bit. It’s just seems to be too easy to read as a denial of being good which really makes no sense by our understanding of Jesus.

Anyone else?

 

[Verbum_Caro]

Unworthysoul,

That passage (and it’s analogs) have been used to erroneously deny the divinity of Christ, so we should be able to find some good commentary on it (Anyone out there have the Navarre Bible with them?). I will check around and see if I find something.

This is what Pope John Paul II said in Veritatis Splendor:

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***“There is only one who is good” ***

***(Mt 19:17)

1. Jesus says: “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments” (Mt 19:17). In the versions of the Evangelists Mark and Luke the question is phrased in this way: “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone” (Mk 10:18; cf. Lk 18:19).

Before answering the question, Jesus wishes the young man to have a clear idea of why he asked his question. The “Good Teacher” points out to him — and to all of us — that the answer to the question, “What good must I do to have eternal life?” can only be found by turning one’s mind and heart to the “One” who is good: “No one is good but God alone” (Mk 10:18; cf. Lk 18:19).* Only God can answer the question about what is good, because he is the Good itself.*

*To ask about the good, *in fact, *ultimately means to turn towards God, *the fullness of goodness. Jesus shows that the young man’s question is really a *religious question, *and that the goodness that attracts and at the same time obliges man has its source in God, and indeed is God himself. God alone is worthy of being loved “with all one’s heart, and with all one’s soul, and with all one’s mind” (Mt 22:37). He is the source of man’s happiness. Jesus brings the question about morally good action back to its religious foundations, to the acknowledgment of God, who alone is goodness, fullness of life, the final end of human activity, and perfect happiness.

(CONTINUED)

 

[Verbum_Caro]

1. The Church, instructed by the Teacher’s words, believes that man, made in the image of the Creator, redeemed by the Blood of Christ and made holy by the presence of the Holy Spirit, has as the *ultimate purpose of his life to live “for the praise of God’s glory” *(cf. Eph 1:12), striving to make each of his actions reflect the splendour of that glory. “Know, then, O beautiful soul, that you are *the image of God”, *writes Saint Ambrose. “Know that you are *the glory of God *(1 Cor 11:7). Hear how you are his glory. The Prophet says: Your knowledge has become too wonderful for me (cf. Ps. 138:6, Vulg.). That is to say, in my work your majesty has become more wonderful; in the counsels of men your wisdom is exalted. When I consider myself, such as I am known to you in my secret thoughts and deepest emotions, the mysteries of your knowledge are disclosed to me. Know then, O man, your greatness, and be vigilant”.17

*What man is and what he must do becomes clear as soon as God reveals himself. *The Decalogue is based on these words: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage” (Ex 20:2-3). In the “ten words” of the Covenant with Israel, and in the whole Law, God makes himself known and acknowledged as the One who “alone is good”; the One who despite man’s sin remains the “model” for moral action, in accordance with his command, “You shall be holy; for I the Lord your God am holy” (Lev 19:2); as the One who, faithful to his love for man, gives him his Law (cf. Ex 19:9-24 and 20:18-21) in order to restore man’s original and peaceful harmony with the Creator and with all creation, and, what is more, to draw him into his divine love: “I will walk among you, and will be your God, and you shall be my people” (Lev 26:12).

*The moral life presents itself as the response *due to the many gratuitous initiatives taken by God out of love for man. It is a response of love, according to the statement made in Deuteronomy about the fundamental commandment: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children” (Dt 6:4-7). Thus the moral life, caught up in the gratuitousness of God’s love, is called to reflect his glory: “For the one who loves God it is enough to be pleasing to the One whom he loves: for no greater reward should be sought than that love itself; charity in fact is of God in such a way that God himself is charity”.18

1. The statement that “There is only one who is good” thus brings us back to the “first tablet” of the commandments, which calls us to acknowledge God as the one Lord of all and to worship him alone for his infinite holiness (cf. Ex 20:2-11). *The good is belonging to God, obeying him, *walking humbly with him in doing justice and in loving kindness (cf.Mic 6:8). *Acknowledging the Lord as God is the very core, the heart of the Law, *from which the particular precepts flow and towards which they are ordered. In the morality of the commandments the fact that the people of Israel belongs to the Lord is made evident, because God alone is the One who is good. Such is the witness of Sacred Scripture, imbued in every one of its pages with a lively perception of God’s absolute holiness: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts” (Is 6:3).

But if God alone is the Good, no human effort, not even the most rigorous observance of the commandments, succeeds in “fulfilling” the Law, that is, acknowledging the Lord as God and rendering him the worship due to him alone (cf. Mt 4:10). *This “fulfilment” can come only from a gift of God: *the offer of a share in the divine Goodness revealed and communicated in Jesus, the one whom the rich young man addresses with the words “Good Teacher” (Mk 10:17; Lk 18:18). What the young man now perhaps only dimly perceives will in the end be fully revealed by Jesus himself in the invitation: “Come, follow me” (Mt 19:21).

***“If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments” ***(Mt 19:17)

1. Only God can answer the question about the good, because he is the Good

 

[UnworthySoul]

I was hoping for commentary from a Navarre Bible as I don’t have one yet. Anything you can find would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Fidelis]

The Navarre Commentary on this passage:

17-18. As Matthew 19:16 makes clear, the young man approaches Jesus as an acknowledged teacher of the spiritual life, in the hope that He will guide him towards eternal life. It is not that Christ rejects the praise He is offered: He wants to show the depth of the young man’s words: He is good, not because He is a good man but because He is God, who is Goodness Itself. So, the young man has spoken the truth, but he has not gone far enough. Hence the enigmatic nature of Jesus’ reply and its profundity. The young man’s approach is upright but too human; Jesus tries to get him to see things from an entirely supernatural point of view. If this man is to really attain eternal life he must see in Christ not just a good master but the divine Savior, the only Master, the only one who, because He is God, is Goodness Itself. Cf. note on Mt. 19:16-22.

Commentary on Mt. 19:17:
17. The Vulgate and other translations, supported by a good many Greek codexes, fill this verse out by saying, “One alone is good, God.”

 

[Verbum_Caro]

I knew we could count on Fidelis for the Navarre!



Thank you!