Anyone have any thoughts or explanation of this scripture ?
LUKE 18;19
by iknowall558 14 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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truthsetsonefree
The latest dub explanation:
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w898/1p.8JesusandaRichYoungRuler***
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus replies. “Nobody is good, except one, God.” Likely the young man uses “good” as a title, so Jesus lets him know that such a title belongs only to God.
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snowbird
My thought is that Jesus was using a repellent question (as he often did) when he asked the rich young ruler, "Why do you call Me good, when only One is good, God?"
In other words, Don't call me good unless you believe that I'm the Messiah (the Son of God - hence God), and if you believe that, why aren't you My follower?
His calling Jesus "good" was an apparent attempt to curry favor with Him. Jesus exposed the young man for what he really was when He instructed him to sell all his worldly possessions and become His follower.
The young man, not wanting to give up his riches, declined the offer, as Jesus knew he would.
Sylvia
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NeonMadman
I think that if a JW offers the explanation given above in the Watchtower, it would be appropriate to ask whether he or she thinks that Jesus was not good.
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iknowall558
thanks for the comments guys
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Narkissos
Imo the ambiguity of the saying (in Mark and Luke; Matthew transforms it deeply so as to avoid the problem, making the dialogue rather awkward) is irreducible, even if it was never intended as such.
It can make perfect although nearly opposite sense to the readers, depending on their beliefs: either a human teacher denying any personal authority and shifting it to the only God which he obviously is not (which may have been a pre-Markan understanding), or as a "divine" teacher deriving his authority from that of the only God speaking through him (whether this "divinity" is understood "functionally" or "ontologically" is still allowed by the letter of the saying).
A good example of the semantic excess of writing over intention.
It is not even clear exactly why Matthew cringes at the original saying. He certainly wants to avoid the implication that Jesus is not "good," but is it because he does not think of the possibility of equating Jesus with God (if only in a "functional" sense) or because he rejects it?
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passwordprotected
I agree with Snowbird. Jesus often repelled questions or statements that may have inferred divinity on him before he was ready to acknowledge such. He also asked questions that would get his listeners to think outside the box.
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yadda yadda 2
(the Son of God - hence God)
HUH???
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snowbird
(the Son of God - hence God)
HUH???
Yadda,
Son of human - hence human.
It took me a while to grasp that, too.
Peace
Sylvia
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passwordprotected
I'm with snowbird. Again. Spot on.