Why did Jesus say to the rich young ruler there is no one good but God? Was He denying that He was God?

In Matthew 19:16-17a we read, “Good Teacher what good thing shall I do to have eternal life?” So he said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but One, that is God.”

From the language one could infer that Jesus was not God because he said to the young ruler, “Why do you call me good?”

When Jesus asked the young man why do you me call me good, he was not denying his deity. Rather he was affirming to the young man that he is God by virtue of the fact that he made the statement, 

“There is only one that is good, and that is God.” 

It was if Jesus was also saying to the young ruler, “Since you are calling me good, are you implying that I am God?”

Whether the man knew if Jesus was God, he knew he was talking to someone with supreme wisdom and authority.

Jesus also was not rebuking the young ruler for calling him good, rather he wanted him to consider the gravity of his statement to Jesus by calling him good.

Notice though when Jesus answers the young man’s questions and lets him know what he must do to inherit eternal life how the young ruler’s attitude changes; The Bible says he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions or wealth (Mark 10:22).

This is the attitude of most of the world when they encounter the Good Master; they want to come to God on their own terms. How many people are like that rich young ruler; they feel confident about their position in life. They are unaware they are lost, and are in need of salvation. They believe their works are good enough to merit eternal life, but when matched against the requirements the Word of God demands, their evil pride is broken, and they turn and walk away sorrowful because the requirements of God do not match their own.

Remember the rich young ruler asked Jesus, “What good thing must I do to have eternal life? When Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come and follow me” (Matthew 19:21).

Had he loved the Lord, he would have obeyed Jesus and followed him. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” He also said, “He who has my commandments and keeps them, it is he loves me” (John 14:15, 21).

This is important to understand, when Jesus answered the young man by telling him to obey the law, and the man said which ones, Jesus said, You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, honor your Mother and Father, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself, he (Jesus) was not advocating that the rich man could be saved by obeying the law, rather he was testing him to see if he believed by keeping the law he could be saved.

The young man replied to him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack” (Matthew 19:20)?

By the young ruler’s reply, he believed he did all that was required to gain eternal life. That is why he replied to Jesus, “What do I still lack?”

When Jesus told him to sell his goods and follow him, he was not advocating that salvation comes through philanthropy.

Jesus was demanding the rich man be willing to abandon all he has to gain all Christ had for him. He refused proving he was unfit for the kingdom of God.

In the end, the rich man did not want to do the good thing he asked Jesus about. Why? Because of what it would cost him, and more importantly, he did not love God like he may have thought in the beginning.

Love of God demands obedience to him. Jesus tested the young man’s faith and love for him and he failed tragically.