Bible Questions and Answers

A visitor writes,

"In Matt. 19:17 a certain lawyer came to Jesus asking, "Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus responded, "There's only one good, and that's God." Why did Jesus not want to be called good?"

James tells us that God cannot be tempted to do evil.

• James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
• He tells us where the problem really lies:
• James 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

Jesus was a man, not God. Because of this he bore the same nature as all the descendants of Adam and was subject to temptation. The difference is that he did not ever give in to temptation.

The writer to the Hebrews describes it thus:

Hebrews 2:14, 17,18 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.... 17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18  For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

The ‘devil’ is not the fallen angel of Christian mythology. The ‘devil’ is the personification of the temptation to do evil which resides within every one of us.

Jesus describes the problem:

Mark 7: 14… "Hear Me, everyone, and understand: 15  "There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man... 20  And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. 21  "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22  "thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23  "All these evil things come from within and defile a man."

• Romans 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: 
  Jesus, having this same nature, was subject to temptations which came from within.
  At the beginning of his ministry, he was tempted in the wilderness to do things his way instead of God’s way.
• Luke 4:1-13 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2  being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. 3  And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." 4  But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’" 5  Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6  And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7  "Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours." 8  And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’" 9  Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. 10  "For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’ 11  "and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’" 12  And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’" 13  Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.

These temptations took place in the mind of Jesus; the tempter again being personified. The 3 kinds of temptations common to humanity are described by John:

• 1 John 2:16  For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

These are the temptations that all men and women experience in their lives. Jesus was no exception. Therefore, Jesus, experiencing these temptations in common with all of Adam’s descendants, would not allow himself to be called good.

Nonetheless, Jesus did not succumb to temptation and lived a life without sin. Following his resurrection with the divine nature he is no longer subject to temptation.
He is now ‘good’. This is the hope held out to us in the Gospel.

• 1 John 3:2  Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

I hope this helps.
God bless,
Glenn