19:17
Jesus wants to challenge the man’s presuppositions. “Why do you ask me what is good?” Why does he come to Jesus to ask? Surely the rabbis could answer his question. He must have recognised that there was something different about Jesus. We can recognise something different, but still respond in our old ways. The man needed to think differently. The man was wanting to know if he was good enough, or how he could become good enough. But “there is only one who is good”. And God had given them the commandments, so Jesus tells him to keep the commandments. The Law had already said that if they obeyed everything then they would be blessed (Deut 28). The man knew the score.
19:18-21
“Which ones?” All of them is the simple answer. Jesus then names two or three of the main commandments. The man, of course, claims to have kept these, and in outward form at least almost certainly had done. In the sermon on the mount Jesus made it clear that it was not just outward form that mattered, but it was a matter of the heart as well. Jesus then told him that if he wanted to be perfect he had to sell his possessions and give to the poor. Then he would have treasure in heaven, and could then follow Jesus. Jesus knew that the man could not do this, no man can be truly good. Notice also the emphasis on “follow me”. Jesus tries to get the man’s focus off of himself, and on to God and Jesus.
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