Luke 18:19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He is the eternal "I AM" (Exodus 3:14), a profound truth recognized throughout generations, while we come to exist as participants in Him, who is the source of all life. Thus, true goodness belongs solely to God, an innate characteristic of His nature. However, if you do not regard Me as God, you foolishly ascribe divine qualities to Me at the same time you view Me as nothing more than a man devoid of the inherent goodness characteristic of the Divine Nature.

It should be noted that those with misguided beliefs, such as those influenced by the teachings of Arius, may reject this interpretation. They diminish the Son’s glory and majesty, asserting that He is inferior to the Father—a concept that denies His divine nature and the reality of His being truly begotten, leading them to believe He is not truly consubstantial with the One from whom He originates. They might point to today’s reading as their evidence: claiming that Christ explicitly denies being good and suggests that goodness is an attribute unique to God the Father. Yet if He were indeed of the same essence, how could He lack goodness? If He shares substance with the Father, He must inherently be good, for a son derived from a good Father cannot possibly be devoid of goodness. Our Lord Himself affirms this when He states, "A good tree cannot bear evil fruit" (Matthew 7:18). How can a bad shoot arise from a good root? Can sweet water flow from a bitter spring? Is there a time when the Father was not, given His eternal paternity? He is called Father because He begets and holds that name by divine nature, not because He inherits it from another. “Every family in heaven and on earth derives its name from Him” (Eph. 3:15), confirming that the offspring of a good Father is a good Son.

Furthermore, as the wise Apostle Paul states, "He is the image of the invisible God" (Col. 1:15), which signifies that the Son embodies the beauty and essence of the One who begets Him. Therefore, how can a Son who lacks goodness reflect the nature of the truly good Father? He is described as "the radiance of His glory" (Heb. 1:3); if the Son were not good, as falsely claimed by heretics, while the Father is good by nature, then this radiance would be distinct in essence and devoid of the splendor of its source. If the likeness fails to represent the true nature of the Father, then it cannot exist in any meaningful form. There is much more that could be said to refute their claims, yet we shall refrain from further elaboration to avoid overwhelming discourse. At our next gathering, with God’s grace, we will continue exploring the Gospel passage. Through Him and in Him, may all glory and dominion be given to God the Father, with the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.

How can He be anything but good if the essence of goodness, derived from the Father, remains unchanged in the Son, just as it does in the Spirit? Therefore, "Thy good Spirit shall lead me in the right path" (Psalm 142:10). If the Spirit received from the Son embodies goodness (see Jn. 16:14), it follows that He who imparted this goodness is also good. Since the Father is good, it is undeniable that the One who possesses all that the Father has must also be good (see Jn. 17:10). If one claims that the Son lacks goodness, they simultaneously deny it in the Father.

This conclusion is clear and requires no additional testimony; yet, we can rely on Scripture. It is stated, "The Lord is the judge of the good of the house of Israel" (cf. Is. 33:22; Ps. 7:12). Is this reference to the Son or the Father? The Father does not judge anyone, as all judgment has been entrusted to the Son (Jn. 5:22). Therefore, the Lord is the good Son. Another point is that those who come to baptism affirm the Trinity, as they are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; thus, they acknowledge the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And when scripture proclaims, "Confess the Lord, for he is good" (Psalm 135:1), it is clear that the Father is good, the Son is good, and the Holy Spirit is good, yet God remains one! Moreover, "Good is the Lord to those who wait for Him" (Lamentations 3:25). Is He not the One who grants good things to the soul that seeks Him (Lamentations 3:26)? Is He not the One who satisfies your soul with good (Psalm 102:2)? And is He not the One who declares, "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11)?

Perhaps you believe God's goodness is displayed by His mercy and avoidance of punitive judgment. While it has been previously stated that "the Judge of the house of Israel is good," you will also find, "How good is the God of Israel to the upright in heart" (Psalm 72:1)! Whom do you believe this refers to: the Father or the Son? If it pertains to the Father, then He is not good to all. Why do you undervalue the Son? If it speaks of the Son, then you acknowledge the Son as a good God, for He is the blessed God of Israel, who has visited and redeemed His people (Luke 1:68). He is both King and God of Israel, as evidenced by the words addressing Him: "Teacher, You are the Son of God, You are the King of Israel" (John 1:49).

Thus, He responds: "How is it that you do not understand that I am good when you tempt Me, even as you call Me good? I am good, not by mere pretense, but by nature, and My goodness is intrinsic." The Son is indeed good, being the radiant expression of eternal glory, the pure reflection of God's majesty, and the embodiment of His goodness (cf. Prem. 7:26). How can He be viewed as anything other than good, as He represents the image of goodness? The image of God is indeed God, and while God is one, so the image of divine goodness is good, reinforcing the idea that goodness is singular. It is indeed beneficial to trust in the goodness of God; He will judge my transgressions! Let those who refuse to accept His goodness reflect on this truth, for the tempter was knowledgeable of the law, as demonstrated in another passage. The Lord rightly stated: "No one is good but God alone" (Lk. 18:19; Mt. 19:17; Mk. 10:18), citing scripture that reads, "Do not tempt the Lord your God" (Lk. 4:12; Mt. 4:7; Deut. 6:16), leading the one who tempted Him to ultimately recognize Him as the greatest Lord, for He is indeed good.

First, He indicated that by failing to recognize Jesus as the divine figure He truly was, the young man, in his strict adherence to the law, should not have bestowed titles meant solely for God upon earthly teachers. Second, He highlighted that the man lacked complete love for his neighbor when He asked him to relinquish his wealth and distribute it to the poor. This demand troubled the young man deeply, prompting him to depart from the Lord in sadness. From the Lord's perspective, He did not request anything unique from him compared to others. The call to self-denial and surrender for the Gospel’s sake is a universal commandment.

This understanding, as interpreted by the holy Fathers, highlights that He does not exclude Himself from the essence of goodness (St. Basil the Great), but rather addresses Him as one among men, aligning His response with the perceptions of those who approached Him (St. Athanasius of Alexandria).