Why did Jesus say, "No one is good but God alone" if He is God?

from the old testament

• In Scripture, only God can be called “good” in the absolute sense because only His character is perfectly righteous and generous. That’s why the psalmist wrote, “You are good and do good” (Psalm 119:68). He was emphasizing that God is both the perfect example of goodness and the only One who truly does good. This is what Jesus meant when He said that only God is good.

from the new testament

• As Jesus was preparing to travel, a young ruler ran up to Him and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17). Although it seems like he is asking a sincere question about salvation, Jesus immediately saw that the man’s heart was not in the right place. That's why He responded, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone” (Mark 10:18). He was encouraging the ruler to think more deeply about what it truly means to call someone good.
• The next few verses help us understand what Jesus saw in the man, starting with Jesus reminding him of the commandments that speak about loving one’s neighbor (Mark 10:19; cf. Matthew 19:19b). By focusing on those commandments, He was revealing the man’s attitude toward other people.
• The young man, unfortunately, was focused on strictly following the commands, saying, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth” (Mark 10:20). Jesus lovingly replied, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor” (Mark 10:21a). Jesus explained that if the man sold everything, he would “have treasure in heaven,” after which he would be ready to follow Jesus (Mark 10:21). Selling everything went far beyond what the Law required. Jesus was not saying that poverty saves people, but He was revealing the man’s true love, and it wasn’t God or other people.
• Jesus saw that the man viewed goodness as strictly following the letter of the Law, and therefore believed salvation came through obedience to it. When he called Jesus “good,” he wasn’t thinking of divinity or pure holiness but of legalistic adherence to the Law. Jesus was correcting him while also showing what a true believer’s heart looks like. Unfortunately, the man didn’t understand. We then read, “Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions” (Mark 10:22).
• In summary, Jesus was not making a statement either way about His deity. Instead, He was turning the ruler’s own words back on him to reveal the true condition of his heart.

implications for today

Jesus’ words remind us that no one meets God’s perfect standard. We might compare ourselves to others and think of ourselves as “good,” but before a holy God, every person is guilty. Sin exists not only in our actions, but it is rooted in our hearts, leaving us unable to save ourselves or earn God’s favor. If salvation depended on our goodness, none of us could ever be saved.

That’s why we need someone who is perfectly righteous—someone unstained by sin who can stand in our place. Jesus is that Savior. As God in human flesh, He lived the flawless life we could not live and then gave Himself on the cross to bear the penalty for our sin. His resurrection proved that His righteousness was accepted and that His sacrifice was sufficient.

The gift of salvation is offered freely, but it must be received. To receive it, you must turn from your sin and trust in Christ alone, believing that His death was for you and that His risen life secures your forgiveness. When you do, God will credit Christ’s perfect righteousness to you, so you are no longer condemned, but welcomed as His child forever.