Goodness

The rich young man calls Jesus "Good Teacher". Many of the church Fathers point out that in this designation the young man mis-identified Jesus, that he was merely good. I don't know that Jesus rebuffed him, as they say. He asks why do you call me good? Jesus later invites this man to follow him, so I like to think of his response in the way he treats a disciple. Who do you think I am? He is prodding the man's faith. Only God is good, do you sense the truth in what you are saying?

He goes on to the goodness of the commandments. The goodness of obeying the law reflects the One goodness. Or better yet is God's Goodness. I've been trying hard to understand this statment of ultimate goodness in non-platonic thougth. The goodness of God is whole and one, the goodness of men isn't simply a shadow of the real good like plato says but in mystic union with God's Goodness. Jesus draws out from the man his sense of need. In his questioning he reveals how being good by the law does not satisfy the longing. The goodness of the law are made complete in Jesus.

Jesus then invites the man to reject something good for something better. Riches were seen as a sign of God's blessing. Indeed every perfect gift comes from above. It is right to recognize that our belongings are ours only because God has given them. We are to hold them lightly as stewards. The young man is challenged to give up those manifold blessings to follow him. Holding on to even the blessings of God makes the blessings a burden when they weigh us down from the path of discipleship.

Releasing our blessings, aspirations, and even God given dreams, alows us the freedom of the eternal life.