Jesus Is God Because Only God Is Good

And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? 18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. — Mark 10:17-18 KJV (48.83% / 66.58%)

Formal Equivalence (Word-For-Word)

  • Received Text (Textus Receptus)

    I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. — John 10:11 KJV (48.83% / 66.58%)

    I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. — John 10:14 KJV (48.83% / 66.58%)

    –

    “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. — John 10:11 NKJV (60.32% / 65.21%)

    I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. — John 10:14 NKJV (60.32% / 65.21%)

    –

    “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. — John 10:11 MEV (Modern English Version)

    “I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and am known by My own. — John 10:14 MEV (Modern English Version)

  • Majority Text

    I am the good shepherd.Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34:11-12,15,22 The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. — John 10:11 WEB (World English Bible)

    I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I’m known by my own; — John 10:14 WEB (World English Bible)

  • Critical Text

    “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. — John 10:11 LSB (NASB ‘95 61.65% / 67.99%)

    I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, — John 10:14 LSB (NASB ‘95 61.65% / 67.99%)

    –

    I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. — John 10:11 ESV (62.36% / 68.74%)

    I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, — John 10:14 ESV (62.36% / 68.74%)

Dynamic Equivalence (Thought-For-Thought)

  • Critical Text

    “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. — John 10:11 NLT (70.08% / 39.90%)

    “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, — John 10:14 NLT (70.08% / 39.90%)

    –

    “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. — John 10:11 NIV (67.20% / 53.10%)

    “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— — John 10:14 NIV (67.20% / 53.10%)

    –

    “I am the good[a] shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life[b] for the sheep. — John 10:11 NET (66.28% / 53.94%)

    “I am the good shepherd. I[a] know my own[b] and my own know me— — John 10:14 NET (66.28% / 53.94%)

  • NET Bible Translator Notes

    b. John 10:11 NET tn Or “The good shepherd dies willingly.”sn Jesus speaks openly of his vicarious death twice in this section (John 10:11, 15). Note the contrast: The thief takes the life of the sheep (10:10), the good shepherd lays down his own life for the sheep. Jesus is not speaking generally here, but specifically: He has his own substitutionary death on the cross in view. For a literal shepherd with a literal flock, the shepherd’s death would have spelled disaster for the sheep; in this instance it spells life for them (Compare the worthless shepherd of Zech 11:17, by contrast).

Messianic Bible translations

  • Critical Text

    “I am the Good Shepherd.[a] The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. — John 10:11 TLV (Tree of Life Version, Formal Equivalent) a. John 10:11 cf. Gen. 48:15; Ps. 23; Ezek. 37:24.

    “I am the Good Shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me, — John 10:11 TLV (Tree of Life Version, Formal Equivalent)

    –

    “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. — John 10:11 CJB (Complete Jewish Bible, Dynamic Equivalent)

    I am the good shepherd; I know my own, and my own know me — — John 10:14 CJB (Complete Jewish Bible, Dynamic Equivalent)

    –

    I am the Ro’eh HaTov (the Good Shepherd). The Ro’eh HaTov lays down his neshamah for the tzon. [TEHILLIM 23:1; YESHAYAH 40:11; YECHEZKEL 34:11-16,23; YESHAYAH 53:7,8,10] — John/Yochanan 10:11 OJB (Orthodox Jewish Bible)

    Ani Hu the Ro’eh HaTov, and I have da’as of my tzon and my tzon has da’as of me. [SHEMOT 33:12] — John/Yochanan 10:14 OJB (Orthodox Jewish Bible)

Highly Idiomatic Translation / Paraphrase

  • Critical Text

    11-13 “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary. A hired man is not a real shepherd. The sheep mean nothing to him. He sees a wolf come and runs for it, leaving the sheep to be ravaged and scattered by the wolf. He’s only in it for the money. The sheep don’t matter to him. — John 10:11-13 MSG (The Message)

    14-18 “I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me. In the same way, the Father knows me and I know the Father. I put the sheep before myself, sacrificing myself if necessary. You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen. I need to gather and bring them, too. They’ll also recognize my voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd. This is why the Father loves me: because I freely lay down my life. And so I am free to take it up again. No one takes it from me. I lay it down of my own free will. I have the right to lay it down; I also have the right to take it up again. I received this authority personally from my Father.” — John 10:14-18 MSG (The Message)

Conclusion

It should be no surprise to find that Jesus calls himself Good and thus affirming his own deity.

  • John 10:11,14 LSB

    “I am [Egō eimi] the good [kalos] shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

    I am [Egō eimi] the good [kalos] shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me,

The Greek word kalos, translated “good,” describes that which is noble, wholesome, good, and beautiful, in contrast to that which is wicked, mean, foul, and unlovely. It signifies not only that which is good inwardly—character—but also that which is attractive outwardly. It is an innate goodness. Therefore, in using the phrase “the good shepherd,” Jesus is referencing His inherent goodness, His righteousness, and His beauty. As shepherd of the sheep, He is the one who protects, guides, and nurtures His flock.

And behold, someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” 17 And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” — Matthew 19:16-17 LSB (NASB ‘95 61.65% / 67.99%)

Jesus was not claiming that He didn’t have the “goodness” characteristic of God. Nor was Jesus denying that He was God to the young ruler asking the question. Rather, Jesus was asking the man to examine the implications of what he was saying. In effect, Jesus said: “Do you realize what you are saying when you call Me Good? Are you saying I am God?”

  • Scholar John D. Grassmick: “Jesus’ response did not deny His own deity but was a veiled claim to it. The man, unwittingly calling Him ‘good,’ needed to perceive Jesus’ true identity.”

  • Apologist Norman Geisler: “The young man did not realize the implications of what he was saying. Thus Jesus was forcing him to a very uncomfortable dilemma. Either Jesus was good and God, or else He was bad and man. A good God or a bad man, but not merely a good man. Those are the real alternatives with regard to Christ. For no good man would claim to be God when he was not.”

The Bible makes it clear that the hearts of men are desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), all of mankind like sheep have gone astray (Isaiah 53:6), and that there is “none righteous; no not one” (Romans 3:10).

  • Hebrews 7:26

    “For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens.”

Jesus was holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, Jesus was perfect! Is it any wonder we find in Psalm 23:1 that Jesus is Yahweh once again?

Yahweh is my shepherd, I shall not want. — Psalm 23:1 LSB (NASB ‘95 61.65% / 67.99%)