Did Jesus STATE that he is not GOOD? No. Jesus was merely using a probing QUESTION to push the man to think through the implications of his own words, to understand the concept of Jesus’ goodness and, most especially, the man’s lack of goodness:
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.” Mark 10:18
“And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, FOLLOW ME.”
Mark 10:21
When one considers that Jesus making a difference between men’s standard of goodness and God’s standard, it becomes clear that following Jesus is good. The command to FOLLOW Christ is the declaration of Christ’s goodness.
But is there anywhere else where Jesus actually says in his own words that he is good?
Yes. “I am the GOOD shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
John 10:7-15, 17-18
In fact, in the Old Testament, God is the shepherd and we are the sheep in his hand:
“For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His HAND. Today, if you will hear His VOICE. Psalms 95:7
Likewise Jesus makes the following statement to show that he IS the God mentioned in the Old Testament: “My sheep hear My VOICE, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My HAND.”
John 10:27-28
Only God is GOOD because he is RIGHTEOUS, HOLY, SINLESS, BLAMELESS and is from ABOVE (HEAVEN). Was Jesus any of these?
Jesus is the RIGHTEOUS SAVIOR who is without sin.
The Messiah in Hebrew Old Testament scripture is often referred to as the “Branch” who is “Lord” and “Righteous” and a ‘SAVIOR’.
“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.”
Jeremiah 23:5-6
We also see the Messiah is sinless from the prophecy of Isaiah 53.
Of the ‘arm of the Lord’ (the Messiah), the prophet Isaiah says:
“He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done NO VIOLENCE , NOR was any DECEIT in his mouth.
Isaiah 53:9
‘Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the HOLY ONE of God!”
Mark 1:23-24
“But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is NO SIN.”
1 John 3:5
Even in the Hadith, Isa the imposter of Jesus Christ, has no sin. Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith, Hadith 4.506, narrated by Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, “When any human being is born, Satan touches him at both sides of the body with his two fingers, EXCEPT JESUS , the son of Mary, whom Satan tried to touch but failed, for he touched the placenta-cover instead.”
Was Jesus of this world like other prophets were, or was he from above?
But he [Jesus] continued, “You are from BELOW; I am from ABOVE. You are of this world; I AM NOT OF THIS WORLD. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.”
John 8:23-24
Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, BLAMELESS, PURE, SET APART FROM SINNERS, exalted ABOVE THE HEAVENS.
Hebrews 7:26
In God there is no trace of SIN. In Jesus there is no trace of SIN. Jesus had the authority to FORGIVE SINS (Mark 2:10)
Muhammad, on the other hand sinned and had to ask to be forgiven of his SINS:
Sura 48:1, 2 states: “Lo! We have given thee, (O Muhammad), signal victory, that Allah may forgive thee of past and that which is to come, and may perfect His favor unto thee, and guide thee on a right path”
Sura 47.19:So know, [O Muhammad], that there is no deity except Allah and ASK FORGIVENESS FOR YOUR SIN and for the believing men and believing women. And Allah knows of your movement and your resting place.
So yes, by all account Jesus IS GOOD.
Jesus said he is the way to salvation, not any other, not Muhammad.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12
Blessings!