Focus: Good Master (Pt.1)

Text: Mt.19:16

"And, behold, one came and said unto him, GOOD MASTER, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?"

Our Lord is the Good Master; He was so acknowledged by an outsider - one who was not His disciple or a member of His team. Jesus Christ is the Master - a good one at that. He is not a bad or an ugly master. He is not a cruel or wicked master. He is not a crooked, unjust or unkind master. He is the best master there is in the universe.

Jesus Christ said to the man, "Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God…" (Mt.19:17). Only God is good, and so calling Christ good means that He is God. So this is divine goodness - absolute and infinite goodness. Jesus Christ is as good as God is. Christ is the GOOD Master. Christ told a parable in which He referred to Himself as being good. He says, "Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own Is thine eye evil, because I am GOOD?" (Mt.20:15). 

John tells us that some of the people who argued about Him said that "He is a good man…" (Jh.7:12). Jesus is good - absolutely and infinitely good. The Greek word for 'good' here is 'agathos.' In John 10:11,14, Christ describes Himself as "the GOOD shepherd: the GOOD shepherd giveth his life for the sheep… I am the GOOD shepherd…" The Greek word used here is 'kalos.' So Christ is both 'agathos' and 'kalos.' The first refers to the goodness that is original and authentic. It is root-and-branch goodness or root-and-fruit goodness. It is essential or constitutional goodness. Christ is good in and out. He is good from the inside out. Kalos refers to visible goodness. It is goodness seen externally. It is attractive goodness. Once you see it, you know it. It is not a goodness hidden from sight. It is appealing goodness. The moment you see it, you are drawn to it. Christ is not just good, He is good in appearance. He is good from all vantage points. He is good both from a distance and from a close range. His goodness is unquestionable, unmistakable and unmatched. He is the Good Master and the Good Shepherd. 

James says to his audience, "Do not they blaspheme that WORTHY name by the which ye are called?" (Jam.2:7). The word 'worthy' is 'kalos' in the Greek, which is the word translated as 'good.' 

Our Lord Jesus Christ is not only good in every sense of the word, but also, He has a good or worthy name. As Master and Shepherd, Jesus Christ is sweet and altogether lovely. He is eternally admirable and adorable.

Your Master and Shepherd is not cruel, evil, wicked, unkind or morally ugly. He is nothing but good to all who trust in Him. Acknowledge Him in your life as the good master. In truth and in spirit, call Him, Good Master! As your God, He is good. As your master, He is good. As your Shepherd, He is good. As your creator, He is good. As your redeemer, He is good. As your physician, He is good. Whatever He is to you, He is good being it. He is good and goes everywhere doing good.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter