A Subtle Claim to Divinity
Commentators unanimously agree that Jesus is not denying His own goodness or divinity. By stating, "none is good but one, that is, God," He is challenging the man to consider the full implication of his words. Scholars like Spurgeon and Gill explain that if Jesus is truly worthy of the title "good" in its absolute sense, then He must be God. The statement is a subtle but profound claim to His divine identity.