conclusions from the question and statement of Jesus here has been something of a hazardous enterprise; nevertheless, a tentative attempt will be made here.102 Our exegesis here applies to the Markan and the Lukan versions of the saying, which are identical; the parallel in Matt. 19:17 is not so significant for our purposes. It will be helpful, for the purposes of a foil, to note features of R. Pesch’s interpretation. He identifies as important the transition from v. 18 (“no one is good but God alone”)