Luke 18:23
in Luke 18But when the ruler heard this, he became very sad, because he was extremely wealthy.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But when he heard these things, he became exceeding sorrowful; for he was very rich.
KJV
And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
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This verse in Luke 18
Commentary
12 notes on this verse(in Matt. 19:19.) The young man speaks false, for if he had fulfilled that which was afterwards placed among the commandments, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, how was it that when he heard, Go and sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, he went away sorrowful?
This site's exposition
You still lack one thing
on Luke 18:22-23
Jesus names a single gap in a kept law, You still lack one thing. The remedy, Sell everything you own and give to the poor, is aimed at this ruler's own idol. The ruler became very sad, because he was extremely wealthy.
This site's exposition
he became very sad
The ruler's sadness and his great wealth stand in one sentence, and the wealth is the reason. Bede likens such riches to the thorns of the sower's parable that choke the seed. Jesus sees the sadness and speaks of the rich.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
The young man asked the Lord how to attain to eternal life and heard that he must sell all his goods and distribute them to the poor and have his treasure in heaven. Why else did he go away sad, except that he had, as the Gospel says, great riches? It is one thing not to wish to hoard up what one does not have. It is another thing to scatter what has been accumulated. The former is like refusing food; the latter, like cutting off a limb.
(Hom. 63. in Matt.) Or else; I shall not hesitate to call this ruler covetous, for with this Christ reproaches him, but I say not that he was a tempter.
The Medieval Church3 voices
As the Lord promised the covetous ruler a treasure in heaven, he nevertheless did not heed, for he was a slave to his treasures, and therefore "became sorrowful" upon hearing the Lord urge him to part with his possessions, since he desired eternal life precisely …
Hearing this, he was sorrowful, for he was very rich. This is the sadness of the world that works death. These deceptive riches are like thorns that choke the Lord's seed.
Having heard these things, he was saddened, etc. After he showed poverty to be commendable by reason of its perfection in merit, here he shows it to be commendable by reason of the imperfection in its contrary, which is indeed the tenacious clinging to riches. …
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And when he heard this,.... That one thing was wanting, and what that was, which was to part with all his worldly substance, and follow Christ; he was very sorrowful, for he was very rich; See Gill on Mat 19:22.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
The story we have now read is three times reported in the Gospels. Matthew, Mark and Luke were all moved by the Holy Spirit to record the history of the rich young ruler. This fact should be noticed. It shows us that there are lessons before us which demand special attention. When God would impress on Peter his duty towards the Gentiles, He sent him a vision which was repeated "three times." (Acts 10:16.) We learn, firstly, from these verses — to what lengths men may go in self-ignorance.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Mark still more, "was sad" or "sullen" at that saying, and "went away grieved." Sorry he was, very sorry, to part with Christ; but to part with his riches would have cost him a pang more. When Riches or Heaven, on Christ's terms, were the alternative, the result showed to which side the balance inclined.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The story we have now read is three times reported in the Gospels. Matthew, Mark and Luke were all moved by the Holy Spirit to record the history of the rich young ruler. This fact should be noticed. It shows us that there are lessons before us which demand special attention. When God would impress on Peter his duty towards the Gentiles, He sent him a vision which was repeated "three times." (Acts 10:16.) We learn, firstly, from these verses — to what lengths men may go in self-ignorance. We are told of "a certain ruler," who asked our Lord what he should "do to inherit eternal life." Our Lord knew the ruler's heart, and gave him the answer which was most likely to bring to light the real state of his soul. He reminds him of the ten commandments. He recites some of the principal requirements of the second table of the law. At once the spiritual blindness of the inquirer was detected. "All these," said the man, "I have kept from my youth up." An answer more full of darkness and self-ignorance — it is impossible to conceive! He who made it could have known nothing rightly — either about himself, or God, or God's law. Does the case of this rich ruler stand alone? Do we suppose there are none like him at the present day? If we do — then we are greatly deceived. There are thousands, it may be feared, in all our congregations, who have not the least idea of the spiritual nature of God's law, and consequently know nothing of their own sinfulness. They do not see that God requires "truth in the inward parts," and that we may break commandments in our heart and thoughts — even when we do not break them in outward actions. (Psalm 51:6, Matthew 5:21-28.) To be delivered from such blindness, is one of the first things needful to our salvation. The eyes of our understandings must be enlightened by the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:18.)
The words behind it
10 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | And | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἀκούσας | akousas | having heard | G191 → | 425 times |
| ταῦτα | tauta | these things | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| περίλυπος | perilupos | very sorrowful | G4036 → | |
| ἐγενήθη· | egenethe | he became; | G1096 → | 667 times |
| ἦν | en | he was | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| πλούσιος | plousios | rich | G4145 → | 28 times |
| σφόδρα.¶ | sphodra | extremely. | G4970 → |
Ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
δὲAnd
deG1161 →2765 times
ἀκούσαςhaving heard
akousasG191 →425 times
ταῦταthese things
tautaG3778 →1381 times
περίλυποςvery sorrowful
periluposG4036 →
ἐγενήθη·he became;
egenetheG1096 →667 times
ἦνhe was
enG1510 →2333 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
πλούσιοςrich
plousiosG4145 →28 times
σφόδρα.¶extremely.
sphodraG4970 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 John 2:15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
it leads to
- Matthew 6:24
No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- James 4:4
You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.
- Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of…
- Colossians 3:1–2
Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
- Luke 16:13
No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and…
- Matthew 6:24
Through
Ezekiel 33:31So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest…
it leads to
- Matthew 13:22
The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 78:36–37
But they deceived Him with their mouths, and lied to Him with their tongues.
- Matthew 13:22
Through
Luke 8:14The seeds that fell among the thorns are those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and their fruit does…
it leads to
- 1 John 2:15–17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
- 1 John 2:15–17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Luke
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, Luke; Augustine of Hippo, LETTER 31; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 18; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Chrysostom, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Luke.