Matthew 19:22
in Matthew 19When the young man heard this, he went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sorrowful; for he was one that had great possessions.
KJV
But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
⋯
This verse in Matthew 19
Commentary
14 notes on this verseIt follows, And when the young man had heard these words, he went away sorrowful. This is the sorrow that leads to death. And the cause of his sorrow is added, for he had great possessions, thorns, that is, and briars, which choked the holy leaven.
This site's exposition
if thou wilt be perfect
on Matthew 19:21-22
If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor names the young man's true lack, not a missing eleventh commandment but an unnamed first commandment problem, since Mark's parallel identifies him as having great possessions and the bench reads the test as exposing exactly where his treasure and his heart actually lay. Come and follow me is the call underneath the sale, discipleship rather than almsgiving as the real demand, and the young man went away sorrowful because he had great possessions, choosing his wealth over the very treasure in heaven Jesus had just offered him. The commentators do not read this as a universal command to give away all property but as a diagnosis aimed precisely at this man's own idol.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
(Ep. 31, 5.) I know not how, but in the love of worldly superfluities, it is what we have already got, rather than what we desire to get, that most strictly enthrals us. For whence went this young man away sorrowful, but that he had great possessions? It is one thing to lay aside thoughts of further acquisition, and another to strip ourselves of what we have already made our own; one is only rejecting what is not ours, the other is like parting with one of our own limbs.
But historically, the young man is to be praised for that he did not kill, did not commit adultery; but is to be blamed for that he sorrowed at Christ's words calling him to perfection. He was young indeed in soul, and therefore leaving Christ, he went his way.
But the young man, when he heard this, "went away sorrowful." For he put great trust in wealth. And in him we observe the rational working out of a metaphor. This was a young man. He himself said that since his youth he had obeyed the commandments that are contained in the law. Yet an arrested adolescence remains within his youth, whatever age he may be.
(Verse 22.) He went away sad, for he had many possessions. This is the sadness that leads to death. And the cause of the sadness is that he had many possessions, that is, thorns and thistles, which choked the Lord's seed.
A commentator
John ChrysostomHomily on the Gospel of Matthew 63 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
"But when the young man heard it, he went away sorrowful." After this the evangelist, as it were to show that he hath not felt anything it was unlikely he should feel, saith, "For he had great possessions." For they that have little are not equally held in subjection, as they that are overflowed with great affluence, for then the love of it becomes more tyrannical. Which thing I cease not always saying, that the increase of acquisitions kindles the flame more, and renders the getters poorer, inasmuch as it puts them in greater desire, and makes them have more feeling of their want. See, for example, even here what strength did this passion exhibit. Him that had come to Him with joy and forwardness, when Christ commanded him to cast away his riches, it so overwhelmed and weighed down, as not to suffer him so much as to answer touching these things, but silenced and become dejected and sullen to go away.
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
When the young man had heard the word, he went away sad. His disposition is shown, because he went away sad. This happens when we desire something and cannot have it as we wish; hence this man desired perfection, and he heard what he had …
Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect go and sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me. But when the man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But when the young man heard that saying.....
His discourse with his disciples upon that occasion, concerning the difficulty of the salvation of those that have much in the world, and the certain recompence of those that leave all for Christ,
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Went away sorrowful - Men undergo great agony of mind while they are in suspense between the love of the world and the love of their souls. When the first absolutely predominates, then they enjoy a factitious rest through a false peace: when the latter has the upper hand, then they possess true tranquillity of mind, through that peace of God that passeth knowledge. He had great possessions - And what were these in comparison of peace of conscience, and mental rest?
These verses detail a conversation between our Lord Jesus Christ and a young man who came to him to inquire about the way to eternal life. Like every conversation recorded in the Gospels between our Lord and an individual, it deserves special attention. Salvation is an individual business: every one who wishes to be saved must have private personal dealings with Christ about his own soul. We see for one thing from the case of this young man that a person may have desires after salvation, and yet not be saved.
These verses detail a conversation between our Lord Jesus Christ and a young man who came to him to inquire about the way to eternal life. Like every conversation recorded in the Gospels between our Lord and an individual, it deserves special attention. Salvation is an individual business: every one who wishes to be saved must have private personal dealings with Christ about his own soul. We see for one thing from the case of this young man that a person may have desires after salvation, and yet not be saved. Here is one who in a day of abounding unbelief comes of his own accord to Christ. He comes not to have a sickness healed; he comes not to plead about a child: he comes about his own soul. He opens the conference with the frank question, “Good master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” Surely we might have thought, “This is a promising case: this is no prejudiced ruler or Pharisee: this is a hopeful inquirer.” Yet, by and by, this very young man “goes away sorrowful,” and we never read a word to show that he was converted! We must never forget that good feelings alone in religion are not the grace of God. We may know the truth intellectually; we may often feel pricked in conscience; we may have religious affections awakened within us, have many anxieties about our souls and shed many tears; but all this is not conversion. It is not the genuine saving work of the HolyGhost. Unhappily this is not all that must be said on this point. Not only are good feelings alone not grace, but they are even positively dangerous if we content ourselves with them, and do not act as well as feel .
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἀκούσας | akousas | Having heard | G191 → | 425 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| νεανίσκος | neaniskos | young man | G3495 → | |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λόγον | logon | statement | G3056 → | 329 times |
| ἀπῆλθεν | apelthen | he went away | G565 → | 115 times |
| λυπούμενος· | lupoumenos | grieving; | G3076 → | 26 times |
| ἦν | en | he was [one] | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ἔχων | echon | having | G2192 → | 707 times |
| κτήματα | ktemata | possessions | G2933 → | |
| πολλά.¶ | polla | many. | G4183 → | 367 times |
ἈκούσαςHaving heard
akousasG191 →425 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
νεανίσκοςyoung man
neaniskosG3495 →
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
λόγονstatement
logonG3056 →329 times
ἀπῆλθενhe went away
apelthenG565 →115 times
λυπούμενος·grieving;
lupoumenosG3076 →26 times
ἦνhe was [one]
enG1510 →2333 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ἔχωνhaving
echonG2192 →707 times
κτήματαpossessions
ktemataG2933 →
πολλά.¶many.
pollaG4183 →367 times
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
Matthew 6:24No 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…
it leads to
- 1 John 2:15–16
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Timothy 6:9–10
Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- 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…
- 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.
- Joshua 24:15
But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods…
- 1 John 2:15–16
Through
Colossians 3:5Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.
it leads to
- Romans 8:13
For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
- Galatians 5:19–21
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery;
- Galatians 5:24
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
- Romans 8:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Matthew
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on Matthew 19.7; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 63; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Matthew and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.