Matthew 19:22 kjv
But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Matthew 19:22 nkjv
But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Matthew 19:22 niv
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Matthew 19:22 esv
When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Matthew 19:22 nlt
But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Matthew 19 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 19:16-22 | And someone came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do... When the young man heard this, he went away sad..." | The context of the Rich Young Ruler's inquiry |
| Mk 10:22 | But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieved, for he had much property. | Synoptic parallel emphasizing his grief |
| Lk 18:23 | But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. | Synoptic parallel highlighting his great wealth |
| Mt 6:19-21 | Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth... for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. | Earthly treasures vs. heavenly treasure |
| Mt 6:24 | No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other... You cannot serve God and wealth. | Serving two masters: God or wealth |
| Mk 8:36-37 | For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? | Loss of soul for worldly gain |
| Lk 9:23 | And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me." | Cost of discipleship: self-denial |
| L Lk 12:15 | Then He said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions." | Warning against greed and materialism |
| Lk 12:33 | Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven... | Instructing believers to divest for heaven |
| 1 Tim 6:9-10 | But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil... | Danger and destructive power of desiring wealth |
| Prov 11:28 | He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like the foliage. | Trusting in wealth leads to ruin |
| Ps 49:6-7 | Those who trust in their wealth and boast in the abundance of their riches... No man can by any means redeem his brother. | Futility of wealth in securing salvation |
| Phil 3:7-8 | But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ... I count them all as rubbish so that I may gain Christ. | Valuing Christ above all earthly gain |
| Col 3:5 | Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. | Greed equated to idolatry |
| Ps 73:1-3, 16-20 | For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked... their eyes protrude from fatness... | Temptation to envy the prosperous wicked |
| Dt 8:17-18 | Otherwise, you may say in your heart, 'My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.' But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth. | Warning against taking credit for wealth |
| Jm 1:9-11 | But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; and the rich person in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. | Rich and poor compared in the sight of God |
| Heb 13:5 | Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you." | Contentment vs. love of money |
| Jon 4:9-11 | Then God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?" And he said, "It is right for me to be angry, even to death."... Should I not have compassion on Nineveh? | Sorrow over material possessions (Jonah's gourd) vs. God's compassion for souls. |
| John 6:66-67 | As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?" | People turn away when Christ's demands are hard |
| Mt 13:22 | And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. | Wealth choking the Word |
Matthew 19 verses
Matthew 19 22 Meaning
This verse describes the immediate consequence of the rich young man hearing Jesus' instruction to sell his possessions and follow Him. He responded with profound sorrow and departed from Jesus, choosing to retain his substantial wealth over complete devotion and discipleship. His sadness revealed that his deep affection for his worldly possessions superseded his stated desire for eternal life through total commitment to Christ.
Matthew 19 22 Context
Matthew 19:22 is a pivotal moment within Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler, which serves as an important illustration of the cost of true discipleship and the obstacles that prevent entry into the Kingdom of Heaven. Preceding this, Jesus taught about marriage and divorce (Mt 19:1-12) and blessed the little children (Mt 19:13-15), emphasizing childlike humility and dependence. The young man's inquiry in Matthew 19:16 about "what good thing I shall do to obtain eternal life" sets up the immediate conversation. Jesus first directed him to keep the commandments (Mt 19:18-19). When the young man asserted his compliance and asked, "What more do I lack?" (Mt 19:20), Jesus gave the specific, radical command: "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me" (Mt 19:21). The verse directly follows this command, revealing the young man's failure to embrace the radical commitment required. This exchange directly leads to Jesus' profound teaching about the difficulty for the rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt 19:23-26) and Peter's subsequent question about the disciples' reward for forsaking all to follow Him (Mt 19:27-30). Historically, wealth was often associated with divine blessing in ancient Israel, so Jesus' challenging of the rich created a significant counter-cultural polemic, demonstrating that true blessedness is found in spiritual, not material, treasures, and in complete submission to God.
Matthew 19 22 Word analysis
- When: Introduces the immediate reaction and consequence of the preceding statement by Jesus.
- the young man (ὁ νεανίσκος - ho neaniskos): Signifies youth, typically referring to someone in their prime, full of vigor and potential. The definite article "the" indicates he is the specific person introduced earlier. This detail underscores that it was not an elder or someone at life's end, but a person with much to offer, yet tied to the material.
- heard (ἀκούσας - akousas): An aorist participle, meaning "having heard" or "when he heard." It denotes a complete, single action of perceiving Jesus' words, implying full comprehension of the demand.
- this (τοῦτον - touton): Referring to the specific word or command Jesus just issued about selling his possessions and following Him.
- he went away (ἀπῆλθεν - apēlthen): A simple, direct action. He physically left Jesus' presence. This signifies a departure from the opportunity for radical discipleship and indicates a choice not to obey.
- sad (λυπούμενος - lypoumenos): A present passive participle from lupeo, meaning "being grieved," "being sorrowful," or "being in distress." The present tense suggests a continuous, enduring state of sadness that overcame him in that moment and persisted as he left. It wasn't merely intellectual disappointment, but emotional pain, indicating his strong attachment. This emotion reflects an inner conflict where his desire for eternal life wrestled with his love for his earthly treasures.
- because (γὰρ - gar): A causal conjunction, meaning "for" or "because." It directly links his sadness and departure to the reason that follows.
- he had (ἦν ἔχων - ēn echōn): Literally "he was having." The imperfect tense of "to be" (ēn) with the present participle "having" (echōn) describes a continuous state or ongoing possession. It highlights that his great wealth was not just a passing fortune, but an entrenched, foundational part of his identity and lifestyle.
- great (πολλά - polla): Meaning "many" or "much" or "great." It emphasizes the sheer quantity and significance of his possessions, making the proposed sacrifice extremely substantial.
- wealth (κτήματα - ktēmata): Refers to material possessions, property, or goods acquired through one's labor or inheritance. This term specifically refers to the acquired or possessed physical assets, making the demand a direct challenge to his security and identity.
Words-group analysis:
- "he went away sad, because he had great wealth": This phrase encapsulates the central conflict. His sadness is the emotional fallout of a crucial spiritual decision. The root cause of his spiritual failure and emotional pain is clearly identified as his immense material possessions. The text doesn't explicitly state he refused, but his going away sad and Jesus' subsequent teaching confirm it. The connection between wealth and spiritual bondage is laid bare. This also implies that Jesus' command was diagnostic, revealing the true lord of the young man's heart. His great wealth represented a great obstacle to complete obedience and yielded great sorrow in facing the choice.
Matthew 19 22 Bonus section
This incident highlights Jesus' insight into the human heart. He didn't just give a generic command for eternal life; He gave a specific command tailored to the young man's particular attachment. The request to "sell what you possess and give to the poor" was not merely about charity, but about exposing the young man's idol. The result—his sadness—confirmed Jesus' discernment and validated the precision of the challenge. This man, unlike other immediate followers of Jesus (e.g., Peter and Andrew leaving their nets), found the cost too high, demonstrating that true spiritual struggle is often fought at the level of our deepest affections and attachments. The encounter sets the stage for Jesus to further expound on the Kingdom of Heaven being more accessible to those humble in spirit rather than those who trust in earthly security. It underscores the difficulty, yet not impossibility (with God), of the rich entering the Kingdom, by placing the emphasis on God's power over human inability to release idols.
Matthew 19 22 Commentary
Matthew 19:22 powerfully illustrates that the greatest obstacle to following Jesus is often not a lack of morality or effort, but an idolatrous attachment to something else, particularly wealth. The rich young man's sorrow was not regret for sin, but anguish over the price of true discipleship. He understood Jesus' demand clearly but valued his material security more than complete surrender to Christ. This moment reveals the painful truth that not everyone will accept Jesus' call when it requires radical personal sacrifice. Jesus' command was a specific, diagnostic test designed to expose the young man's heart idol, rather than a universal command for all to sell everything. His inability to part with his "great wealth" shows that his "treasure" and thus his "heart" were still earthly (Mt 6:21), making it impossible to serve God alone (Mt 6:24). This scenario serves as a timeless reminder that anything, including something inherently neutral like wealth, can become a spiritual barrier if it takes precedence over Christ.For practical usage, this warns against any personal idol—be it wealth, status, comfort, or relationships—that may hinder total obedience to God. It challenges believers to honestly assess what they truly treasure and be willing to forsake anything that competes with Christ's ultimate claim on their lives.