But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Matthew 19:22 · KJV
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Other translations

WEB

But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions.

KJV

But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

Word study

But dé G1161
when the ho G3588
young man neanískos G3495
heard akoúō G191
that saying, lógos G3056
he went away apérchomai G565
sorrowful: lypéō G3076
for gár G1063
he had ēn G2258
great polýs G4183
possessions. ktēma G2933

Commentary

John Gill

But when the young man heard that saying..... That he must sell his estates, and all his worldly substance, and the money made of them, give away to the poor; and become a follower of Christ, deny himself, and submit to hardships very disagreeable to the flesh:

he went away sorrowful; not with a godly sorrow for his sin and imperfections, but with the sorrow of the world, which worketh death: he was ashamed and confounded, that he could not perform what he had just now so briskly promised, at least tacitly, that whatever else was proper he would do; as also grieved, that he had not arrived to perfection, which he had hoped he had, but now began to despair of, and of obtaining eternal life; and most of all troubled, that he must part with his worldly substance, his heart was so much set upon, or not enjoy it:

for he had great possessions; which were very dear to him; and he chose rather to turn his back on Christ, and drop his pursuits of the happiness of the other world, than part with the present enjoyments of this.

JFB

For there are some eunuchs which were so born from their mother's womb--persons constitutionally either incapable of or indisposed to marriage.

and there are some eunuchs which were made eunuchs of men--persons rendered incapable by others.

and there be eunuchs which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake--persons who, to do God's work better, deliberately choose this state. Such was Paul (Co1 7:7).

He that is able to receive it, let him receive it--"He who feels this to be his proper vocation, let him embrace it"; which, of course, is as much as to say--"he only." Thus, all are left free in this matter.

Next: Matthew Chapter 20

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