Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 18:23
And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
23. he was very sorrowful ] St Matthew says, ‘he went away grieving;’ St Mark adds that ‘his brow grew gloomy and cloudy at the command’ ( ). And thus at the time he made, through cowardice or meanness of mind, what Dante ( Inf. Luk 10:27) calls ‘ il gran rifiuto,’ ‘the great refusal,’ and the poet sees his shade among the whirling throng of the useless and the facing-both-ways on the confines of the Inferno. Nothing, however, forbids us to hope that the words of Jesus who ‘loved him’ sank into his soul, and brought him to a humbler and holier frame of mind. But meanwhile he lost for his earthly dross that eternal blessedness of self-sacrifice which Christ had offered him. The day came when Saul of Tarsus was like this youth ‘touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless;’ but he had grace to count all things but loss for Christ. Php 3:6-9.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
23-25. was very sorrowfulMatthew(Mt 19:22) more fully, “wentaway sorrowful”; 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 hisriches would have cost him a pang more. When Riches or Heaven, onChrist’s terms, were the alternative, the result showed to which sidethe balance inclined. Thus was he shown to lack the oneall-comprehensive requirement of the lawthe absolute subjectionof the heart to God, and this want vitiated all his otherobediences.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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 comments on Mt 19:22].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Became (). First aorist passive indicative of . Like his countenance fell (), in Mr 10:22.
Exceedingly sorrowful (). Old adjective (, ) with perfective use of .
Very rich ( ). Rich exceedingly. Today, a multimillionaire.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
He was very sorrowful. Rev., more correctly renders ejgenhqh, he became. See on Mr 10:22.
Very rich. The Greek order forms a climax : “rich exceedingly.”
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And when he heard this,” (ho de akousas touta) “Then when he heard these things,” what Jesus said, Mat 19:22; Mar 10:22.
2) “He was very sorrowful:” (perilupos egenethe) “He became deeply grieved,” emotionally disturbed, afraid, grieved, as he turned and walked away from salvation, and the best friend he ever met, Mat 10:22. He was sorry to part with Christ, but to part with his love for riches was more painful to him, 1Jn 2:15-17.
3) “For he was very rich.” (en gar plousios sphroda) “For he was exceedingly rich,” very wealthy, plutocratic, had great possessions, Mat 19:22; Mar 10:22; 1Ti 6:18-19.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(23) He was very sorrowful.St. Lukes word stands half-way between St. Matthews sorrowing and St. Marks vivid lowering or frowning. (See Note on Mar. 10:22.)
He was very rich.St. Lukes equivalent for he had great possessions. There is, perhaps, something suggestive, especially on the view which has been taken as to the identity of the young ruler, and the purport of the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, in the use of the very same adjective as had been employed in that parable.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘But when he heard these things, he became exceedingly sorrowful, for he was very rich.’
When the man heard this he was struck with great sorrow, for he was very rich. Jesus had taken him at his word, and had revealed to him the one thing that was preventing his life from being pleasing to God, and that would prevent him from having eternal life through faith in Jesus. And that was his great love for riches, a love that threatened constantly to overwhelm his love for God and prevent it from coming to genuine expression, and the more so as he grew older. Once that was dealt with, Jesus tells him, and he was following Him, he would experience eternal life in himself (Joh 5:24; Joh 10:10), and be sure of its enjoyment into the distant future.
It was a crucial moment. Some stirring within had caused this ruler to seek out Jesus, and now here he was at the crossroads. He could set his heart to follow Christ, or he could sink back into luxury and apathy. Jesus, who could see into the depths of his heart, knew that he could not do both. And Jesus no doubt only had to take one look at the man’s face to know what his decision was going to be.
Note how Luke, who from the beginning has avoided some of the sentimentality of Mark now moves immediately on to the crunch point. He does not want us to be taken up with the ruler’s dilemma. He wants us rather to immediately face our own dilemma. What is there in our lives that prevents our full obedience and dedication to God?
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
Ver. 23. See Mat 19:22 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Luk 18:23 . , very rich. Lk.’s expression differs from that of Mt. and Mk. (( ). Lk. follows Mk. in the most important points the words first spoken by the ruler to Jesus: good Master, etc., and the reply of Jesus to him: why callest thou me good? but he agrees with Mt. in omitting some vivid traits found in Mk.: the placing of the incident (“going forth into the way”), the action of the man as he approached Jesus ( , ), the title (Mar 10:20 ), and, most remarkable feature of all, the statement in Mar 10:21 : , which so clearly excludes the notion entertained by many that the man was a self-complacent Pharisee. I am glad to find Hahn decidedly repudiating this view ( vide notes on Mt. and Mk.). Vide Mt.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
he was = he became. Compare Mar 10:22.
very rich = rich exceedingly.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
[23. , he was much saddened [very sorrowful]) The rich Zaccheus obtained what was much better in his joy (i.e. by his joyfully receiving Christ, than the rich ruler did by going away from Him in sorrow), ch. Luk 19:6.-V. g.]
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
he was very sorrowful: Luk 8:14, Luk 12:15, Luk 19:8, Luk 21:34, Jdg 18:23, Jdg 18:24, Job 31:24, Job 31:25, Eze 33:31, Mat 19:22, Mar 10:22, Eph 5:5, Phi 3:8, Col 3:5, 1Jo 2:15
Reciprocal: Ecc 5:13 – riches Mat 13:44 – for joy Mat 18:8 – if Luk 6:24 – woe Luk 9:58 – Jesus Luk 14:33 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Here note, the effect which our Saviour’s admonition had upon this person, He was very sorrowful.
Learn thence, that carnal men are exceeding sorrowful when they cannot win heaven in their own way. That such as are wedded to the world, will renounce Christ rather than the world, when the world and Christ stand in competition. He went away sorrowful, for he was very rich. Mar 10:22
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
The man’s sorrow on hearing Jesus’ command was proportionate to his wealth. His unwillingness to part with his riches showed that he valued them more than treasure in heaven. He really wanted material wealth more than eternal life (Luk 18:18).
The other Synoptic evangelists recorded that at this point the young man went away (Mat 19:22; Mar 10:22). He is the only person in the Gospels who came to Jesus and went away in a worse condition than when he came.
Jesus’ logic is quite clear in this conversation. He reasoned that God alone is perfect (Luk 18:19). Moreover God’s standard for obtaining eternal life by good works is perfection (Luk 18:20-21). Therefore no one can obtain eternal life by good works.