Luke 18:23
And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
Original Language Analysis
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
1 of 10
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ἐγένετο·
he was
G1096
ἐγένετο·
he was
Strong's:
G1096
Word #:
6 of 10
to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e., (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.)
γὰρ
for
G1063
γὰρ
for
Strong's:
G1063
Word #:
8 of 10
properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles)
Cross References
Ezekiel 33:31And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.1 John 2:15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.Mark 10:22And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.Matthew 19:22But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.Luke 21:34And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.Luke 8:14And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.Luke 12:15And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
Historical Context
First-century Judaism viewed wealth as divine blessing for righteousness (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). The rich were considered God-favored; poverty suggested divine curse. This makes Jesus's teaching doubly shocking: the wealthy ruler—seemingly blessed by God—was actually enslaved to idolatry. His riches were stumbling block, not blessing. This anticipates Jesus's coming statement about camels and needle's eyes, completely inverting conventional assumptions about wealth and salvation.
Questions for Reflection
- What does the ruler's sorrow reveal about what he truly loved more than eternal life?
- How did Jesus's command expose the tenth commandment (coveting) and first commandment (no other gods)?
- What 'riches'—money, reputation, comfort, control—might Jesus be calling you to surrender as competing gods?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich—Jesus's command to sell everything and follow Him (v. 22) produces perilypos egenēthē (περίλυπος ἐγενήθη)—'he became very sorrowful.' Ēn gar plousios sphodra (ἦν γὰρ πλούσιος σφόδρα)—'for he was extremely rich.' The gar (γάρ, 'for') reveals causation: his sorrow stems from his wealth.
Jesus exposed the tenth commandment: 'You shall not covet.' The ruler coveted wealth more than God, violating the first commandment too: 'You shall have no other gods before me.' His riches were his functional god. He wanted eternal life as an addition to earthly treasures, not as replacement. But Jesus offers Himself as pearl of great price worth selling everything to obtain (Matthew 13:45-46). The ruler's sorrow reveals that wealth held his heart more than God.