Mark 10:22 · Bible study
Mark 10:22 Commentary: The Rich Young Ruler's Sorrowful Departure
Greek · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why did the rich young ruler go away sorrowful? Discover the meaning of 'his face fell' and the spiritual obstacle of riches.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The rich young ruler rejects Jesus' call to sell all and follow, walking away sorrowful because his great possessions owned his heart.
- Key Words: στυγνάσας (stugnasas, “his face fell,” aorist), sudden gloom; λυπούμενος (lupoumenos, “grieving,” present), ongoing sorrow; κτήματα πολλά (ktēmata polla, “many possessions”), great material wealth.
- Main Debate: Whether Jesus' command to sell all is a universal demand for all disciples or a specific test exposing this man's idolatry.
- Theological Theme: The cost of discipleship and the danger of misplaced trust; wealth as a potential barrier to entering God's kingdom.
- Best Use: A sobering call to examine what we hold more tightly than Christ, and a demonstration of God's love that confronts us honestly.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
But the man was saddened by these words and went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth.
WEB World English Bible 2000
But his face fell at that saying, and he went away sorrowful, for he was one who had great possessions.
KJV King James Version 1769
And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
But his countenance fell at the saying, and he went away sorrowful: for he was one that had great possessions.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And he--gloomy at the word--went away sorrowing, for he was having many possessions.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But he, sad at the word, went away grieved, for he had large possessions.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Who being struck sad at that saying, went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mas él, entristecido por esta palabra, se fué triste, porque tenía muchas posesiones.
Mas ele, pesaroso desta palavra, foi-se triste; porque tinha muitas propriedades.
Mais, affligé de cette parole, cet homme s’ en alla tout triste; car il avait de grands biens.
Er aber ward unmutig über die Rede und ging traurig davon; denn er hatte viele Güter.
Maar hij, treurig geworden zijnde over dat woord, ging bedroefd weg; want hij had vele goederen.
Ma egli, attristato da quella parola, se ne andò dolente, perché avea di gran beni.
A on zafrasowawszy się dla tego słowa, odszedł smutny; albowiem miał wiele majętności.
Он же, смутившись от сего слова, отошел с печалью, потому что у него было большое имение.
他聽見 這話，臉上就變了色，憂憂愁愁地 走了，因為 他 的產業 很多。
But his face became sad at the saying, and he went away sorrowing: for he was one who had much property.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Mark 10:22
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the young man's sorrowful departure reveals a tragic collision between his desire for eternal life and his attachment to his abundant possessions. Adam Clarke notes that “he had perhaps been a saint, and an eminent apostle, had he been poor,” highlighting how wealth became his undoing. The Greek verb stugnazō (στυγνάσας), used here and only one other time in the New Testament (Matthew 16:3 of a “lowering” sky), paints a sudden cloud on his face, as Vincent's Word Studies explains. Then the present participle lupoumenos (λυπούμενος) describes an ongoing state of grief as he walked away. The Gospel writers all emphasize the cause: “for he had great possessions” (Mark); “he had great wealth” (Matthew, Luke). Gill observes that he had to part with two idols: “his self-righteousness and his mammon.” The Cambridge Bible adds Dante's phrase “the great refusal”, a man who let earthly treasure outweigh the treasure of heaven. The consensus is clear: the possessions themselves were not the sin, but his heart was so tied to them that he could not follow Jesus.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Universal call to sell all: Jesus' words 'sell whatever you have' are taken as a command for every disciple; supported by Luke 14:33 about giving up all possessions.
- Specific test for this man's idol: Jesus discerns that wealth is this man's particular stumbling block; the command is not repeated for all believers (e.g., Zacchaeus only gives half in Luke 19:8).
- Principle of detachment: The heart of the call is radical surrender; the outward form (selling everything) may vary, but the inward posture of non-attachment is universal.
What is clear: The man's sorrow demonstrates that his great possessions had become a spiritual obstacle preventing wholehearted discipleship.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The universality of the command to sell all possessions | Christians agree that Jesus called this specific man to sell everything, and that the principle of detachment from earthly wealth applies to all believers. | Some traditions (e.g., Catholic monastic orders) see a normative call to voluntary poverty; others (e.g., mainstream Protestant) view it as a radical test for this individual's idol, not a universal requirement. |
| The man's salvation | His sorrowful departure shows he did not accept Jesus' call at that moment. | Some suggest he may have later repented (based on Jesus' love in v.21); others see him as a tragic example of one who refused the kingdom. |
| The meaning of 'great possessions' as an obstacle | Wealth, when trusted in, hinders entrance into God's kingdom (Jesus confirms in v.23-25). | Debate exists over whether the obstacle is wealth itself or the trust in it; some point to v.24 where Jesus clarifies 'those who trust in riches.' |
Historical & Cultural Context
In first-century Palestine, substantial wealth was widely viewed as a sign of divine favor, consistent with Old Testament promises such as Deuteronomy 8:11-14, which warn against forgetting God when prosperity comes. The man's position, Mark 10:17 describes him running and kneeling, suggests sincerity and high social standing; Luke calls him a “ruler” (Luke 18:18). When Jesus recites the second table of the law (v.19), he references the commandments governing human relationships, all of which the man claims to have kept from youth (v.20). But Jesus then presses deeper: “One thing you lack.” The command to sell everything, give to the poor, and “come, follow me, taking up the cross” (v.21) cuts to the heart of this man's ultimate trust.
The disciples' astonishment in the following verses (v.24-26) shows how counter-cultural Jesus' teaching was. In Jewish thought, wealth could be a sign of covenant blessing; to say it hinders entrance to God's kingdom was shocking. The cross-references from Job 21:7,15 echo the perplexity of the righteous suffering while the wicked prosper. And the example of Lot (Genesis 13:5,11) choosing the fertile plain over walking with Abraham illustrates the same tension between earthly gain and spiritual calling.
Poole's annotation captures the heart of the matter: “It is a hard thing for us to have a great concern in the world, and not to love it more than God.” The man's “great possessions” (κτήματα πολλά) are not condemned in themselves, but they became the lens through which he evaluated Jesus' invitation. He came seeking eternal life; he left because he could not let go of his present life.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse.
Reception History
Early church fathers like Clement of Alexandria addressed this passage directly in his sermon Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?, arguing that the danger lies not in wealth but in the soul's attachment to it. Throughout the medieval period, this verse was a touchstone for monastic movements calling for voluntary poverty. Reformers such as Calvin emphasized that the command was specific to this man's idolatry, not a universal law. In the twentieth century, Dietrich Bonhoeffer made this text central to his discussion of “costly grace” in The Cost of Discipleship, in which he argues that the call to follow Christ demands total surrender. Across traditions, the verse has served as a mirror for examining where our treasure truly lies.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- The Man's Approach: Zeal Without Surrender (v.17-20), He runs, kneels, and claims obedience, yet he lacks one thing.
- The Lord's Demand: The Cost of Discipleship (v.21), Jesus loves him but calls him to sell, give, and follow.
- The Man's Departure: Sorrowful Refusal (v.22), His face falls; his possessions win.
Five-Point Outline
- Jesus' Loving Gaze (v.21a), The Lord's invitation is rooted in love, not condemnation.
- The One Thing Lacking (v.21b), Wholehearted surrender, not merely external obedience.
- The Radical Prescription (v.21c), Sell, give, and follow; treasure in heaven.
- The Clouded Countenance (v.22a), The word stugnazō shows a sudden, visible gloom.
- The Sorrowful Walk (v.22b), He goes away grieving, preferring earthly possessions over eternal fellowship.
Illustration Hooks
- A person offered a life-changing opportunity, a dream job, a restored relationship, but who hesitates because they cannot give up a lesser comfort they've built their identity on.
- A family's heated discussion about whether to downsize and give more to charity, revealing how deeply our sense of security is tied to the stuff we own.
- An athlete who refuses a doping scandal settlement because it would require confessing failure; the man could not confess that his treasure was in the wrong place.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Does this passage mean I have to sell everything to be a true Christian?
- How do I know if my possessions have become an idol?
- If Jesus loves this man, why does he let him walk away?
Leading a Discussion
This verse captures a moment of decision: the rich young ruler faces a call to surrender everything and follow Jesus. His sorrow exposes a heart divided between the kingdom of heaven and the security of earthly wealth. As you discuss, help the group see both the compassion of Jesus (who loved him) and the gravity of the choice.
Discussion Questions
- What initially impresses you about the young man's approach in verses 17-20?
- Why does Jesus include “taking up the cross” when he calls the man to follow (v.21)?
- Look at the Greek word stugnazō (face fell). What does it tell you about the man's emotional and spiritual state?
- The text says he went away “sorrowful” (present participle). What does ongoing grief suggest about his heart?
- In what ways can good things, like possessions, relationships, or accomplishments, become obstacles to wholehearted discipleship?
- Jesus loved this man even as he let him go. What does that reveal about God's heart toward us when we struggle to surrender?
- How might we identify our own “great possessions”, the things we are unwilling to release in order to follow Jesus more fully?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 13:5 | Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks, herds, and tents. |
| Genesis 13:11 | So Lot chose the Plain of the Jordan for himself. Lot traveled east, and they separated themselves from one another. |
| Deuteronomy 6:10 | It shall be, when Yahweh your God brings you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you, great and goodly cities which you didn’t build, |
| Deuteronomy 6:12 | then beware lest you forget Yahweh, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. |
| Deuteronomy 8:11 | Beware lest you forget Yahweh your God, in not keeping his commandments, his ordinances, and his statutes, which I command you today; |
| Deuteronomy 8:14 | then your heart might be lifted up, and you forget Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; |
| Job 21:7 | “Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power? |
| Job 21:15 | What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, if we pray to him?’ |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
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What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke suggests that the rich young ruler could have become a saint and an eminent apostle if he had been poor. From this and many other cases, Clarke observes that wealth is often a misfortune, but very few people recognize or believe that truth.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentator draws attention to the Greek word behind the man's sadness, which means lowering or having a cloud on his brow, not mere sorrow. He calls the man's choice to keep his wealth instead of following Christ "the great refusal," yet notes that within months many in Jerusalem gladly sold their possessions and laid them at the apostles' feet.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The note points out that the man's sadness and departure were caused directly by his many possessions. His wealth itself, not the demand, was what made him turn away sorrowful.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill zeroes in on two things the man could not bear to lose: his self-righteousness and his wealth. The command to sell everything pricked his pride and exposed his vanity, while parting with his possessions was deeply mortifying. His sadness came from having to give up both idols at once.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that Jesus is not denying his own goodness when he asks, "Why callest thou me good?" Instead, he is teaching the young man to see that any true goodness is grounded in God alone. For Lange this is a christological point: calling Jesus good means recognizing his unity with God and his divine nature.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that the young man's obedience was only external and self-congratulating; he lacked the one thing that would prove his heart belonged to God rather than his wealth. Jesus loved him even while exposing this flaw, showing that a morally upright life can still fall short of the surrender faith requires.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent focuses on the Greek word for "sad," noting it is the same word used for a "lowering" sky in Matthew. This paints the man's gloom with striking force, as if a dark cloud had settled over his face.