John Calvin Commentary Matthew 19:22

"But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sorrowful; for he was one that had great possessions." — Matthew 19:22 (ASV)

He went away sorrowful. The result eventually showed how far the young man was from the perfection to which Christ had called him. For why does he withdraw from the school of Christ, except because he finds it difficult to be stripped of his riches?

But if we are not prepared to endure poverty, it is clear that covetousness reigns in us. And this is what I said at the beginning: the order Christ gave, to sell all that he had, was not an addition to the law, but the scrutiny of a hidden vice.⁶²⁹

For the more deeply a man is tainted by this or that vice, the more strikingly it will be dragged forth to light when reproved. This example also reminds us that if we are to persevere steadily in the school of Christ, we must renounce the flesh.

This young man, who possessed both a desire to learn and modesty, withdrew from Christ because it was hard to part with a cherished vice. The same thing will happen to us, unless the sweetness of Christ’s grace makes all the allurements of the flesh distasteful to us.

Whether or not this temptation was temporary, leading the young man to repent afterwards, we do not know. However, it may be conjectured with probability that his covetousness kept him from making any progress.

⁶²⁹ “Que c’a este pour sonder et descouvrir un vice cache;” — “that it was to search and discover a concealed vice.”;” — “that it was to search and discover a concealed vice.”