This refers to what Jesus has just said, and can be rendered if necessary as “these words.”

The Greek participle translated sorrowful (Good News Translation “sad”) comes from the same verb as that used of the disciples in 26.22. It also is used of Jesus during his experience in Gethsemane (26.37). It may have to be expressed by a separate verb, as in “he went away and was very sad,” or better, “he became very sad and went away.” Barclay has “he went sadly away.”

For he had great possessions (Good News Translation “because he was very rich”) is the sole reason given for the man’s rejection of Jesus. Possessions is not the same noun used in verse 21. Although it may be used of possessions of any type, it later came to have the more restricted meaning of “piece of ground” (see Acts 5.1). Here it is best taken in the broadest sense possible, though it is quite possible that the man’s possessions consisted primarily of land. Translators can say, “because he owned many things” or “because he owned a lot of property.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .