12:5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple {b} profane the sabbath, and are blameless?(b) When the priests do God’s service on the sabbath day, they do not break the law: much less does the Lord of the Sabbath break the sabbath. read more
We have seen that Matthew groups events with a dispensational end in view, and chapter 12 shows a building up on Israel's part to a state of utter rejection of their Messiah. The expression "at that time" does not mean that this event took place at the some time chronologically, but "is a general term embracing connected events" (William Kelly). For the event actually took place some time earlier (Mark 2:23). But this is chosen by God to be recorded here in order to show that Israel's... read more
EXPANSION AND OPPOSITION The King has come, the code of His Kingdom is set forth, His credentials presented, and He now expands the testimony concerning Himself, with the result of increasing opposition. This expansion is connected with the commission of the twelve disciples (chap. 10), and the opposition is revealed in various ways in the chapters following. THE DISCIPLES COMMISSIONED (Matthew 10:0 ) Here we find “apostles” for the first time (Matthew 10:2 ), which means “those sent... read more
Chapter 49 Prayer Almighty God, thou hast made all things good for us, and thou hast issued to our hearts a great welcome, broad as all thy love. Thou hast called to those who are hungry and thirsty, thou dost give them chief places in thine house that they may eat and drink abundantly and forget all their pain and weariness. Great voices of hospitality fall from the heavens upon our weary life: when there is no door into which we can enter upon the earth, thou dost call us upward to thyself... read more
"At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. (2) But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. (3) But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; (4) How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat,... read more
That which is not lawful to do on the sabbath-days. The Pharisees blame not the disciples for plucking the ears of corn, as they passed by, (this being allowed, Deuteronomy xxiii. 25.) but for doing it on a sabbath-day, as if it had been a breach of the sabbath. (Witham) --- Behold, &c. The Pharisees here mildly rebuke our Lord; but afterwards, when he restored the withered hand, they rose up against him with such rage, that they formed upon the spot designs of killing him, as in ver. 14.... read more
What David, &c.[1] Christ shews them that the law need not always be taken according to the bare letter. --- Into the house of God; i.e. where the tabernacle was then kept: not into the temple, which at that time was not built. --- Eat the loaves, &c. Christ speaks of those loaves which were ordered to be placed on a table within the tabernacle, and changed from time to time. This translation seems as literal as may be, and more intelligible than loaves of proposition, or shew-bread.... read more
How he entered, &c. The house of God was then at Nobe. In St. Mark, the high priest is called Abiathar. See Chap. ii. 26. To this difficulty some answer, that the father and son bore these two names, Achimelec and Abiathar. This they attempt to prove from 2 Kings viii. 19, and 1 Paralipomenon xxiv. 3. Others say that Abiathar, son of Achimelec, was present, and sanctioned the action of his father, thus making it his own. Others again contend, that it ought to have been translated, in the... read more
Break the sabbath; i.e. they do that, which if the divine worship did not require, would not be allowed on the sabbath, as the work they do, of its own nature, is servile. read more
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Geneva Study Bible - Matthew 12:4
12:4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the {a} shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?(a) The Hebrews call it "bread of faces", because it stood before the Lord all the week upon the golden table appointed for that service; Leviticus 24:6 . read more