Matthew 12:2-8

James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:8

LORD OF THE SABBATH‘The Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.’ Matthew 12:8 The one great subject which stands out prominently in the opening verses of this chapter is the Sabbath Day. It is a subject on which strange opinions prevailed among the Jews in our Lord’s time; it is a subject on which divers opinions have often been held in the Churches of Christ, and wide differences exist among men at the present time. Let us see what we may learn about it from our Lord’s teaching. I. The... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:1-8

The Incident In The Grainfields (12:1-8). The first incident arises when Jesus and His disciples are walking through some grainfields. Being hungry they pluck some of the grain, and eat it. This is then picked up by the Pharisees who basically claim that by doing so they are reaping and threshing the grain, an activity which was ‘work’, and therefore forbidden on the Sabbath. Analysis. a At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the grainfields, and his disciples were hungry and... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:1-16

Controversy With The Pharisees About The Sabbath. The Son of Man Is Lord Of The Sabbath (12:1-16). In the last passage Matthew has depicted words of Jesus concerning the heavy burden of the Law and the way to finding rest from it. Here we now have two clear illustrations of what He was saying, depicting the heavy yoke of the Law, and the way in which Jesus would make it ‘easier’. It also demonstrates that the Pharisees were on the watch for Him, trying to catch Him out. The opposition is... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:2

‘But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, “Behold, your disciples do what it is not lawful to do on the sabbath.” ’ Some of the Pharisees became aware of what His disciples were doing. It may be that they had been walking with the disciples, professing interest in Jesus’ message, while carefully watching for any failures in the behaviour of His disciples, or it may be that it had simply been reported to them by people who saw it, bringing them hurriedly to the scene. Either way they... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:3-4

‘But he said to them, “Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him, how he entered into the house of God, and they ate the showbread, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?” ’ Jesus replied from a well known passage concerning David (1 Samuel 21:1-9). There David and his companions had, ‘because they were hungry’, persuaded the High Priest of the day to let him and his men have the old showbread... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:5

“Or have you not read in the law, that on the sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless?” But he also has a second argument (which is not mentioned in Mark and Luke), and that is that the priests in performing their functions of worship are constantly technically breaking the Sabbath by carrying things, slaying sacrifices, and so on. And yet they are looked on as guiltless because the authority of the Temple overrides the Sabbath Law. His point therefore is... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:6

“But I say to you, that one greater than the temple is here.” But Jesus now takes the opportunity of making a second point so as to bring home to them His claims. He points out that ‘One greater than the Temple is here’. Note His emphatic ‘I say to you’. He is speaking from a position of unique authority. The words are carefully chosen. He did not precisely say that He was the One Who was greater than the Temple. He left it to be implied. But again the claim is huge. He is indicating that He is... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:7

“And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice’, you would not have condemned the guiltless.” Having laid His claim Jesus now appeals to the conscience. Had the Pharisees known the meaning of Hosea 6:6 (compare here Matthew 9:3), they would have recognised that God put compassion before ritual. They would in that case have interpreted the Law compassionately and not harshly, and would have allowed the hungry poor to gather for their own need on the Sabbath. They would... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:8

“For the Son of man is lord of the sabbath.” Jesus then makes clear the basis of His authority. As Son of Man He is lord of the Sabbath. That is, as God’s appointed King elect (Daniel 7:13-14) He has the right to lay down what the Sabbath requirements really are. The Sabbath is subject to Him. read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:1-8

Matthew 12:1-Ruth : . Sabbath Observance ( Mark 2:23-Hosea : *, Luke 6:1-Deuteronomy :).— The incident shows that the disciples were learning their Master’ s teaching. Deuteronomy 23:25 allowed the practice, but the Rabbinical objection to it on the Sabbath was that it was reaping. The variations from Mk. are not important, except the omission of the mistaken reference to Abiathar, and the addition of Matthew 12:5-Judges : as a further and stronger historic exception. Various kinds of Sabbath... read more

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