Matthew 12:1, Matthew 12:11 NIV

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:1-14

Christ the Lord of the sabbath. I. NECESSARY WORK MAY BE DONE ON THE SABBATH . 1 . The accusation of the Pharisees. The Lord's disciples were hungry; they gathered the ears of corn. This was allowed by the Law ( Deuteronomy 23:25 ). But it was the sabbath day, and there were Pharisees in attendance, some of them rulers of the neighbouring synagogue, some perhaps spies, sent from Jerusalem to watch our Lord. After the healing of the impotent man at the pool of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:1-45

(1) Opposition from his enemies. (a) Conscious and wilful opposition ( Matthew 12:1-37 ). ( α ) As regards the sabbath ( Matthew 12:1-14 ). ( β ) An interlude. The evangelist sees in our Lord's behaviour the fulfilment of Isaiah's prophecy (verses 15-21). ( γ ) The opposition carried to the extreme of accusing him of alliance with Beelzebub. Christ shows the monstrous character of such an accusation, and the absence which it discloses of all spirituality of mind... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:1-50

The opposition that our Lord met with read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 12:1

Matthew 12:1-8. The account contained in these verses is also recorded in Mark 2:23-28, and Luke 6:1-5.At that time - Luke Luke 6:1 fixes the time more particularly. He says that it was “the second Sabbath after the first.” To understand this, it is proper to remark that the “Passover” was observed during the month “Abib,” or Nisan, answering to the latter part of March and the first of April. The feast was held seven days, commencing on the fourteenth day of the month Exodus 12:1-28; Exodus... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 12:1

Matthew 12:1. Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn The cornfields near Jerusalem, attended by his disciples and some of the Pharisees, whose curiosity, it is probable, prompted them to mix with the crowd on this occasion, in expectation of seeing more miracles. His disciples began to pluck [and rub in their hands, Luk 6:1 ] the ears of corn, and to eat Just what sufficed for present necessity. The word σταχυας , here used, may indifferently signify ears of any kind of grain;... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:1-8

34. Picking corn on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5)When the Pharisees criticized Jesus’ disciples for picking a few pieces of corn to eat on the Sabbath, Jesus defended his disciples by referring to two examples from the Old Testament. First, when David and his men were very hungry and urgently needed food, they were rightly allowed to eat the holy bread of the tabernacle, which normally only priests were allowed to eat (Matthew 12:1-4; cf. 1 Samuel 21:1-6). Second, even... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Matthew 12:1

time = season. corn = cornfields. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:1

MATT. 12QUESTIONS REGARDING THE SABBATH; BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT; THE SIGN OF THE PROPHET JONAH; THE EMPTY HOUSE AND THE RETURN OF THE UNCLEAN SPIRITAt that season, Jesus went on the sabbath day through the grain fields; and his disciples were hungry and began to pluck ears to eat. (Matthew 12:1)This action of Jesus' disciples should have been passed over and ignored altogether; but the bitter, hair-splitting Pharisees, finding no genuine fault in the conduct of Jesus and his... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 12:1

Matthew 12:1. On the sabbath-day— See the note on Luk 6:1 where the Evangelist points out the sabbath and day whereon this happened, Through the corn means through the paths that were in the corn. The word σταχυας may indifferently signify ears of any kind of grain; but it most probably was barley, which was ripe at that time in Judaea. read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 12:1

1. At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn—"the cornfields" (Mark 2:23; Luke 6:1). and his disciples were an hungered—not as one may be before his regular meals; but evidently from shortness of provisions: for Jesus defends their plucking the corn-ears and eating them on the plea of necessity. and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat—"rubbing them in their hands" (Luke 6:1- :). read more