Matthew 12:5 NIV

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:5

Matthew only. Or. A second example, if the first does not convince you. Have ye not read in the Law . Beyond which there is no appeal. Jewish authors often appeal to Scripture in the order of Hagio-graphs, Prophets, and, last of all, Law. He here refers to Le Matthew 24:8 (cf. also 1 Chronicles 9:32 ), but Bengel's suggestive remark that Leviticus was read in the services at that very time of year is vitiated by the double uncertainty, first, what time of year it really was; and... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 12:4-5

How he entered into the house of God - That is, the “tabernacle,” the temple not being then built.Have ye not read in the law? - In the law, or in the books of Moses.Profane the Sabbath - He referred them to the conduct of the priests also. On the Sabbath days they were engaged, as well as on other days, in killing beasts for sacrifice, Numbers 28:9-10. Two lambs were killed on the Sabbath, in addition to the daily sacrifice. The priests must be engaged in killing them, and making fires to burn... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 12:5-6

Matthew 12:5-6. Have ye not read in the law, &c. He does not mean that the words following were to be found in the law, but only that they might read in the law, how the priests were obliged, on the sabbath days, to perform such servile work in the temple as, considered separately from the end of it, would have been a profanation of the sabbath, but really was not so, because it was necessary to the public worship of God, on account of which the sabbath was instituted. If it be asked... 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 12:5

in the law. See note on Matthew 5:17 . Compare Numbers 28:9 , Numbers 28:10 and App-143 . the sabbath. (Numbers 28:9 , Numbers 28:10 . Compare Nehemiah 13:17 . Ezekiel 24:21 . Joh 7:22 , John 7:23 .) There were more sacrifices on the sabbath than on any other day. profane. Our Eng. word "profane" = far from the temple. The Greek word here = to trample down and thus treat as common. Compare Acts 24:6 . blameless = guiltless, as in Matthew 12:7 . Greek. anaitios. Occurs only here and Matthew... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:5

Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless?This reference is to the fact than an exception was made for the priests who served in the temple, and who could, therefore, do work on the sabbath that would otherwise have been unlawful. Christ's stress on that exception called attention to an analogy between himself and the temple. He referred to his body as "the temple," stating that he would raise it up in three days... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 12:5

Matthew 12:5. Or have ye not read in the law, &c.— He did not mean that these words were to be found in the law, but that they might read in the law, that the priests were obliged on the sabbath-day to perform such servile work in the temple, as, considered separately from the end of it, was a profanation of the sabbath; and yet were guiltless, because it was necessary to the public worship, on account of which the sabbath was instituted. From Num 28:9 it appears, that, besides the... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 12:5

5. Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath—by doing "servile work." and are blameless?—The double offerings required on the sabbath day ( :-) could not be presented, and the new-baked showbread (Leviticus 24:5; 1 Chronicles 9:32) could not be prepared and presented every sabbath morning, without a good deal of servile work on the part of the priests; not to speak of circumcision, which, when the child's eighth day happened to... read more