Matthew 12:2-8

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:1-8

The sabbath made for man. Note in introduction that the chiefest interest of this passage centres in the last verses of it, and in their combined moral aspects. The occasion of these must be esteemed, with certain other passages of the Gospel, as one of no lesser import, recorded as it is by all of the three evangelists. That occasion arose not out of the direct course and tenor of the conduct of Christ, but out of that of his disciples. Nevertheless, his own use of the sabbath day for... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:1-8

Ritual and morals. The Pharisaic Jews are, in the previous chapter, upbraided for their obstinate impenitence. We find the same people here condemning the disciples of Christ as sabbath-breakers because they plucked ears of corn to satisfy their hunger. The manner in which Jesus defends his disciples shows— I. THAT RITUAL IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR MORALS . 1 . The Pharisees were stringent ritualists. 2 . But they were lax in morals. 3 . They inverted the order... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:1-13

The sabbath. Six times was our Lord, either directly or through his disciples, charged with sabbath-breaking. In considering the manner in which he met the accusation, we must bear in mind that he was in a different relation to the Jewish sabbath from that which we hold to it. Indeed, we could not, from his observance of the day, argue that a day was to be similarly observed in the Christian Church, because many important observances ceased at his death, and remain to us only in their... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:2

But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him . The Revised Version ( but the Pharisees , when they saw it , said unto him ) retains the simple order of the Greek, which more vividly represents the Pharisees as a party opposed to him. Behold. They suggest that he had not noticed it. Were the disciples behind him (cf. Matthew 8:23 )? Thy disciples . Notice that all the accusations brought against the disciples in this Gospel concern food: Matthew 9:14 , as regards... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:2

Rigidity in sabbath rules. That which the disciples did was not regarded as a wrong thing in their day. Thomson tells us that, when travelling in harvest-time, his muleteers plucked off the ears of corn, rubbed them in their hands, and ate the grains, just as the apostles did. And this was quite allowable; it was never thought of as stealing. The Pharisees did not object to the thing that was done, but to the infringement of their stiff rule, that this particular act should not be done on... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:3

But he said unto them, Have ye not read. Our Lord answers them by showing that the principle of the action of his disciples was sanctioned in the Scriptures to which they implicitly appealed. He calls their attention first ( more Rabbinico ; cf. on Matthew 12:5 ) to the Prophets (i.e. the former prophets, according to the Hebrew division), as teaching by example that holy things are of secondary importance compared with the benefit of God's people; and afterwards to the Law, which... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:4

How he entered into the house of God, and did eat; rather, and they did eat , with Revised Version margin ( ἔφαγον ), the simple plural verb laying the action less at David's door than does the phrase in the parallel passages—"and he gave" them to eat. Observe that the mention of ordinary people, like David's attendants, adds to the force of our Lord's illustration. The shew-bread ( Exodus 25:30 ; Le Exodus 24:5-7 ). Which . Which kind of food ( ὅ ). Was not lawful... read more

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