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
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