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
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