#42 The Disciples Pick Corn on the Sabbath
Please first read:
Matthew 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5
J. Reuben Clark Jr.:
The disciples, hungry and going through a
field of corn, pluck the ears of corn and eat them; the Pharisees charge them
with violating the Sabbath; in justification Jesus cites David’s eating of the
shewbread, that the priests in the Temple profane the Sabbath and are
blameless; declares that in this place
there is one greater than the Temple, and that the “Son of Man is Lord even
of the Sabbath day.
Apostle Bruce R. McConkie:
After a number of days at Jerusalem for his
second Passover Feast (some authorities believe this is a different feast than
the Passover) Jesus and his disciples leave Judea and walk back again to
Galilee. Judea is no longer a safe place for them, especially in Jerusalem.
Jesus’ various teachings during the days there have caused serious animosity and
hatred among various Jewish leaders … to the point of some seeking to put him
to death. (See post #41.1 and #41.2) They have objected to most of his
teachings, but especially to his accusations that they desecrate the Sabbath, and
that he makes himself the equal with God. These are two of the main law
violations that call for the death penalty. Many in Galilee are of this same
opinion, but not to the degree as in Jerusalem.
It is again the Sabbath and Jesus is again
in violation of their sacred Sabbath. As he and the others with him walk
through cornfields they are hungry, so they pluck some ears of corn and eat the
kernels. Under Jewish law it is permissible to do this from fields of others to
satisfy one’s hunger, just not on the Sabbath. They are accused of both reaping
(picking the corn) and harvesting (rubbing off the kernels) both of which
violate Rabbinic (not biblical) law. Both of these could be considered capital
offenses. It appears that Jesus was not so engaged and is not accused thereof,
but his disciples.
Jesus defends his friends … they have done
no wrong. By the Jews own traditions Sabbath observance becomes secondary to a
higher law in proper cases. He cites when David and those with him went into
the house of God and partook of the priest’s shewbread. Hunger and being on the
Lord’ errand supersedes the Sabbath law. He also reminds them how temple
priests do all the works involved to offer sacrifices on the Sabbath and are
held blameless. Then he turns to their own scriptures stating that mercy is
more important than ritualistic sacrifices. (Hosea 6:6) Probably the most objectionable and distasteful
words for them to finally hear (as recorded by the scriptures) would be that he
(Jesus) “the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath” (Matthew and Luke) and he
“is one greater than the Temple.” (Matthew)
Albright and Mann:
Plucking ears of grain was one of 39 major
kinds of work forbidden on the Sabbath by Rabbinic law. The disciples
technically are breaking the law but out of pressure of hunger, which can be
allowed.
Apostle James E. Talmage:
Mosaic Law provides that when traveling
through another’s field one is allowed to pick sufficient corn, grapes, fruit
etc. to satisfy hunger.
Ludlow:
David and the Shewbread. The bread the
priests had was consecrated for their use only. Because of the urgent need of David and the
hungry men with him the priests gave the bread to them. The Jewish leaders
listening knew that Jesus was declaring himself to be the Messiah, the Anointed
One when he used the phrase … “one greater than the Temple.”
The JST of Mark 2:27 clarifies: “For the
Son of Man made the Sabbath day, therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the
Sabbath.”
Howick:
It had been some 400 years since the last
of the Old Testament prophets. Over time the Rabbis had become the spiritual
leaders and teachers of the Law. As they increasingly interpreted and made
rulings and gave detailed instructions, the volume of law (now Rabbinic
rulings) grew as layer was added to layer. Over time the words of the Rabbis
were given precedent/priority over most everything else. At the time of Jesus
the scribes were also much involved in influencing these activities.
The traditional law had three parts:
1.
The
written Law of Moses.
2.
The
oral law: traditional teachings implied or deduced from the Law of Moses.
3.
Oral
teachings of the Rabbis: the “Hedge” placed around the law “to prevent any
breach of the law or customs, to ensure exact observance” in all circumstances.
This volume of rules was ever increasing.
Rules for the Sabbath had grown into a law
controlling all other laws … requiring even stricter interpretation governing
Jewish activities on the Sabbath.
Holzapfel and Wayment:
To the Jewish leaders, when Jesus here
defends his disciples by comparing what had just occurred to David’s eating of
the shewbread at the temple, the analogy makes Jesus the equal of David, the
king of Israel. He explains his actions by, in effect, declaring himself to be
a king and a priest. Then Jesus takes it one step further, he asserts that
holiness was not in the law itself but rather in the lawgiver. “The Son of Man
is Lord also of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5)
Jesus is now challenging and questioning the
leader’s interpretation of these laws and rules, thus disparaging their
authority to do so.
Glenn R. McGettigan
November 2015
References:
“Our Lord of the Gospels.” Clark
“The Mortal Messiah.” Volume 2. McConkie
“Doctrinal New Testament Commentary.” Volume
1. McConkie
“Study of the New Testament.” Ludlow
“The Miracles of Jesus the Messiah.”
Howick
“The Gospel of Matthew.” Albright &
Mann
“Jesus the Christ.” Talmage
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