38. Jesus Defends His Disciples

Jesus and his disciples were walking together on the Sabbath day through a grain field, probably on their way from Jerusalem to Galilee. His disciples, who were hungry, began to pluck grain, rub it in their hands and eat it.

Some Pharisees saw the disciples eating the grain and said to Jesus:

Look, your disciples are breaking the law of the Sabbath. Why are you doing what is unlawful to do on the Sabbath.

Jesus answered:

Haven’t you read what King David did when he and his companions were hungry?

Remember how he came into the house of God, when Abiathar was the high priest, and took and ate the showbread and shared it with the entire company that was with him.

Was it lawful for David or his company to eat the showbread that was reserved for the priests alone? 

Have you not read in the law, that on the Sabbath day the priests in the temple engaged in chores and activities that were against the law for others.

Were they guiltless? I tell you this. Someone who is greater than the temple is here.

If you really knew what it meant when God declared through the prophet, I desire mercy, not sacrifice; you would not have condemned the guiltless.

The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath.

The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath: The Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath.