Matthew 12:1

1 At that time Jesus went through the corn on the sabbath: and his disciples being hungry, began to pluck the ears, and to eat.

Matthew 12:1 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 12:1

At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn,
&c.] That is, the corn fields, as the other evangelists express it. It being on a sabbath day, it is very probable, that Christ and his disciples were going to some public place of worship, the way to which lay through some fields of corn, which were now ripe: for Luke says, it was on the "second sabbath after the first", or rather "the first sabbath after the second"; that is, the first sabbath after the second day of the passover, when the sheaf of the first fruit was offered, and harvest was begun.

And his disciples were an hungered;
it being in the morning before they had broke their fast; and this circumstance is mentioned to show the reason of the following action, and to excuse it: at which the Pharisees were so much offended, and of which they accused them, as having done what was very criminal:

and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat;
Luke adds, "rubbing them in their hands"; and so here in the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions, it is rendered, "they began to rub": as they passed along, they plucked off the ears of corn, either barley or wheat, and rubbed them in their hands, to get the grain clear of the husk, or beard, and eat them; contenting themselves with such mean and unprepared food, when the Jews on that day fed on the best of dainties F5.


FOOTNOTES:

F5 Vid. Maimon. Hilch. Sabbat, c. 30. sect. 7, 8, 9, 10.

Matthew 12:1 In-Context

1 At that time Jesus went through the corn on the sabbath: and his disciples being hungry, began to pluck the ears, and to eat.
2 And the Pharisees seeing them, said to him: Behold thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days.
3 But he said to them: Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and they that were with him:
4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the loaves of proposition, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for them that were with him, but for the priests only?
5 Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple break the sabbath, and are without blame?
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