But I say unto you
Who Christ knew would be ready to object, as above, and therefore
prevents them, by saying,
that in this place is one greater than the
temple;
meaning himself, who was the Lord and Proprietor of the temple,
and in his human nature the antitype of it; see ( John 2:19 ) and was
infinitely more sacred than that. Some copies read (meizon) , "something greater";
referring either to the human nature of Christ, in which the
Godhead dwells bodily, and so infinitely greater than the temple;
or to the health of his disciples, which was in danger, through
hunger: or to the ministry of the apostles, which, by satisfying
nature, they were more capable of performing; either of which was
of more moment than the sacrifices and service of the temple.
Christ's argument is, that if the temple, and the service of it,
excused the priests from blame, in doing things in it on the
sabbath day, which otherwise might not be done; then much more
might his presence, who was greater than the temple, excuse his
disciples from blame in this action of rubbing and eating the
ears of corn; which was done to satisfy hunger, and to render
them the more capable of performing their ministerial function;
and which was of more importance than the service of the priests.
