Matthew 12:1-37
One day Jesus and His disciples were walking by a field of grain: the disciples were hungry and they picked off some heads of the grain, rubbed off the chaff, and ate the grain. It was not wrong for them to take the handfuls of grain, for their law allowed them to do that; it said,
“When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbor, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thy hand: but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbor’s corn.” Deuteronomy 23:25. (Grain is often spoken of as “corn” in the Bible).
It was on the Sabbath Day that the men with Jesus picked the grain, and some men who saw them do it, said that they were wrong to do so on the Sabbath.
God had said in His laws to their nation, Israel, that the people should do no work on the Sabbath (the seventh day of the week); they were to rest from all work, so they would not forget that God bad brought their nation from Egypt, where they had worked hard as slaves. (Ex. 31:12-17).
But there were certain men, called Pharisees, who had made laws of their own for the Sabbath, and they thought more of their laws than of God and His words. It was some of those men who said it was wrong to pluck the grain on the Sabbath day.
Jesus asked these men if they had not read that once when David, whom they honored, was very hungry that he was given bread from the House of God, although the bread was meant only for the men there to eat. (1 Sam. 21:6). David had been chosen and anointed by God to be the king of Israel, but he was refused by many, and in need of food, which was given to him and his men at the House of God.
Jesus had been anointed by God to be a far greater King than David, but He also was refused, and there was no food for Him and His disciples, so they should have the grain. Jesus told those men that He was greater than the Temple, and that He was Lord (Ruler) of the Sabbath Day.
Afterward Jesus was in the synagogue of the town, and there was a man who had one hand withered. The Pharisees thought that Jesus would cure the man as He had so many others, but they were more angry with Him because He had shown them their hard ways, and they wanted to find more fault with Him, so they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath Day?”
Jesus then asked them a question, He said if one of them had a sheep which fell into a ditch, would not he lift out the sheep? Jesus told them that a man was better than a sheep! The wise answer of Jesus should have again shown the men how hard and wrong they were. Jesus then said to the man with the withered hand, “Stretch forth thy hand.” The man held out his hand, and it was well as his other hand.
The Pharisees were so angered at Jesus because of His words that they went away to plan together, how they could bring harm to Him. But Jesus knew their wicked thoughts, and kept out of their way. He went on curing the sick ones who followed Him. Jesus did all His great works in a quiet way, as had been told of Him in the scriptures. (Isa. 42:1-3). What did Jesus say about “idle”, or light careless words? Matthew 12:36.
ML 04/11/1943