Working on the Sabbath
At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn;
and his disciples were an hungered, and began to pluck
the ears of corn, and to eat.
Matthew 12:1
Read Matthew 12:1- 8
The Lord Jesus walked with His disciples through the fields of ripe grain on
a Sabbath Day. The disciples were no longer engaged in their former daily
occupation, and they were hungry. Occasionally we read of the Lord Jesus’
hunger too. For example, in Matthew 21:18, we read: Now in the morning
as he returned into the city, he hungered. In our text, the Lord God guided
everything with the result that as Jesus and His followers walked through
the ripening grain fields, the hungry disciples could pick some kernels of
grain. By rubbing the picked kernels in their hands, they could eat and ease
their hunger.
Was it forbidden to pick a few stalks of ripened grain as one walked through
the fields? No, for we read in Deuteronomy 23:25: When thou comest into
the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with
thy hand; but, thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour’s standing
corn. Picking a few ears of corn by hand in someone else’s field was not
considered stealing.
The Pharisees, however, saw what had occurred. In their opinion, the disciples
were guilty of breaking one of the commandments of God. Moreover,
these religious leaders were really filled with enmity and hatred. They
looked upon the activities of the Saviour and His disciples with suspicion
and contempt. How do you and I regard our fellowman? Are you inclined to
explain the actions of others positively or negatively?
Thought: Anger and hatred cause us to judge wrongly.
Psalter 250:1,2 (based on Psalm 92)
How good it is to thank the Lord, And praise to Thee Most High accord,
To show Thy love with morning light, And tell Thy faithfulness each night;
Yea, good it is Thy praise to sing, And all our sweetest music bring.
O Lord, with joy my heart expands Before the wonders of Thy hands;
Great works, Jehovah, Thou hast wrought, Exceeding deep, Thy every thought;
A foolish man knows not their worth, Nor he whose mind is of the earth.
