Mark 2:28Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

But being hungry, they ate simple food, not for pleasure, but on account of the necessity of nature. The Pharisees however, serving the figure and the shadow, accused the disciples of doing wrong. Wherefore there follows, But the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful.

Or else, because when they hare rest from their passions, then are they made doctors to lead others to virtue, plucking away from them earthly things.

For it was a precept in Israel, delivered by a written law, that no one should detain a thief found in his fields, unless he tried to take something away with him. For the man, who had touched nothing else but what he had eaten, they were commanded to allow to go away free and unpunished. Wherefore the Jews accused our Lord’s disciples, who were plucking the ears of corn, of breaking the sabbath, rather than of theft.

Created things that exist within the realm of time reach their perfection when they stop their natural development. However, those entities established by the wisdom of God, rooted in virtue, keep evolving and achieving completeness. The conclusion of certain aspects often serves as the commencement of new ones. The individual who, through the diligent practice of virtues, diminishes the presence of corruption within themselves, initiates the creation of a higher, more divine existence. God, in His nature, never brings into cessation the good that is eternal, for just as it is innate for light to radiate, it is intrinsic to God to bestow goodness.

There is, however, no discrepancy, for both were there, when David came to ask for bread, and received it: that is to say, Abimelech, the High Priest, and Abiathar his son; but Abimelech having been slain by Saul, Abiathar fled to David, and became the companion of all his exile afterwards. When he came to the throne, he himself also received the rank of High Priest, and the son became of much greater excellence than the father, and therefore was worthy to be mentioned as the High Priest, even during his fathers life-time. It goes on: And he said to them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath. For greater is the care to be taken of the health and life of a man, than the keeping of the sabbath.

Regarding the Lord's profound declaration, ‘The Lord is the Son of man and the Sabbath’: do not assume that the One who originated the Sabbath also brought about its ruin or permitted it to be disregarded. He indicated that His mission was not to ‘destroy’ the law, but to ‘fulfil’ it (Matt. 5:17). By identifying Himself as ‘Lord of the Sabbath,’ He reveals His divine nature and His right to elucidate the law of the Sabbath—who better to interpret the law than its very Author? He fulfills and rejuvenates it. This divine authority is particularly evident in that, while maintaining the core essence of the original commandment—to set apart the seventh day for God—He hallowed the new day for this divine purpose through His glorious resurrection.

While the week comprises seven days, God has allotted us six for labor and one for devotion and rest, providing a means to seek liberation from evil. Thus, if we err during the workdays, we are granted the opportunity to implore God's mercy on the Lord's Day. Therefore, attend the Morning Prayer at the House of God. Approach your Lord, confess your sins to Him, engage in penitential prayer, and with a contrite heart, remain for the sacred and heavenly liturgy; complete your petitions without departing until the service concludes. Behold your Lord, who is both humiliated and given, yet never diminished, and if your conscience is clear, draw near and receive the Body and Blood of Christ.

In the following two Sabbaths, the significance of the Sabbath and the sanctity of its rest, which had not been thoroughly addressed earlier due to the new contentions from the Pharisees, were more fully articulated and made clearer. The first instance occurred as the Lord's disciples were traveling from Jerusalem and, in their hunger, plucked and ate ears of grain from a field they passed through. Another instance involved the miraculous healing of a man with a withered hand in the synagogue, performed solely through His word, without any action on His part. This last event had taken place in Galilee. In response to the scrutiny of the Pharisees, who closely observed Him, the Lord pointed to examples where righteous individuals had transgressed certain legal norms in urgent situations.

In this instance, it was He who stood among them, possessing the authority to nullify the Sabbath of the Old Testament, as He is the Lord of the Sabbath.

The Christ whom they pursue surpasses even the temple itself, and as the Son of Man, He reigns over the Sabbath. Rather than fixating on the minutiae of rabbinic law, it would be wise for them to recall the profound words of the prophet: mercy is preferable to sacrifice (Hos. 6:6). Humanity holds a greater significance than lifeless forms of ritualism.

The scribes and Pharisees concentrated solely on adhering to the outward demands of the law, which they expanded through arbitrary interpretations into intricate regulations, while overlooking the law's deeper significance. This narrow focus gave rise to the insensitivity and hardness of heart with which they interacted with those around them. The Lord delivered a stinging admonition to these self-righteous legalists: “Would that ye knew what is: I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, neither would ye condemn the innocent.” The prophet Hosea also highlighted the significance of loving one's neighbor within the law, yet the religious leaders failed to grasp his message.