Matthew 12:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Luke states, “On the second-first Sabbath” (Luke 6:1). What does the term second-first Sabbath signify? It indicates a day of dual observance—both the Lord’s Sabbath and another festival that followed. The Jewish people refer to every celebration as a Sabbath. Why did He bring them there, knowing all things, if not to validate the Sabbath? His intention was to affirm it, but not in a simplistic manner. This is why He never disregards the Sabbath without justification, instead offering suitable occasions to do so to fulfill the law without provoking the Jews. Nonetheless, there are instances when He breaks the Sabbath regardless of circumstances; for example, when He heals a blind man by applying an ointment and asserts, “My Father is working until now, and I am working” (John 5:17).

The Lord, seeking to elucidate the principles of the law, guides His disciples through a cultivated field, thereby transgressing the Sabbath regulations.

It is important to acknowledge how the act of the disciples gathering grain on the Sabbath would have been regarded as unlawful by the Jewish people. One instance that reflects this perspective is derived from David’s royal prerogative, while another stems from the authority of the priests who, in performing their duties at the temple, transgress the Sabbath regulations. Nonetheless, these examples relate less directly to the specific act of harvesting grain on the Sabbath compared to the actions of the One who embodies the true King and the true Priest, and who is, in fact, the Lord of the Sabbath.

They began to harvest the grains, crush them, and consume them. This serves as an illustration and a model. The law prohibited eating from the first fruits until they had been offered at the altar (Exodus 23:19, Exodus 34:26, Deuteronomy 14:23). They took and partook of the first fruits, which were meant to be presented to the priests before the harvest (Deut. 18:4, Nehem. 10:37, Ezek. 44:30). However, the Pharisees were not astute enough to criticize the disciples for this; instead, as it is written, they reproached them for violating the Sabbath. This instance demonstrates that the ceremonial law of the Old Testament was fulfilled in Christ.

In the writings of another evangelist, it is noted that they experienced the sensation of hunger akin to that of famished individuals, as their pressing circumstances left them without the chance to partake in a meal, as found in Mk. 2:23 and Lk. 6:1. The act of grinding the heads of grain with their own hands to satisfy their hunger reveals the severity of their lifestyle; they desired not extravagant fare, but rather the straightforward nourishment of unrefined grains.

On the Sabbath, which refers to the holy day of rest, the act of sowing is associated with the fields. The Gospel of Mark states that as Jesus and His disciples walked through the grain fields, they began to pluck heads of grain. While moving through the fields that were ripe for harvest, they first gathered the ears of grain to continue on their way, and afterward they ate the grains, rubbing them in their hands, as described in Luke’s account. They had a strong desire to eat, motivated by their hunger. Preoccupied with following the Savior, they paid little attention to their physical needs and thus found themselves in need of sustenance.

It is important to begin this reflection by noting that it commenced in this manner: During that time, Jesus walked through the fields of grain on the Sabbath, a moment when He was expressing gratitude to God the Father for the salvation of humankind. This gives us a dual meaning relevant both to what has come before and what follows. Thus, let us explore the remainder of the passage. The field represents peace, the Sabbath signifies rest, and sowing symbolizes the fruitful harvest among the faithful. Therefore, when He entered the field on the Sabbath—a day set apart for rest according to the law—He was examining this field, which reflects the sowing done among humanity.

The Pharisees closely observed the actions of the Lord Jesus and His disciples, constantly seeking a chance to accuse Him. They were particularly provoked by His disregard for the traditional observances of the Sabbath. In their desire to criticize Him, they exaggerated the already rigorous demands of these traditions. However, the Lord seized every opportunity to clarify the true essence of the Sabbath law. As the Evangelist Matthew recounts, Jesus traversed fields ripe with grain on the Sabbath; His disciples began to harvest the mature heads, rubbing them between their hands and consuming the grain. St.

The Return of Jesus to Galilee

Jesus did not linger in Jerusalem for long. In his Gospel, Luke mentions that on the first Sabbath after the second day of Passover, He walked through fields of grain. While it remains uncertain whether Jesus was on His way back to Galilee or had already arrived, what matters is that Luke emphasizes this event occurred on the first Sabbath of the second day of the Passover. The Jewish people celebrated Passover on the 14th of Nisan, the first lunar month of spring, regardless of which day of the week it fell. The Passover meal was consumed in the evening on the 14th, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread commenced on the evening of the 15th, lasting for seven days.

The animosity held by the Jewish leaders towards the Nazarene prophet clouded their understanding of the profound implications of His teachings. This led them to pursue Him with increased fervor, seeking instances of supposed infractions against the divine laws to use as grounds for accusations against Christ. An opportunity soon arose. After the completion of the Passover, the Savior departed from Jerusalem and commenced His journey with His disciples towards Galilee, traveling through fields of barley that were beginning to bear their initial harvest, which had been offered as a sacrifice on the second day of the Passover. The law allowed for the gathering of grain while on the journey to alleviate hunger; thus, the disciples, exercising this liberty, plucked the ears of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and consumed them, all on the Sabbath.

"During that period": see the reference on Matthew 3:1. - "To harvest the ears and consume them": this was a traditional method of addressing hunger in the East, still practiced in contemporary times; mature ears were picked, rolled in the hands, and the extracted grain was eaten. According to the Mosaic Law, it was permissible to gather ears from a neighbor's field, provided that no sickle was used (Deuteronomy 23:25).

The matter of the Sabbath was addressed by Jesus Christ in a more conclusive and thorough manner, particularly in response to the ongoing disputes raised by the Pharisees, who scrutinized all the actions of the Lord and His followers. On the Sabbath, referred to by Luke as the second first Sabbath, He and His disciples walked through fields that were lush with growing grain. Upon feeling hunger, the disciples began to pluck the ripe kernels, rubbing them in their hands to eat the parched grain. This act was not unlawful, as the first fruits of the new harvest, as stipulated by the law, had already been dedicated to God (Leviticus 23:10-11). Furthermore, the law permitted individuals in need to gather ears of grain by hand without employing a sickle in a neighbor's field (Deuteronomy 23:25).