Matthew 12:2

Some Pharisees saw us do what they considered to be work. So they said to Jesus, accusing him, “Look! Your disciples are doing work that is not permitted in our laws [PRS] for us to do on our day of rest!”

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

In Context

1During that period of time, on a ◄Sabbath/Jewish day of rest►, Jesus and we disciples were walking through some grain fields. And because we were hungry, we began to pick some of the heads of grain and eat them. The laws of Moses permitted people to do that if they were hungry.

3Jesus wanted to show them that the record in the Scriptures indicated that God permitted people to disobey certain religious laws when they needed food. So he said to them, “ It is written { Someone wrote} in the Scriptures [RHQ] what our revered ancestor King David did when he and the men with him were hungry. You have read about that, ◄ but you do not think about what it implies!/so why do you not think about what it implies?► [RHQ]

Read all of Matthew 12

Cross References

Exodus 20:9There are six days each week for you to do all your work,

Exodus 31:15You may work for six days each week, but the seventh day of each week is a solemn day of rest, dedicated to me, Yahweh. Anyone who does any work on a day of rest is to be executed because I no longer want them to be able to associate with my people.

Numbers 15:32One day, while the Israelis were in the desert, some of them saw a man who was gathering firewood on the Sabbath/rest day.

Matthew 12:10He saw a man with a shriveled hand there. The Pharisees thought that Jesus would be disobeying the tradition about not working on the day of rest if he healed the man, so one of them asked him, “Does God permit us to heal people on our day of rest?” They asked that question so that they might accuse him if he healed someone ◄on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day►.

Luke 6:6Another ◄Sabbath/Jewish day of rest► Jesus entered a ◄synagogue/Jewish meeting place► and taught the people. There was a man there whose right hand was shriveled.

Luke 14:3Jesus said to them, “Is it permitted in our(inc) Jewish laws to heal someone ◄on our Jewish rest day/on the Sabbath►, or not?”

Matthew Henry on Matthew 12:2-14

Christ Vindicates His Disciples. 1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. 3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; 4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the showbread, which was not lawful for him… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Matthew 12:2