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LUKE 6:4 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
Luke 6:3Luke 6:5
“How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?”
He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions — the specific precedent: David ate the bread of the Presence, which was restricted to priests, when he was in genuine need. The precedent establishes that necessity can override ritual restriction — the law is not abolished but its purpose (human flourishing) determines its application.

Church Fathers on Luke 6:4

Not only in the form of expression but in His very practice and mode of action, did the Lord begin to absolve man from the observance of the old law. Hence it is said, And it came to pass that he went through the corn fields, &c.

Ambrose · 4th century

For His disciples having no opportunity for eating because the multitudes thronged so, were naturally hungry, but by plucking the ears of corn they relieved their hunger, which is a mark of a strict habit of life, not seeking for prepared meats, but mere simple food.

Bede · 8th century

Now He says, on the second sabbath after the first, because the Jews called every feast a sabbath. For sabbath means rest. Frequently therefore was there feasting at the preparation, and they called the preparation a sabbath because of the feast, and hence they gave to the principal sabbath the name of the second-first, as being the second in consequence of the festival of the day preceding.

Theophylact · 11th century
Read all 16 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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Luke 6:4 — Community Reflections | HolyStudy