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MATTHEW 12:1 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
Matt 12Matt 12:2
“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.”
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. The Sabbath conflict that opens chapter 12 is the first major confrontation with the Pharisees over the interpretation of the Torah. The disciples' act — plucking heads of grain while walking through a field — was specifically permitted in Deuteronomy 23:25 (you may pluck grain with your hand). The Pharisaic objection is not to the plucking but to its performance on the Sabbath.

Church Fathers on Matthew 12:1

Having related the preaching together with the miracles of one year before John’s enquiry, He passes to those of another year, namely after the death of John, when Jesus is already in all things spoken against; and hence it is said, 'At that time Jesus passed through the corn fields on the sabbath day.'

Gloss (Glossa Ordinaria) · medieval compilation · ord.

This which here follows is related both by Mark and Luke, without any question of discrepancy; indeed they do not say, 'At that time,' so that Matthew has here perhaps preserved the order of time, they that of their recollection; unless we take the words in a wider sense, 'At that time,' that is, the time in which these many and divers things were done, whence we may conceive that all these things happened after the death of John. For he is believed to have been beheaded a…

Augustine · 4th century · De Cons. Ev., ii, 34

Why then did He lead them through the corn fields on the sabbath, seeing He knew all things, unless He desired to break the sabbath? This he desired indeed, but not absolutely; therefore He broke it not without cause, but furnished a sufficient reason; so that He both caused the Law to cease, and yet offended not against it.

Chrysostom · 4th century · Hom., xxxix
Read all 24 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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