Matthew 12:1

Matthew 12:1 says,  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.  As Jesus and His disciples were travelling on a sabbath, they were hungry and began to pluck ears of corn to eat.  This was prohibited by Jewish law since it was work, especially the way it had been interpreted.  Verse two states, 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. The Pharisees, who were seemingly always watching Jesus to find fault with what His disciples and He did, told Jesus that what His disciples were doing was unlawful.  We need to be careful that we do not attempt to spend all our time trying to find fault with other Christians.  Verse three declares, But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;  Jesus answered the Pharisees by referring to the scripture, asking if they had not read about David when he was hungry.  If we question others, or they question us, the answer to determine who is right or wrong should be based on the scripture, the Bible.  Verse four adds, How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?  Jesus said that when David and those with him were hungry that he went into God's house and ate the shewbread, which was only lawful for the priests to do.  David was viewed as the greatest king, and yet he had done something that would be considered wrong when following the literal interpretation of the law.  We must not become too legalistic that we ignore the acts of faith under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  Verse five continues, Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?  Jesus continued to refer to the scripture, asking if the Pharisees had not read in the scripture that the priests did what would be considered work on the sabbath, and yet they were blameless.  Jesus is much greater than any priest, so how could the Pharisees claim that what He was doing of necessity was wrong.  Verse six proclaims, But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.  The Pharisees were proud of the temple, but Jesus said that in that place was One greater than the temple, and that was Jesus Himself.  We need to be careful that we do not begin to hold the things associated with the church building as being more important than the people of the church.  Verse seven adds, But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.  Jesus asked the Pharisees if they knew the meaning of the scripture that God would have mercy over sacrifice.  Our sacrifices cannot bring us forgiveness, but only the mercy of God can.  Verse eight declares, For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.  Jesus stated that the Son of Man, the Messiah, Jesus Himself, was the Lord of the sabbath.  We cannot become so legalistic that we forget about God's mercy.  It is important to observe the sabbath, or the Lord's Day in our case, but we should never use observing it as a reason to condemn others.