121 At that time Jesus went through the fields on the Sabbath day; and his disciples, being in need of food, were taking the heads of grain. 2 But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, See, your disciples do that which it is not right to do on the Sabbath. 3 But he said to them, Have you no knowledge of what David did when he had need of food, and those who were with him? 4 How he went into the house of God and took for food the holy bread which it was not right for him or for those who were with him to take, but only for the priests? 5 Or is it not said in the law, how the Sabbath is broken by the priests in the Temple and they do no wrong? 6 But I say to you that a greater thing than the Temple is here. 7 But if these words had been in your minds, My desire is for mercy and not for offerings, you would not have been judging those who have done no wrong. 8 For the Son of man is lord of the Sabbath.
9 And he went from there into their Synagogue: 10 And there was a man with a dead hand. And they put a question to him, saying, Is it right to make a man well on the Sabbath day? so that they might have something against him. 11 And he said to them, Which of you, having a sheep, if it gets into a hole on the Sabbath day, will not put out a helping hand and get it back? 12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! For this reason it is right to do good on the Sabbath day. 13 Then said he to the man, Put out your hand. And he put it out, and it was made as well as the other.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Matthew 12:1-13
Commentary on Matthew 12:1-8
(Read Matthew 12:1-8)
Being in the corn-fields, the disciples began to pluck the ears of corn: the law of God allowed it, Deuteronomy 5:14. No law must be understood so as to contradict its own end. And as Christ is the Lord of the sabbath, it is fit the day and the work of it should be dedicated to him.
Commentary on Matthew 12:9-13
(Read Matthew 12:9-13)
Christ shows that works of mercy are lawful and proper to be done on the Lord's day. There are more ways of doing well upon sabbath days, than by the duties of worship: attending the sick, relieving the poor, helping those who need speedy relief, teaching the young to care for their souls; these are doing good: and these must be done from love and charity, with humility and self-denial, and shall be accepted, Genesis 4:7. This, like other cures which Christ wrought, had a spiritual meaning. By nature our hands are withered, and we are unable of ourselves to do any thing that is good. Christ only, by the power of his grace, cures us; he heals the withered hand by putting life into the dead soul, works in us both to will and to do: for, with the command, there is a promise of grace given by the word.