23 And it came to pass that he went on the sabbath through the cornfields; and his disciples began to walk on, plucking the ears. 24 And the Pharisees said to him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath what is not lawful? 25 And he said to them, Have ye never read what David did when he had need and hungered, he and those with him, 26 how he entered into the house of God, in [the section of] Abiathar [the] high priest, and ate the shew-bread, which it is not lawful unless for the priests to eat, and gave even to those that were with him? 27 And he said to them, The sabbath was made on account of man, not man on account of the sabbath; 28 so that the Son of man is lord of the sabbath also.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 2:23-28
Commentary on Mark 2:23-28
(Read Mark 2:23-28)
The sabbath is a sacred and Divine institution; a privilege and benefit, not a task and drudgery. God never designed it to be a burden to us, therefore we must not make it so to ourselves. The sabbath was instituted for the good of mankind, as living in society, having many wants and troubles, preparing for a state of happiness or misery. Man was not made for the sabbath, as if his keeping it could be of service to God, nor was he commanded to keep it outward observances to his real hurt. Every observance respecting it, is to be interpreted by the rule of mercy.