3 But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he became hungry , he and his companions e , 4 how he entered the house of God , and they ate the consecrated bread , which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone ? 5 "Or have you not read in the Law , that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent ? 6 "But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here . 7 "But if you had known what this means , ' I DESIRE COMPASSION , AND NOT A SACRIFICE ,' you would not have condemned the innocent . 8 "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Matthew 12:3-8
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.