Chapter 2:23-28 Question of the Sabbath

2:23 And it came to pass, that He went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and His disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.

Observe, What a poor breakfast Christ's disciples had on a sabbath-day morning, when they were going to church; they plucked the ears of corn, and that was the best they had.

2:24 And the Pharisees said unto Him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?
Why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? 

Note, If Christ's disciples do that which is unlawful, Christ will be reflected upon, and upbraided with it, as He was here, and dishonor will redound to His name. 

It is observable, that 

---when the Pharisees thought Christ did amiss, they told the disciples; 

---and now when they thought the disciples did amiss, they spoke to Christ, as make-bates, that did what they could to sow discord between Christ and His disciples, and make a breach in the family.

2:25 And He said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?
have ye never read what David did; referring to the history in 1 Samuel 21:6.

Have ye never read? Note, 

Many of our mistakes would be rectified, and our unjust censures of others corrected, if we would but recollect what we have read in the scripture.

2:26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?
By example. They had a good precedent for it in David's eating the show-bread, when he was hungry, and there was no other bread to be had; 

2:27 And He said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

The sabbath is a sacred and divine institution; 

but we must receive and embrace it 

---as a privilege and a benefit, 

---not as a task and a drudgery.

He has made it to be no longer a day of bondage, but 

---a day of blessed rest 

---and holy service for God. 

Works of necessity, works of piety, and works of mercy, are not only allowed to be done, but are commanded to be done upon the Sabbath-day.

2:28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

The ordinances of religion should be regulated according to their end, which is the honor of God, and the salvation of men. 

It is the property of the true religion to contain nothing in it but what is beneficial to man. 

Hereby God plainly shows that it is neither out of indigence or interest that he requires men to worship and obey him; but only out of goodness, and to make them happy.