What Old Testament laws are referenced in Matthew 12:2, and why? Setting the Scene Matthew 12:2 records the Pharisees’ accusation: “Look, Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.” The disciples had been plucking heads of grain and rubbing them in their hands (cf. Luke 6:1). To understand the charge, we need to look back to several Old Testament passages the Pharisees had in mind. The Core Sabbath Command • Exodus 20:8-11: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy… the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God; on it you shall not do any work.” • Deuteronomy 5:12-15 repeats the command and ties it to Israel’s redemption from Egypt. These verses establish a blanket prohibition of “work” (Hebrew: melakhah) on the seventh day. Specific Prohibitions Against Harvest Work on the Sabbath • Exodus 34:21: “Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing season and harvest you must rest.” • Numbers 15:32-36 recounts a man gathering wood on the Sabbath who is put to death—showing how seriously God views Sabbath labor. From these texts, Jewish teachers concluded that any form of harvesting—reaping, threshing, winnowing—was forbidden. The Allowance to Pluck Grain on Other Days • Deuteronomy 23:25: “If you enter your neighbor’s grainfield, you may pluck the heads of grain with your hand, but you must not put a sickle to your neighbor’s standing grain.” God explicitly permitted travelers to pick grain by hand. So the disciples’ action itself was lawful; the timing (the Sabbath) was the point of contention. How the Pharisees Interpreted These Texts • By the first century, rabbinic tradition had catalogued thirty-nine categories of prohibited work; reaping, threshing, and preparing food all made the list. • The Pharisees equated plucking with reaping and rubbing the heads with threshing. Thus, in their eyes, the disciples had crossed the line set by Exodus 34:21. Why These Laws Matter in Matthew 12 • The Pharisees appealed to the Fourth Commandment and its specific ban on harvest labor. • Jesus later answers by citing Scripture (1 Samuel 21 and Hosea 6:6) to demonstrate that mercy, necessity, and God’s greater purpose interpret how the Sabbath is kept (Matthew 12:3-8). • He affirms the Sabbath command yet exposes legalistic additions that obscured its intent. Summary of Old Testament Laws Referenced 1. Exodus 20:8-11 — foundational Sabbath command. 2. Deuteronomy 5:12-15 — reiteration of Sabbath rest. 3. Exodus 34:21 — explicit ban on harvest work during Sabbath. 4. Numbers 15:32-36 — example of Sabbath violation punished. 5. Deuteronomy 23:25 — permission to pluck grain by hand (relevant because the disciples’ action was normally lawful). Key Takeaways for Today • God’s Word clearly institutes Sabbath rest; the principle remains vital. • Scripture, not human tradition, defines obedience. • Mercy and human need never contradict God’s law; they illuminate its heart. |
    |