Mark 2 24

Mark 2:24 kjv

And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

Mark 2:24 nkjv

And the Pharisees said to Him, "Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?"

Mark 2:24 niv

The Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"

Mark 2:24 esv

And the Pharisees were saying to him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?"

Mark 2:24 nlt

But the Pharisees said to Jesus, "Look, why are they breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?"

Mark 2 verses

Mark 2 24 Meaning

Mark 2:24 records the direct accusation of the Pharisees against Jesus, questioning why His disciples engaged in an activity on the Sabbath day that the Pharisees deemed unlawful. This challenge highlights a fundamental disagreement between Jesus' approach to the divine law and the meticulous, tradition-bound interpretations of the Pharisees, specifically concerning the boundaries of permissible activity on the Sabbath.

Mark 2 24 Context

Mark 2:24 is part of a series of conflict stories (Mark 2:1–3:6) where Jesus' authority and interpretation of the law are challenged by religious leaders. This specific incident occurs as Jesus and His disciples are passing through grainfields on the Sabbath. The disciples, being hungry, pluck heads of grain, an act permitted by the Mosaic Law (Deut 23:25) for those passing through, but which the Pharisees, through their elaborate oral traditions (Halakha), deemed a form of "harvesting" and "threshing"—acts prohibited on the Sabbath. The historical context reveals that Jewish religious life in the first century was heavily influenced by the oral tradition that had expanded upon the written Torah, meticulously defining permissible and impermissible acts, particularly regarding the Sabbath. The Pharisees, in their zeal to keep God's law, had added layers of regulations that, at times, obscured the spirit of the law and burdened the people. This encounter sets the stage for Jesus' pronouncements on the true purpose of the Sabbath and His own authority over it.

Mark 2 24 Word analysis

• And (Καὶ - Kai): A common conjunction, here introducing a new direct statement from the Pharisees, signaling a progression in the narrative and escalating tension.
• the Pharisees (οἱ Φαρισαῖοι - hoi Pharisaios): A prominent Jewish religious sect known for their strict adherence to the Law and their elaborate oral traditions. Their name, meaning "separated ones," reflected their meticulous ritual purity and dedication to applying the Law to everyday life. They acted as legal interpreters and guardians of tradition, frequently clashing with Jesus over His unconventional practices and teachings.
• said (ἔλεγον - elegon): Imperfect active indicative verb. This tense often denotes a continuous action, repeated action, or a statement of an ongoing attitude. Here, it could suggest a challenging or accusing tone, possibly an observation made more than once or a shared, immediate consensus among the Pharisees.
• unto him (αὐτῷ - autō): Refers directly to Jesus, indicating that the Pharisees' accusation is leveled directly at the leader, holding Him responsible for the actions of His disciples.
• Behold (Ἴδε - Ide): An interjection (imperative of horao, to see), used to draw attention emphatically, often indicating surprise, concern, or, in this context, pointing out something as problematic or warranting rebuke. It carries an accusatory tone.
• why (Τί - Ti): An interrogative pronoun, essentially asking "What (reason)?" It is a direct challenge to the legitimacy of the disciples' actions, implying disapproval and demanding justification.
• do (ποιοῦσιν - poiousin): Present active indicative verb, "they are doing." It describes the current action of the disciples that the Pharisees observed.
• thy disciples (οἱ μαθηταί σου - hoi mathētai sou): "Your students/followers." The Pharisees link the disciples' actions directly to Jesus, holding Him accountable as their master and teacher. The responsibility of the master for his students' actions was a recognized principle.
• on the sabbath day (τοῖς σάββασιν - tois sabbasin): The specific day is crucial. From the Hebrew Shabbat, meaning "rest." It refers to the seventh day of the week, consecrated for rest and worship according to divine commandment. The Greek plural form "sabbasin" often refers to a single Sabbath day.
• that which is not lawful (ὃ οὐκ ἔξεστιν - ho ouk exestin): "That which is not permitted/lawful." This phrase directly expresses the Pharisees' judgment. For them, plucking and rubbing grain on the Sabbath constituted "work" (specifically, reaping and threshing) and was therefore a violation of their strict Sabbath laws, even though plucking grain was permissible under Deuteronomic law (Deut 23:25) outside of the Sabbath context. Their concern was with their extensive interpretations of the Mosaic Law, rather than the core law itself, creating an expanded list of 39 categories of prohibited work (melakha) on the Sabbath.

Word-Groups Analysis:

• "the Pharisees said unto him, Behold": This collective statement emphasizes the authoritative and challenging stance of the religious establishment against Jesus. "Behold" underscores their perceived moral high ground and their role as zealous guardians of the Law, bringing an "indictment" against Him.
• "why do thy disciples... that which is not lawful?": This concise question highlights the central conflict: the disciples' actions, interpreted as unlawful "work" by the Pharisees on the Sabbath, directly implicated Jesus. It questioned His authority, His teaching, and His perceived laxity in observing what the Pharisees considered to be God's Law. It was not a question seeking understanding but an accusation demanding an explanation for apparent transgression.

Mark 2 24 Bonus section

The incident described in Mark 2:24 is not merely about an arbitrary rule violation, but reflects a deeper philosophical and theological divergence between Jesus and the Pharisees concerning the very nature of God's law. For the Pharisees, strict adherence to the Law, including the vast oral traditions, was a path to righteousness and a means of expressing devotion to God. Their concern was purity, separation from sin, and honoring God by meticulous observance. Jesus, however, consistently emphasized the spirit and intention behind the Law—love, mercy, and justice—over rigid legalism. He pointed to examples within the Law itself (like the priests performing work in the temple on the Sabbath, or David eating the showbread) to show that humanitarian need and divine purpose superseded mere external ritualistic prohibitions. The Pharisees, in effect, made the Sabbath a burden, whereas God intended it as a blessing for rest and renewal. This ongoing conflict highlighted Jesus' unique role as the authoritative interpreter and fulfiller of the Law.

Mark 2 24 Commentary

Mark 2:24 succinctly presents the first of several Sabbath controversies in Mark's Gospel, illustrating the direct conflict between Jesus and the Jewish religious establishment, primarily the Pharisees. Their accusation "Behold, why do thy disciples on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?" stems from their detailed, restrictive interpretation of Sabbath regulations. While the Mosaic Law permitted gleaning for hunger (Deut 23:25), the Pharisees considered the act of plucking grain and rubbing it in one's hands on the Sabbath as forms of harvesting and threshing, which fell under their prohibited categories of work. This challenge was not just about a minor infraction; it was an interrogation of Jesus' authority as a teacher, His understanding of God's Law, and His leadership of a movement that seemed to disregard their sacred traditions. The verse serves as a launching point for Jesus' subsequent teaching, where He reveals the true intent of the Sabbath—that it was created for humanity's benefit, not as a burdensome legalistic obligation—and declares Himself as the "Lord of the Sabbath," asserting His divine authority to interpret and redefine its observance. This entire encounter exemplifies a core theological tension: the clash between divine revelation interpreted through human tradition and divine revelation as embodied and authentically lived by Jesus Christ.