Matthew 12 2

Matthew 12:2 kjv

But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

Matthew 12:2 nkjv

And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!"

Matthew 12:2 niv

When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath."

Matthew 12:2 esv

But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath."

Matthew 12:2 nlt

But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, "Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath."

Matthew 12 verses

Matthew 12 2 Meaning

This verse depicts the immediate accusation made by the Pharisees against Jesus regarding His disciples' actions on the Sabbath. As the disciples, likely driven by hunger, plucked and ate heads of grain while walking through a field, the Pharisees, observing intently, charged them with performing an unlawful act according to their rigorous interpretation of Sabbath law. This highlights the foundational conflict between Jesus' understanding of God's compassionate intent for the Sabbath and the Pharisees' meticulous, legalistic adherence to their expanded oral traditions.

Matthew 12 2 Context

This verse initiates a crucial episode in Matthew's Gospel (Matthew 12:1-8) that presents Jesus' authority over the Sabbath law and exposes the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees. Following His teachings on humility and rest (Matt 11:28-30), Jesus now demonstrates His lordship through action. The immediate context shows the disciples walking through a grain field on the Sabbath, plucking heads of grain to eat. While Old Testament law permitted eating from a neighbor's field to satisfy hunger (Deut 23:25), the act itself was re-classified as "work" (reaping/threshing) by the rigorous oral traditions developed by the Pharisees for the Sabbath.

Historically, the Sabbath (Hebrew: Shabbat) was a foundational institution in Israel, commemorating creation and deliverance from Egyptian bondage. Over centuries, Jewish tradition, particularly through the Pharisaic movement, developed extensive oral interpretations (Halakha) to safeguard the Sabbath from violation. This included thirty-nine principal categories of forbidden work, often defining even the smallest actions as unlawful labor. The Pharisees were self-appointed guardians of these laws, and they meticulously observed others for adherence, viewing any perceived transgression with severe disapproval. Jesus, however, consistently challenged these traditions when they overshadowed God's true intent of mercy, necessity, and human flourishing.

Matthew 12 2 Word analysis

• But when the Pharisees (οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι - hoi de Pharisaios): "Pharisees" (from Aramaic perishaya, meaning "separated ones") were a dominant Jewish religious-political party. They were known for their strict adherence to both the written Torah and an elaborate body of oral tradition, which they believed supplemented and interpreted the Mosaic Law. Their role here is consistent: vigilant observers, quick to find fault with practices deviating from their legalistic standards.
• saw it (ἰδόντες - idontes): This verb suggests deliberate observation, not just casual notice. They were watching the disciples, likely with a pre-existing suspicion towards Jesus and His followers. This signifies an intention to monitor and expose transgression.
• they said to Him (εἶπαν αὐτῷ - eipan autō): A direct address to Jesus, placing the responsibility and accusation squarely on Him as the disciples' leader and teacher.
• 'Look' (Ἰδοὺ - Idou): An interjection ("Behold!", "See!"), used to draw immediate attention. Here, it conveys a tone of alarm, condemnation, or surprise, pointing to what they perceived as a clear violation.
• 'Your disciples' (οἱ μαθηταί σου - hoi mathētai sou): By specifying "Your disciples," the accusation indirectly holds Jesus responsible, implying He permits or teaches such violations.
• 'are doing' (ποιοῦσιν - poiousin): Present tense, indicating an ongoing or currently happening action. The offense is not historical but current.
• 'what is not lawful to do' (ὃ οὐκ ἔξεστιν ποιεῖν - ho ouk exestin poiein): "Not lawful" (οὐκ ἔξεστιν - ouk exestin) implies something forbidden, not permitted, or against a set rule or statute. In their understanding, plucking grain was considered "reaping," and rubbing it in one's hands to separate the husk was "threshing," both categories of work forbidden on the Sabbath (Exod 34:21). Their definition of "work" was extensive.
• 'on the Sabbath!' (ἐν σαββάτῳ - en sabbatō): "Sabbath" (from Hebrew Shabbat meaning "rest"). The day of rest, consecrated to God. The critical issue was the day itself; what might be permissible on another day was deemed unlawful on the Sabbath by their tradition.

• "But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him": This entire phrase establishes the conflict. The Pharisees are positioned as the legalistic accusers, meticulously observing, and confronting Jesus directly about a perceived breach of sacred law. Their scrutiny reveals their focus on external observance and judgment.
• "Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!": This complete accusation articulates their primary grievance. It's not about the hunger of the disciples, but about the specific action performed on the Sabbath day. It underscores the clash between the rigid letter of their tradition and the broader, compassionate spirit of God's law.

Matthew 12 2 Bonus section

• The charge leveled by the Pharisees was based on the rabbinic interpretation of the Sabbath prohibition on "harvesting." While the Torah itself prohibited large-scale harvesting, the Pharisaic oral law extended this to include small, hand-gleaned quantities if done for the purpose of eating. They equated gleaning with "reaping" (Hebrew kotzer) and rubbing the grains with "threshing" or "grinding" (Hebrew dash and tochen).
• The specific allowance in Deut 23:25 for eating grain from a field meant the act itself was not theft; the controversy centered purely on the timing—the Sabbath.
• This specific Sabbath confrontation appears in all three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 12, Mark 2, Luke 6), highlighting its importance in depicting Jesus' unique authority and His conflicts with religious authorities.

Matthew 12 2 Commentary

This verse ignites a foundational controversy in Matthew's narrative, showcasing Jesus' confrontational ministry against religious legalism. The Pharisees' accusation, while technically based on their rigorous interpretations of Sabbath law (which broadened prohibitions on work beyond what the Torah explicitly commanded for everyday actions), demonstrates their priorities were misguided. They elevated their elaborate oral traditions (like prohibiting 'reaping' or 'threshing' even when merely satisfying hunger) above the true intent of the Sabbath, which was to provide rest, blessing, and facilitate acts of mercy and necessity.

The disciples, likely hungry, engaged in an action permitted on weekdays by the Torah for those passing through a field (Deut 23:25), yet by Pharisaic standards, this simple act of self-provision constituted forbidden labor. This sets the stage for Jesus to unveil profound truths: the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27), necessity and mercy override ritualistic rigidity, and ultimately, the Son of Man has supreme authority over the Sabbath, revealing His divine lordship and ability to interpret and fulfill the law. This encounter emphasizes that God desires genuine compassion and love (mercy, not sacrifice, Hos 6:6) over blind adherence to external rules, particularly those not truly ordained by Him.