When the Pharisees complained about Jesus’ disciples plucking grain on the Sabbath day, Jesus replied that there was Scriptural precedent for ignoring religious laws if there was a physical need, and that he is the one to decide what people should do on the Sabbath.

Mark 2:23-28

23 On one ◄Sabbath/Jewish day of rest► Jesus was walking through some grain fields with his disciples. As they were walking along through the grain fields, the disciples were plucking some of the heads of grain. They rubbed them in their hands to remove the chaff, and were eating the grain. The laws of Moses permitted people to do that if they were hungry. 24 Some of the Pharisees saw them doing what they considered to be work. So they said to him, “Look! ◄They should not be doing on our ◄Sabbath day/day of rest► work that our laws forbid!/Why are they doing on our ◄Sabbath day/day of rest► work that our laws forbid?► [RHQ]” 25 Jesus wanted to show them that the record in the Scriptures indicated that God permitted people to disobey certain religious laws when they needed food. So he said to them, “It is written in the Scriptures what our revered ancestor, King David, did when he needed food, and both he and the men with him were hungry. You have read about that, but ◄you do not think about what it implies./why do you not think about what it implies?► [RHQ] 26 During the time Abiathar was high priest, David entered the big tent where people worshipped God and asked for some bread. The high priest gave him some of the loaves of bread. That bread was the bread he had presented to God. It was permitted in one of Moses’ laws that only the priests could eat that bread! But David ate some of it. Then he also gave some of it to the men who were with him. But God did not consider that was wrong!” 27 Jesus said to them further, “God established ◄the day of rest/the Sabbath day► to help people! He did not create people to obey rules about ◄the Sabbath/the day of rest►! 28 And think about this: I am the one who came from heaven. So I have the authority to determine what is right for my disciples to do ◄on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day►!”