The Lord of the Sabbath

(1 Samuel 21:1–7; Matthew 12:1–8; Luke 6:1–5)

23 One Sabbath [Jesus] was passing through the grainfields, and His disciples began to pick the heads of grain [as] they walked along. 24 [So] the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

25 [Jesus] replied, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 During the high priesthood of Abiathar, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread,[fn] which was lawful only for the priests. And he gave [some] to his companions as well.”

27 Then [Jesus] declared, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”