Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 2:24
And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?
24. that which is not lawful ] They did not accuse them of theft, for the Law allowed what they were doing (Deu 23:25). They accused them of profaning the Sabbath. The Law of course forbade reaping and threshing on that day, but the Rabbis tad decided that even to pluck corn was to be construed as reaping, and to rub it as threshing. They even forbad walking on grass as a species of threshing, and would not allow so much as a fruit to be plucked from a tree on that day. See Lightfoot, Hor. Heb. in Mat 12:2.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And the Pharisees said unto him,…. To Christ, the same they said to his disciples, Lu 6:2.
Behold, why do they on the sabbath day, that which is not lawful? see how they pluck the ears of corn and rub them, and eat things, which by the law, especially by the traditions of the elders, were not lawful to be done on the sabbath day; [See comments on Mt 12:2].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
1) “And the Pharisees said unto Him,”(kai hoi Pharisioi elegon auto) “And the Pharisees said to Him,” to Jesus, in a spirit of skepticism, doubt, and faultfinding, regarding His teaching, leadership, conduct, and-influence over His disciples, relating to the Law of Moses, Exo 20:8-10; Mat 5:17-20.
2) “Behold, why do they on the sabbath day,” (ide ti poiousin tois sabbasin) “Behold (what is happening), why do the disciples on the sabbath,” implying that the conduct of the disciples, in plucking the corn to satisfy their hunger for food, was a religious offence to them and their Mosaic Law.
3) “That which is not lawful?” (ho ouk eksestin) “Do what is not lawful?” What is illegal, in the light of the law of Moses. They were holding obstinately to that old garment, that old bottle, that old Law of ceremonies and rituals that Jesus had come to fulfill, supplant, or replace, Gal 3:24-25; Luk 16:16; Col 2:14-17. Since the coming John the Baptist, in essence, the Law’s purpose had b consummated, though the formal law-employed Jewish religious leaders, as a whole, willfully refused to accept. See also Joh 1:17.
The seventh day Jewish sabbath was a day of rest to commemorate that God rested when He had finished creation – – It was not a day of sacrifices, worship, service, Gen 2:2-3; Exo 35:2-3; So sacred was it held day of rest that men were put to death, even for picking sticks on the sabbath, Num 15:32-36. The first day of week commemorates our Lord’s resurrection, and is day of rest.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Mar 2:24
. Why do they on the Sabbath what is not lawful? The Pharisees do not blame the disciples of Christ for plucking ears of corn from a field that was not their own, but for violating the Sabbath; as if there had been a precept to this effect, that famishing men ought rather to die than to satisfy their hunger. Now the only reason for keeping the Sabbath was, that the people, by sanctifying themselves to God, might be employed in true and spiritual worship; and next, that, being free from all worldly occupations, they might be more at liberty to attend the holy assemblies. The lawful observation of it, therefore, must have a reference to this object; for the Law ought to be interpreted according to the design of the Legislator. But this shows clearly the malicious and implacable nature of superstition, and particularly the proud and cruel dispositions of hypocrites, when ambition is joined to hatred of the person. It was not the mere affectation of pretended holiness, as I have said, that made the Pharisees so stern and rigorous; but as they expressly wished to carp at every thing that Christ said or did, they could not do otherwise than put a wrong meaning in cases where there was nothing to blame, as usually happens with prejudiced interpreters. The accusation was brought—according to Matthew and Mark—against our Lord, and—according to Luke—against his disciples. But there is no inconsistency here; for the disciples were in all probability so harassed, that the charge was directed chiefly against the Master himself. It is even possible that the Pharisees first wrangled with the disciples, and afterwards with Christ, and that, in the rage of their malice, they blamed him for remaining silent, and permitting his disciples to break the Sabbath.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
‘And the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why do they on the Sabbath day what is not lawful?”
They were probably quite genuinely upset. There is no one more vulnerable than the sincere person who has established a set of regulations as being right and then sees them being flouted. They just could not understand how Jesus, Who seemed willing to live within their requirements (which they saw as God’s requirements), could allow such a thing to be done. They considered that the disciples were behaving unlawfully with great abandon. They were defiling God’s day of rest.
But the statement may be a little more sinister than that. The punishment for Sabbath breaking was stoning, and certainly later it was laid down that a warning must first be given before the stoning could take place. Men must be given one chance. Thus ‘what is not lawful’ may have been an official warning. They may have been saying, ‘we are giving them a last chance. If they do it again they will be punished by the synagogue.’
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?
Ver. 24. See Trapp on “ Mat 12:2 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mar 2:24 . . In this case they speak to Christ against His disciples; indirectly against Him. : the offence was not trampling the grain or straw, but plucking the ears reaping on a small scale; rubbing = threshing, in Lk. : another example of Mk.’s duality, intelligible only if hunger was the point of the story. The verbs are singular, because David ( ) is the hero, his followers in the background.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Behold = Look. App-133.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
why: Mar 2:7, Mar 2:16, Mat 7:3-5, Mat 15:2, Mat 15:3, Mat 23:23, Mat 23:24, Heb 12:3
that: Exo 20:10, Exo 31:15, Exo 35:2, Exo 35:3, Num 15:32-36, Neh 13:15-22, Isa 56:2, Isa 56:4, Isa 56:6, Isa 58:13, Jer 17:20-27
Reciprocal: Luk 6:2 – Why Joh 5:10 – it is not
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4
The Pharisees pretended to object because they were doing this on the sabbath day. But Jesus will show them that one law is no more sacred than another.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 2:24. See on Mat 12:21, for the Pharisaical views of the Sabbath.