(23) And it came to pass, that he went through the corn-fields on the sabbath-day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. (24) And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath-day that which is not lawful? (25) And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? (26) How he went into the house of God, in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? (27) And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath (28) Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
There is somewhat uncommonly beautiful and interesting in this view of JESUS and his disciples passing through the corn-fields; and the discourse which arose out of it, from the disciples plucking the ears of corn and eating them. The allusion which JESUS makes to the hunger of David and his companions, in eating the shewbread, gives a blessed spiritual application to the subject. On the LORD's day, and every day, when hungry souls seek for CHRIST, the true shew bread, and the bread of life, where, but to the house of GOD, shall they go for this spiritual sustenance? It is now indeed the most blessed days of our High Priest, of which those of Abiathar were but a shadow. And the LORD JESUS hath made all his redeemed, both kings and priests, to the Father. So that, when our spiritual David, and they that are with him, go into the house of GOD, the LORD sets a feast of fat things before them, in the enjoyment of his person, blood and righteousness, and saith, Eat, O friends! drink, yea drink abundantly, Oh beloved! Song of Solomon 5:1. And I pray the Reader to observe, what our dear LORD saith in relation to the Sabbath, of which he himself is the LORD, that it was made for man. What man? Not only as a mere rest for the whole race of men, but for the LORD's people, as a sacramental ordinance of the LORD's rest front the works of creation. The rest is in CHRIST. Yea CHRIST himself is the rest wherewith he causeth the weary to rest, and this is the refreshing. Isaiah 28:12. And hence the Psalmist saith, return to thy rest (thy Noah, thy Ark, the type of CHRIST). Psalms 116:7. And hence the HOLY GHOST declares, there is a rest (JESUS himself) which remaineth for the people of GOD. Hebrews 4:9. So that the Sabbath was made for man, the renewed man, for the special persons of those interested in the LORD of the Sabbath, and to whom He is, peculiarly and personally, both the LORD of the Sabbath, and the Sabbath itself, in whom they rest, and who is their soul-refreshing. It is precious thus to eye CHRIST as the sum and substance of all; the ordinance, the shewbread, the Sabbath, and the LORD of it; in whose house, yea in himself, it is lawful, and lawful only to his priests to eat of Him, the bread of life, and live forever. John 6:48-58.