At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.
The season of the year when this occurred is determined by the event itself. Ripe grain-ears are only found in the fields just before harvest. The barley harvest seems clearly intended here, at the close of our March and beginning of our April. It coincided with the Passover-season, as the wheat harvest with Pentecost. But in Luke (Luke 6:1) we have a still more definite note of time, if we could be certain of the meaning of the special term which he employs to express it. "It came to pass (he says) on the sabbath, which was the first-second" х sabbatoo (G4521) deuteroprootoo (G1207)] - for that is the proper rendering of the word, and not "the second sabbath after the first," as in our version. Of the various conjectures what this may mean, that of Scaliger is the most approved, and, as we think, the freest from difficulty, namely, 'the first sabbath after the second day of the Passover:' that is, the first of the seven sabbaths which were to be reckoned from the second day of the Passover, which was itself a sabbath, until the next feast, the feast of Pentecost (Leviticus 23:15-16; Deuteronomy 16:9-10). In this case, the day meant by the Evangelist is the first of those seven sabbaths intervening between Passover and Pentecost. And if we are right in regarding the "feast" mentioned in John 5:1 as a Passover, and consequently the second during our Lord's public ministry (see on that passage), this plucking of the ears of grain must have occurred immediately after the scene and the discourse recorded in John 5:1-47, which, doubtless, would induce our Lord to hasten His departure for the north, to avoid the wrath of the Pharisees, which He had kindled at Jerusalem. Here, accordingly, we find Him in the fields-on His way probably to Galilee.
At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn - "the grain fields" (Mark 2:23; Luke 6:1).
And his disciples were an hungered - not as one may be before his regular meals; but evidently from shortness of provisions; because Jesus defends their plucking the grain-ears and eating them on the plea of necessity.
And began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat - "rubbing them in their hands" (Luke 6:1).