Matthew 12:4 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? No example could be more apposite than this. The man after God's own heart, of whom the Jews ever boasted, when suffering in God's cause and straitened for provisions, asked and obtained from the high priest what, according to the law, it was illegal for anyone except the priests to touch. Mark (Mark 2:26) says this occurred "in the days of Abiathar the high priest." But this means not during his high priesthood-for it was under that of his father Ahimelech-but simply, in his time. Ahimelech was soon succeeded by Abiathar, whose connection with David, and prominence during his reign, may account for his name, rather than his father's, being here introduced. Yet there is not a little confusion in what is said of these priests in different parts of the Old Testament. Thus he is called both the son and the father of Ahimelech (1 Samuel 22:20; 2 Samuel 8:17); and Ahimelech is called Ahiah (1 Samuel 14:3), and Abimelech (1 Chronicles 18:16).