Mark 2:25-28
Mark 2:25 (KJB)
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?
Then Jesus answers them, not by a direct defense, but goes back to the time of
David with a scriptural narrative they should have been familiar with. He refers
to the Scriptures of 1 Samuel 21:2-7. If the Pharisees would not condemn David,
then they could not condemn the disciples also if the priest gave the showbread
to David, then he would not be condemned because David did not take the bread
but it was given to him. (1 Sam 21:6 KJV) So the priest gave him hallowed
bread: for there was no bread there but the showbread, that was taken from
before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away. David
and his men were hungry, just as the disciples were. The only thing that the
priest had asked David was if his soldiers kept themselves from women for three
days. (1 Sam 21:5 KJV) And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of
a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out,
and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common,
yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.
Mark 2:26 (KJB)
How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and
did eat the showbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave
also to them which were with him?
David had gone into the Tabernacle because the temple of God had not been built
and inquired if there was any loaves of bread to eat or anything else to eat.
David was given the showbread which was lawful only for the priests to eat. It
was baked and replaced on the Sabbath day. The priest who attended to David
allowed him to take the showbread as along as the men had kept themselves
ceremonially clean and kept from women for at least three days which they did.
The disciples, like David were permitted to break the ceremonial law because the
higher law of life was being obeyed. If they did not eat, then they would faint
along the way and die of malnutrition. There was no condemnation given to David
either by God or by the priests. At the time of David, the law of God was not
yet perverted with so many legalistic additions and it was seen as a spiritual
law for their benefit. (Rom 7:14 KJV) For we know that the law is spiritual:
but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Mark 2:27 (KJB)
And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
Mark is the only one of the evangelists to record this saying of Jesus. It is
the spiritual principle which underlies the observance of the Sabbath. God had
created the Sabbath for the benefit of all mankind. Man was not created to obey
the Sabbath. The Sabbath was a day of rest from all labors giving the body a
chance to rejuvenate. The main reason for the Sabbath was it looked forward to
the Lord Jesus Christ who would give salvation to His people without any of them
performing any works. In fact, works would be prohibited in attempting to gain
salvation just as working on the Sabbath. They both would end up with the death
sentence. (Num 15:32-36 KJV) And while the children of Israel were in the
wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. {33} And
they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto
all the congregation. {34} And they put him in ward, because it was not declared
what should be done to him. {35} And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be
surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without
the camp. {36} And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned
him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses. Trying to work
for salvation would negate grace by which salvation comes. (Rom 11:6 KJV)
And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.
But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
Mark 2:28 (KJB)
Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
In the Greek, the word “kurios” (Lord) begins the statement which is in the
Nominative Case making it the subject. What is in view here is that the Lord
Jesus Christ is superior or Lord over the law and that includes the Sabbath. He
is the master and the law is His servant. The law will judge all unbelievers on
the last day. Since Jesus was the great lawgiver at Sinai, He has the authority
to annul parts of it at His discretion. The name “Son of man” is not to be
connected with the idea that man has the authority over the law. That would be
an incorrect and dangerous interpretation. The authority over the law belongs
only to Jesus and no one else.