Mark - 2:23

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23 It happened that he was going on the Sabbath day through the grain fields, and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of grain.

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Mark 2:23.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
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.
And it came to pass, that he was going on the sabbath day through the grainfields; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears.
And it came to pass again, as the Lord walked through the corn fields on the sabbath, that his disciples began to go forward, and to pluck the ears of corn.
And it came to pass that he went on the sabbath through the cornfields; and his disciples began to walk on, plucking the ears.
And it came to pass, that he was going on the sabbath day through the cornfields; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
And it came to pass, that he went through the corn-fields on the sabbath; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
And it came to pass, he is going along on the sabbaths through the corn-fields, and his disciples began to make a way, plucking the ears,
One Sabbath He was walking through the wheatfields when His disciples began to pluck the ears of wheat as they went.
And it came about that on the Sabbath day he was going through the grain-fields; and while they were walking, his disciples took the heads of grain.
And again, while the Lord was walking through the ripe grain on the Sabbath, his disciples, as they advanced, began to separate the ears of grains.
One Sabbath, as Jesus was walking through the cornfields, his disciples began to pick the ears of wheat as they went along.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

See Matthew 12:1-8.
The cornfields - The fields sown with wheat or barley. The word "corn," in the Bible, refers only to grain of that kind, and never to "maize" or "Indian corn."
To pluck the ears of corn - They were hungry, Matthew 12:1. They therefore gathered the wheat or barley as they walked and rubbed it in their hands to shell it, and thus to satisfy their appetite. Though our Lord was with them, and though he had all things at his control, yet he suffered them to resort to this method of supplying their wants. When Jesus, thus "with" his disciples, suffered them to be "poor," we may learn that poverty is not disgraceful; that God often suffers it for the good of his people; and that he will take care, in some way, that their wants shall be supplied. It was "lawful" for them thus to supply their needs. Though the property belonged to another, yet the law of Moses allowed the poor to satisfy their desires when hungry. See Deuteronomy 23:25.

Went through the corn fields - See on Matthew 12:1 (note).

(4) And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the (h) sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
(4) Secondly, because they do not distinguish between the laws which God made concerning things, and the laws that they made concerning the same things, which are not at all based on the law.
(h) Literally, "on the Sabbaths", that is, on the holy days.

And it came to pass,.... The Vulgate Latin adds, "again"; and so Beza says it was read in one of his copies:
that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day, and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn, and to rub them, and get the grain out of them, and eat them; See Gill on Matthew 12:1.

The sabbath is a sacred and Divine institution; a privilege and benefit, not a task and drudgery. God never designed it to be a burden to us, therefore we must not make it so to ourselves. The sabbath was instituted for the good of mankind, as living in society, having many wants and troubles, preparing for a state of happiness or misery. Man was not made for the sabbath, as if his keeping it could be of service to God, nor was he commanded to keep it outward observances to his real hurt. Every observance respecting it, is to be interpreted by the rule of mercy.

He went through the corn fields on the sabbath. See notes on Matthew 12:1-8. Compare Luke 6:1-11.

*More commentary available at chapter level.

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