Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple break the sabbath, and are without blame?

Or have ye not read in the law that on the sabbaths the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

And have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath without incurring guilt?

Or is it not said in the law, how the Sabbath is broken by the priests in the Temple and they do no wrong?

Or have you not read in the law, that on the Sabbaths the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath, and they are without guilt?

And haven't you read in the law that, on the Sabbath, the priest in the Temple break the Sabbath and yet are not guilty?

That on the Sabbaths the priests profane the Sabbath. This is the second argument by which Christ proves that the violation of the Sabbath, of which the Pharisees complained, was free from all blame; because on the Sabbaths it is lawful to slay beasts for sacrifice, to circumcise infants, and to do other things relating to the worship of God. Hence it follows, that the duties of piety are in no degree inconsistent with each other. But if the temple sanctifies manual operations connected with sacrifices, and with the whole of the outward service, the holiness of the true and spiritual temple has greater efficacy, in exempting its worshippers from all blame, while they are discharging the duties of godliness. Now the object which the disciples had in view was, to present to God souls which were consecrated by the Gospel. Matthew alone glances at this argument. When Christ says, that the priests Profane the Sabbath, the expression is not strictly accurate, and is accommodated to his hearers; for when the Law enjoins men to abstain from their employments, it does not forbid them to perform the services of religion. But Christ admits that to be true which might appear to be so in the eye of ignorant persons, and rests satisfied with proving, that the labors performed in the temple are not offensive to God.

The priests - profane the Sabbath - Profane, i.e. put it to what might be called a common use, by slaying and offering up sacrifices, and by doing the services of the temple, as on common days, Exodus 29:38; Numbers 28:9.

Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple (b) profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
(b) When the priests do God's service on the sabbath day, they do not break the law: much less does the Lord of the Sabbath break the sabbath.

Or have ye not read in the law,.... Numbers 28:9 by which law the priests were obliged, every sabbath day, to offer up two lambs for a burnt offering; to which were annexed many servile works, as killing the sacrifice, flaying it, cutting it in pieces, and laying it on the altar, cutting of wood, and putting that in order, and kindling the fire: from all which, it might be observed,
how that on the sabbath days, the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless. There were many things, which, according to the Jewish canons, the priests might do on the sabbath day; particularly they might slay the sacrifice: it was a rule with them, , "that slaying drives away the sabbath" (u). They might also knead, make, and bake the showbread on the sabbath day: their general rule was, as R. Akiba says, that what was possible to be done on the evening of the sabbath, did not drive away the sabbath; but what was not possible to be done on the sabbath eve, did drive away the sabbath (w): so they might kill the passover, sprinkle its blood, wipe its inwards, and burn the fat on the sabbath day (x), with many other things. What exculpated these men was, that what they did was done in the temple, and for the service of it, upon which an emphasis is put; and agrees with their canons, which say, that there is no prohibition in the sanctuary; , "that which is forbidden to be done on the sabbath, is lawful to be done in the sanctuary" (y): and whereas, it might be objected to the disciples of Christ, that they were not priests; and what they did was not in the temple, but in the fields; to this it is replied, in the following words:
(u) T. Bab. Menachot, fol. 72. 2. (w) Misn. Menachot, c. 11. sect. 3. (x) Misn. Pesachim, c. 6. sect. 1. Maimon. Pesach. c. 1. sect. 18. (y) lb. sect. 16. & Hilchot Sabbat, c. 21. sect. 27.

Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath--by doing "servile work."
and are blameless?--The double offerings required on the sabbath day (Numbers 28:9) could not be presented, and the new-baked showbread (Leviticus 24:5; 1-Chronicles 9:32) could not be prepared and presented every sabbath morning, without a good deal of servile work on the part of the priests; not to speak of circumcision, which, when the child's eighth day happened to fall on a sabbath, had to be performed by the priests on that day. (See on John 7:22-23).

The priests . . . profane the sabbath. The Sabbath was the busiest day of the week for the priests in the temple service. In this they rightly broke the ordinary Sabbath law, because the temple service set aside the law. Compare John 7:22-23.

The priests in the temple profane the Sabbath - That is, do their ordinary work on this, as on a common day, cleansing all things, and preparing the sacrifices. A greater than the temple - If therefore the Sabbath must give way to the temple, much more must it give way to me.