Mat 12:1, Luk 6:1 | Barnes | STEP | MATTHEW CHAPTER 12 Verses 1-8. The account contained in these verses is also recorded in . Verse 1. At that time . fixes the time more particularly. He says that it was the second Sabbath after the first . To understand this, it is proper to remark, that the Passover was observed during the month Abib, or Nisan, answering to the latter part of March, and the first of April. The feast was held seven days, commencing on the fourteenth day of the month, on the second day of the paschal week. The law required that a sheaf of barley should be offered up, as the first fruits of the harvest, . From this day was reckoned seven weeks to the feast of Pentecost , called also the feast of weeks, and the feast of the harvest, . This second day in the feast of the passover, or of unleavened bread, was the beginning , therefore, from which they reckoned towards the pentecost. The sabbath in the week following would be the second sabbath after this first one in the reckoning; and this was doubtless the time mentioned when Christ went through the fields. It should be further mentioned that, in Judea, the barley harvest commences about the beginning of May, and both that and the wheat harvest are over by the twentieth. Barley is in full ear in the beginning of April. There is no improbability, therefore, in this narrative on account of the season of the year. This feast was always held at Jerusalem. Through the corn . Through the barley , or wheat . The word corn , as used in our translation of the Bible, has no reference to maize , or Indian corn , as it has with us. Indian corn was unknown till the discovery of America, and it is scarcely probable that the translators knew anything of it. The word was applied, as it is still in England, to wheat, rye, oats, and barley. This explains the circumstance that they rubbed it in their hands to separate the grain from the chaff. (h) "At that time" (i) "???"

Matthew 12:1

MATTHEW CHAPTER 12

Verses 1-8. The account contained in these verses is also recorded in Mk 2:23-28, Lk 6:1-5.

Verse 1. At that time. Lk 6:1 fixes the time more particularly. He says that it was the second Sabbath after the first. To understand this, it is proper to remark, that the Passover was observed during the month Abib, or Nisan, answering to the latter part of March, and the first of April. The feast was held seven days, commencing on the fourteenth day of the month, Ex 12:1-28, 23:15 on the second day of the paschal week. The law required that a sheaf of barley should be offered up, as the first fruits of the harvest, Lev 23:10,11. From this day was reckoned seven weeks to the feast of Pentecost, Lev 23:15,16 called also the feast of weeks, De 16:10 and the feast of the harvest, Ex 23:16. This second day in the feast of the passover, or of unleavened bread, was the beginning, therefore, from which they reckoned towards the pentecost. The sabbath in the week following would be the second sabbath after this first one in the reckoning; and this was doubtless the time mentioned when Christ went through the fields. It should be further mentioned that, in Judea, the barley harvest commences about the beginning of May, and both that and the wheat harvest are over by the twentieth. Barley is in full ear in the beginning of April. There is no improbability, therefore, in this narrative on account of the season of the year. This feast was always held at Jerusalem.

Through the corn. Through the barley, or wheat. The word corn, as used in our translation of the Bible, has no reference to maize, or Indian corn, as it has with us. Indian corn was unknown till the discovery of America, and it is scarcely probable that the translators knew anything of it. The word was applied, as it is still in England, to wheat, rye, oats, and barley. This explains the circumstance that they rubbed it in their hands Lk 6:1 to separate the grain from the chaff.

(h) "At that time" Mk 2:25, Lk 6:1 (i) "???" De 23:25

Luke 6:1

LUKE CHAPTER VI.

Verses 1-11. See this passage explained: Mt 12:1, also Mt 12:2-13.

1. Second sabbath after the first. Mt 12:1. This phrase has given great perplexity to commentators. A literal translation would be,

"on the sabbath called second first,"

or second first Sabbath. The word occurs nowhere else. It is therefore exceedingly difficult of interpretation. The most natural and easy explanation is that proposed by Scaliger. The second day of the Passover was a great festival, on which the wave-sheaf was offered, Lev 23:11. From that day they reckoned seven weeks, or seven Sabbaths, to the day of Pentecost. The first Sabbath after that second day was called the second first, or the first from the second day of the feast. The second Sabbath was called the second second, or the second Sabbath from the second day of the feast; the third the third second, &c. This day, therefore, on which the Saviour went through the fields, was the first Sabbath that occurred after the second day of the feast.

Rubbing them in their hands. The word corn here means wheat or barley, and not maize, as in America. They rubbed it in their hands to separate the grain from the chaff. This was common and allowable. Dr. Thomson (The Land and the Book, vol. it. p. 510, 511) says: "I have often seen my muleteers, as we passed along

the wheat-fields, pluck off ears, rub them in their

hands, and eat the grains, unroasted, just as the

apostles are said to have done. This also is

allowable. The Pharisees did not object to the thing

itself, only to the time when it was done. They said

it was not lawful to do this on the Sabbath-day. It

was work forbidden by those who, through their

traditions, had made man for the Sabbath, not the

Sabbath for man."

So Professor Hackett (Illustrations of Scripture, p. 176, 177) says: "The incident of plucking the ears of wheat, rubbing

out the kernels in their hands, and eating them

(Lk 6:1), is one which the traveller sees often

at present who is in Palestine at the time of the

gathering of the harvest. Dr. Robinson relates the

following case: `Our Arabs were an hungered, and,

going into the fields, they plucked the ears of

corn and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. On

being questioned, they said this was an old custom,

and no one would speak against it; they were supposed

to be hungry, and it was allowed as a charity.'*

The Pharisees complained of the disciples for violating

the Sabbath and not any rights of property."

(*) Biblical Researches, vol. ii. p. 192. (a) "And it came to pass" Mt 12:1, Mk 2:23