According to the Law, it was forbidden to reap or thresh on the Sabbath. Prohibiting such actions was meant to honour God's command to rest from work on the seventh day. As a result, the Pharisees objected to the disciples plucking grains of wheat, rubbing them and eating them.

Jesus, however, invites them to take a second look. He reminds them that even David infringed on the Levitical law. When David and his companions were in a time of great need, they ate the sacred bread reserved for the priests to eat (1 Sam 21:1-6).

There is a common element here. Jesus recognizes that people are hungry and he wants them to be nourished. He places the Sabbath in its context as blessing and gift, rather than encumbrance or hardship. The Lord of the Sabbath desires that people honour God as well as enter more deeply into the blessing offered us through Sabbath.

Do I honor God by refraining from unnecessary work during the Sabbath? In what way do I allow Christ to nourish me on the Sabbath?