David Ate the Showbread - Matthew 12:4

Matthew the apostle wrote, “At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, your disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. But he said unto them, Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and they that were with him”, and in chapter twelve and verse four of his book, Matthew shared how Jesus reminded the Pharisees how David, “did eat the showbread” where we read:

How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

The verse reads, “How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, ...” Matthew began with the words, “how he entered” which means “the way David arose, took possession of and made entrance” “into the house” which means “into the dwelling place and inhabited abode” “of God” or “belonging to the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit”, “and did eat” which means “and consumed and devoured” “the showbread” or “food composed of flour mixed with water and baked which the Israelites made in the form of an oblong or round cake, as thick as one's thumb, and as large as a plate or platter because it was not to be cut but broken”, “which was not lawful” or “that was not right, against the law or unlawful” “for him” which means “for David” “to eat” or “to consume or devour”. Matthew shared how Jesus reminded the Pharisees of the way David ate the “sacred bread” of the tabernacle which only the “priests” were to eat.

The verse continues, “... neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? ” Matthew continued with the word, “neither” which means “no and not in any way” “for them” or “for David's men” “which were with him” or “who were alongside him”, “but only” or “nonetheless solely and alone” “for the priests” which means “for the ones who offer sacrifices and in general are busied with sacred rites”? Matthew shared how Jesus reminded the Pharisees of the law that said it was only “right” for the “priests” to “eat the showbread” and no one else was to partake of it.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus brought to mind the “law” concerning the eating of the “showbread” which was offered to God. Only the “priests” were to consume it, and when David and his men ate of it, they technically violated God's law concerning the bread. (See Leviticus 24 for more information regarding the showbread). God desires to have a loving relationship with people through His Son Jesus, and His compassion toward their physical needs was demonstrated in David and Jesus' disciples. Those who are wise shall look at the “spirit” of God's laws, and perhaps they shall find that He is a God of great grace especially when people are in need.

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus asked, “have you read in the law, how that on the sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the sabbath?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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