Sabbath Day Plucking and Eating - Mark 2:23

Mark wrote how Jesus said, “No man also sows a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up takes away from the old, and the rent is made worse. And no man puts new wine into old bottles: else the new wine does burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles”, and in chapter two and verse twenty-three of his book, Mark shares how Jesus and His disciples, “went through the corn fields on the sabbath day” where we read:

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.

The verse reads, “And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day;” Mark began with the words, “and it came to pass” which means “and it happened and came into existence”, “that he went through” or “that Jesus proceeded and passed through” “the corn fields” which means “the sown corn or wheat fields” “on the sabbath day” or “on the seventh day of each week which was a sacred festival on which the Israelites were required to abstain from all work”. Mark shared how Jesus walked through some “wheat fields” on the “seventh day of the week” or “Sabbath day”.

The verse goes on to say, “and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.” Mark continues with the words, “and his disciples” which means “and Jesus' students, pupils and attendants” “began, as they went” which means “started, commence and made a beginning as they walked along”, “to pluck the ears of corn” or “to pull off the heads of grain”. Mark shared how Jesus' “students and pupils” began to pull the “heads” of the wheat grain from their stalks as they walked along.

When we consider Mark's words in this verse, we see the normal behavior of Jesus' disciples as they walked through the “wheat fields”. People in their country would pull off heads of wheat stalks, rub them in their hands to rid the stalk of the thrash and expose the small grains. These could be chewed into a paste like wheat gum which was not only satisfying to the taste, but also nourishing for the body. Because the laws of poverty were in place which allowed for a person to partake of whatever he or she might eat in that setting, the disciples were “plucking the grain”. God created the world so people might enjoy His creation, and because He desires a relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, He allowed for these disciples to become an example of His love and care for all mankind. Let those who read these words understand, observe and believe.

Next time Mark shares how the Pharisees ask Jesus about His disciples, “why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".