Chapter 6 begins with the Pharisees continuing to oppose Jesus and question why his disciples would dare to pluck and eat grain on the Sabbath day. The Sabbath was a day to be honored and kept as stated in the Ten Commandments. It would be unlawful for a farmer to harvest his fields on the Sabbath day. It was a day of rest and no work was to be done. The disciples picking grain was viewed as a breaking of the Law by the Pharisees.

Jesus will respond to this by talking about King David. In 1 Samuel 21, David is on the run from Saul. Saul was seeking to kill David. David removed himself from the situation and went on the run from Saul. When he arrived at Nob he and his men were hungry. He met Ahimelech the priest and asked for some bread. The only bread that was there was the bread of the Presence that according to Leviticus 24:5-9 was to be eaten by the priests. Ahimelech gives the bread to David.

Jesus uses this example because the Pharisees have no issue with David eating what was unlawful to be eaten. They do have a problem with the disciples of Jesus. Jesus calls out their hypocrisy and also exerts his authority. He is lord of the Sabbath and knows full well what the Law says. The Pharisees had made rules that didn’t coincide with what God had said. We should be careful that what we practice is in accordance with what God says and not what man says.