When Jesus’ apostles plucked grain on the Sabbath, the Jews who witnessed it believed His disciples had violated the Law of Moses (Matthew 12:1,2). Jesus responded with, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat?” (verses 3-4)

To some, Jesus was justifying His disciples’ “sin” by comparing it to when David violated the Law when he was hungry (1 Samuel 21:1-6). Consequently, some will use this text to defend the doctrine that God’s will may be compromised if the situation demands it. Situation Ethics says a Christian may remain in an adulterous marriage to keep his family together, or engage in social drinking to keep a job, or live with a person before marriage. How do we respond to this? Did Jesus justify sin in Matthew 12?

1. Jesus said David violated the Law (verses 3-4). The disciples did not violate the Sabbath in plucking and eating raw grain (Exodus 35:2-3). Jesus’ reference to David was not to liken their actions to sin, but to expose the Pharisees’ inconsistencies in judgment. They did not condemn David for doing what was “unlawful” (Matthew 12:4; Leviticus 24:9), to satisfy his hunger, but were not willing to make the same exception for Jesus’ disciples when they supposedly violated the Law to satisfy their hunger. To make exceptions for anyone who violated the Law was ungodly. To not extend it to Jesus’ disciples (because of prejudice) was hypocritical.

2. Jesus said the priests could work on the Sabbath (verses 5-6). When God forbade labor on the Sabbath, He did not include the labor that had to be done by the priests who performed God’s work, as in changing the showbread (Leviticus 24:8) or in offering sacrifices (Numbers 28:9-10). Jesus’ point was “there is One greater than the temple” in your presence who is doing a much greater work for God. Shouldn’t He and His servants be excused from the restrictions of the Sabbath to perform their God-given duties (if indeed they performed work in plucking grain to eat)? Such an allowance was not necessary because His disciples were “guiltless” in violating the no-work policy (verse 7), but even if they had, they should have been classified as those who “profane the Sabbath” (verse 5) in meeting their obligations to God (verse 11).

3. Jesus said He is the Lord of the Sabbath (verse 8). He did not say this so He could rewrite the rules as He went along, as some might suggest. Instead, He was making the point that if anyone understood the God-given regulations for working on the Sabbath it was Jesus; He instituted it!

To accuse Jesus of teaching situation ethics in referring to David is to have Him undermine His own work to save man from sin. He didn’t violate God’s will to satisfy His hunger (Matthew 4:2-4), so why would He condone such behavior in David or His disciples? Jesus came to save people from sin (1 Timothy 1:15), not to teach men how to practice it if the pressure is too great. True servants of Christ will crucify sin (Romans 6:1-14) and suffer for what is right (1 Peter 2:19), regardless of the situation.