Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
All Commentaries on Mark 2:28 Go To Mark 2
Theophylact of Ochrid
AD 1107
For David, when flying from the face of Saul went to the Chief Priest, and ate the shew-bread, and took away the sword of Goliath, which things had been offered to the Lord. But a question has been raised how the Evangelist called Abiathar at this time High Priest, when the Book of Kings calls him Abimelech. It goes on: “And He said to them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath.”For greater is the care to be taken of the health and life of a man, than the keeping of the sabbath. Therefore the Sabbath was ordered to be observed in such a way, that, if there were aneccesity, he should not be guilty, who broke the sabbath-day; therefore it wasnot forbidden to circumcise on the sabbath, because that was a necessary work. And the Maccabees, when necessity pressed on them, fought on the sabbath-day.Wherefore, His disciples being hungry, what was not allowed in the law became lawful through their necessity of hunger; asnow, if a sick man break a fast, he is not held guilty in any way. It goes on: “Therefore the Son of man is Lord” As if He said, David the king is to be excused for feeding on the food of the Priests, how much more the Son of man, the true King and Priest, and Lord of the sabbath, is free from fault, for pulling ears of cornon the sabbath-day.
Or else, because when they have rest from their passions, then are they made doctors to lead others to virtue, plucking away from them earthly things.
