Or have you not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
All Commentaries on Matthew 12:5 Go To Matthew 12
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Afterwards again He refutes it in another way also. For as at first He brought in David, by the dignity of the person quelling their pride; so when He had stopped their mouths, and had put down their boasting, then He adds also the more appropriate refutation. And of what sort is this? Do you not know, that in the temple the priests profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? Matthew 12:5 For in that other instance indeed, says He, the emergency made the relaxation, but here is the relaxation even without emergency. He did not however at once thus refute them but first by way of permission, afterwards as insisting upon his argument. Because it was meet to draw the stronger inference last, although the former argument also had of course its proper weight.
For tell me not, that it is not freeing one's self from blame, to bring forward another who is committing the same sin. For when the doer incurs no blame, the act on which he has ventured becomes a rule for others to plead.
Nevertheless He was not satisfied with this, but subjoins also what is more decisive, saying that the deed is no sin at all; and this more than anything was the sign of a glorious victory, to point to the law repealing itself, and in two ways doing so, first by the place, then by the Sabbath; or rather even in three ways, in that both the work is twofold that is done, and with it goes also another thing, its being done by the priests; and what is yet more, that it is not even brought as a charge. For they, says He, are blameless.
Do you see how many points He has stated? The place; for He says, In the temple; the persons, for they are the priests; the time, for He says, the Sabbath; the act itself, for they profane; (He not having said, they break, but what is more grievous, they profane;) that they not only escape punishment, but are even free from blame, for they, says He, are blameless.
Do not ye therefore account this, He says, like the former instance. For that indeed was done both but once, and not by a priest, and was of necessity; wherefore also they were deserving of excuse; but this last is both done every Sabbath, and by priests, and in the temple, and according to the law. And therefore again not by favor, but in a legal way, they are acquitted of the charges. For not at all as blaming them did I so speak, says He, nor yet as freeing them from blame in the way of indulgence, but according to the principle of justice.
And He seems indeed to be defending them, but it is His disciples whom He is clearing of the alleged faults. For when He says, those are blameless, He means, much more are these.
But they are not priests. Nay, they are greater than priests. For the Lord of the temple Himself is here: the truth, not the type.
