Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
De Op. Monach., 23: For it was a precept in Israel, delivered by a written law, that no one should detain athief found in his fields, unless he tried to take something away with him. Forthe man who had touched nothing else but what he had eaten they were commanded to allow to go away free and unpunished. Wherefore the Jews accused our Lord's disciples, who were plucking the ears of corn, of breaking the sabbath, rather than of theft.
Neither was it fitting to sew on anew piece; that is, a portion of doctrine which teaches a general fast from allthe joy of temporal delights; for if this be done, the teaching is rent, and agrees not with the old part. But by a new garment is intended good works, which are done externally, and by the new wine, is expressed the fervour of faith, hope, and charity, by which we are reformed in our minds.
in Marc., 1, 13: We read also in the following part, that they who came and went away were many, and that they had not time enough to take their food, wherefore, according to man’s nature, they were hungry.
But in a mystical sense the disciples pass through the corn fields, when the holy doctors look with the care of a pious solicitude upon those whom they have initiated in the faith, and who, it is implied, are hungering for the best of all things, the salvation of men. But to pluck the ears of corn means tosnatch men away from the eager desire of earthly things. And to rub with the han...
The maker of the law may abrogate or dispense with it when and where, for just cause, it see meth good to him: thus the Church can dispense with, change, or abrogate, for just reasons, the discipline of the Church founded upon Church authority. This we prove also from the action of David, (ver. 26, above) which the Scripture notices without blaming it, because the observance of the law, prescribed for the utility of man, must yield to the necessities of man.
Vict. Ant.e Cat. in Marc.: The disciples of Christ, freed from the figure, and united to the truth, do not keep the figurative feast of the sabbath.
see Hom. in Matt., 39: But being hungry, they ate simple food, not for pleasure, but on account of the necessity of nature. The Pharisees however, serving the figure and the shadow, accused the disciples of doing wrong. Wherefore there follows, “But the Pharisees said unto Him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful.”.
Vict. Ant.e Cat. in Marc.: But our Lord brings forward David, to whom it once happened toeat though it was forbidden by the law, when he touched the Priest’s food, that by his example, He might do away with their accusation of the disciples. For there follows, “Have ye never read.”.
Vict. Ant.e Cat. in Marc.: He calls himself properly, Lord of the sabbath, and Son of man, since being the Son of God, He deigned to be called Son of man, for the sake of men. Now the law has no authority over the Lawgiv...
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 guilt...
