Mark 2:23

Mark 2:23 . He went through the corn-fields — This passage we had Matthew 12:1-8 , where it was largely explained. In the days of Abiathar the high-priest — From the passage in the history referred to, ( 1 Samuel 21:1-9 ,) it appears that Abimelech, the father of Abiathar, was then high-priest; Abiathar himself not till some time after. This phrase, therefore, only means, In the time of Abiathar, who was afterward high- priest. The sabbath was made for man — And therefore must give way to man’s necessity. The Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath — Being the supreme Lawgiver, he has power to dispense with his own laws, and with this in particular.

Mark 2:23-28 . See on Matthew 12:1-8 . Comp. Luke 6:1-5 , who follows Mark in the order of events, which in Matthew is different. παραπορεύεσθαι ] not: to walk on, ambulare (Vulgate, Luther, and many others, including de Wette), so that παρά would refer indefinitely to other objects, but to pass along by . Comp. Matthew 27:39 ; Mark 11:20 ; Mark 15:29 . Jesus passed through the corn-fields alongside of these , so that the way that passed through the fields led Him on both sides along by them. Just so Mark 9:30 , and Deuteronomy 2:4 . ὁδὸν ποιεῖν κ . τ . λ .] is usually explained as though it stood: ὁδὸν ποιούμενοι τίλλειν τοὺς στάχυας , to pluck the ears of corn as they went . Against the mode of expression, according to which the main idea lies in the participial definition (see Hermann, ad Aj. 1113; Electr. 1305; Stallbaum, ad Plat. Gorg. p. 136; Phil. p. 58), there would be in itself nothing, according to classical examples, to object; but in the N. T. this mode of expression does not occur (Winer, p. 316 [E. T. 443 f.]), and here in particular the active ποιεῖν is opposed to it, since ὁδὸν ποιεῖν is always viam sternere , and ὁδὸν ποιεῖσθαι (as also πορείαν ποιεῖσθαι ) is iter facere . See Viger. ed. Herm. p. 116; Kypke, I. p. 154; Krebs, p. 81; Winer, p. 228 [E. T. 320]. Comp. also ὁδοποιεῖν (Xen. Anab. v. 1. 14; Dem. 1274, 26, frequently in the LXX.) and ὁδὸν ὁδοποιεῖν ; Kühner, ad Xen. Anab. iv. 8. 8.

The assumption that Mark had missed this distinction is wholly without exegetical warrant, as is also the recourse to a Latinism (Krebs). The only correct explanation is: they began to make a way (to open a path) by plucking the ears of corn ; not, as Bretschneider and Fritzsche alter the meaning of the words: “evellisse spicas et factum esse, ut projectis, quum iis essent demta grana, spicis exprimeretur via .” We must rather conceive of the field-path on which they are walking—perhaps at a place where it leads through a field of corn which it intersects—as overgrown with ears, so that they must of necessity, in order to continue their journey, make a path , which they do by plucking the ears of corn that stand in their way. According to Matthew and Luke, the chief point lies in the fact that the disciples pluck the ears and eat them; and the Pharisees find fault with their doing this—which in itself is allowable —on the Sabbath . According to Mark, however, who has not a word[65] of the disciples eating, their act consists in this, that by the plucking of the ears of corn they open a way through the field ; and the Pharisees, Mark 2:24 , find fault that they do that, which in itself is already unallowable ,[66] on the Sabbath .

He went (αὐτὸν παραπορεύεσθαι) Lit., went along beside, along the stretches of standing grain. Matthew and Luke use διά, through, as Mark does, but not παρά. Began, as they went, to pluck (ἤρξαντο ὁδὸν ποιεῖν τίλλοντες) Lit., began to make a way plucking the ears. This does not mean that the disciples broke a way for themselves through the standing corn by plucking the ears, for in that event they would have been compelled to break down the stalks. The:), could not have made a way by plucking the heads of the grain. Mark, who uses Latin forms, probably adopted here the phrase iter facere, to make a way, which is simply to go. The same idiom occurs in the Septuagint, Judges 17:8; ποιῆσαι ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ, as he journeyed. The offence given the Pharisees was the preparation, of food on the Sabbath. Matthew says to eat, stating the motive, and Luke, rubbing with their hands, describing the act. See on Matthew 12:2.. The Rev. rightly retains the rendering of the A. V.