What David did (τ εποιησεν Δαυειδ). From the necessity of hunger. The first defence made by Christ appeals to the conduct of David…

But he said to them, etc. To vindicate his disciples, he referred them to a similar case, recorded in the Old Testament, and therefore one…

Have you not read...?—The question was an appeal to the Pharisees on the ground where they thought themselves strongest. For them …

He speaks to his learned opponents as if they had not read the law which they professed to uphold. Have you not read? The instance of Davi…

Glossa Ordinaria: After relating the preaching along with the miracles of one year before John's inquiry, He moves on to those…

The use of counterquestion and appeal to Scripture was common in rabbinic debates (cf. v.5; 19:4; 21:16, 42; 22:31). The account to which Jesus ref…

Have you not read what David did? Christ employs five arguments to refute their slander. First, he defends his disciples by citin…

But he said unto them, have you not read
If they had not read the Scriptures, they were very unfit persons either to…

Being in the corn-fields, the disciples began to pluck the ears of corn; the law of God allowed it (Deuteronomy 23:25). This was slende…