A.T. Robertson Commentary Mark 2:27

"And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:" — Mark 2:27 (ASV)

For man (δια τον ανθρωπον). Mark alone has this profound saying which subordinates the sabbath to man's real welfare (mankind, observe, generic article with ανθρωπος, class from class). Man was not made for the sabbath as the rabbis seemed to think with all their petty rules about eating an egg laid on the sabbath or looking in the glass, et cetera. See 2Macc. 5:19 and Mechilta on Ex 31:13 "The sabbath is delivered unto you and ye are not delivered unto the sabbath." Christianity has had to fight this same battle about institutionalism. The church itself is for man, not man for the church.