Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 12:9

"And he departed thence, and went into their synagogue:" — Matthew 12:9 (ASV)

The action moves from the field to the synagogue. Matthew makes plain the malice in the Pharisees. The form of the their question in v.10 is general. The customary Jewish ruling was that healing was permitted on the Sabbath when life was in danger, which of course did not apply here.