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Or have you not read in the law, that on the Sabbath day, the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are guiltless?
Verse Takeaways
1
The Priests' Sabbath "Work"
Jesus points to the Old Testament law itself (Numbers 28:9–10). Commentators explain that priests regularly performed tasks on the Sabbath—like preparing sacrifices—that would be considered work. They were "guiltless" because this work was commanded by God and essential for temple worship. This established a clear precedent that the demands of worship could take priority over normal Sabbath restrictions.
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Matthew
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7
18th Century
Presbyterian
House of God. This referred to the tabernacle, as the temple had not yet been built.
In the law. This refers to the law of…
19th Century
Anglican
The priests in the temple profane the sabbath—The work of the priests, as described for example in Numbers 28:9, involved sacrific…
Baptist
This instance is absolutely to the point. The priests worked hard on the Sabbath in offering sacrifice and in other appointed ways, but they were t…
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Jesus’ second appeal is from Nu 28:9–10. Formally speaking the Levitical priests “desecrate” the Sabbath every week, since the right worship of God…
16th Century
Protestant
That on the Sabbaths the priests profane the Sabbath. This is the second argument by which Christ proves that the violation of th…
17th Century
Reformed Baptist
Or have you not read in the law (Numbers 28:9) by which law the priests were obliged, every sabbath day, to o…
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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…
