Bible Strands
Matthew 12:1
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus moves through grainfields on the Sabbath while his disciples pick and eat grain heads due to hunger. This occurs at a specific narrative moment before the Pharisees observe the action and object.
The words — The Greek phrase ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ (en ekeinō tō kairō) literally means "at that very time," fixing the event to a precise chronological point. The verb ἐπορεύθη (eporeuthē) translates as "went" or "passed through," describing Jesus' physical transit across the fields.
The thread — This account runs parallel to the identical Sabbath grainfield incident in Mark 2:23 and Luke 6:1. It directly invokes the permission granted in Deuteronomy 23:25 to pluck grain heads by hand when entering a neighbor's field.
Why it lands — The text presents a factual sequence of hunger, movement, and harvesting before any religious judgment is applied. It requires the reader to note the disciples' lawful gathering of food prior to the Pharisees' accusation of Sabbath violation.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 23:25 When you enter your neighbor’s grainfield, you may pluck the heads of grain with your hand, but you must not put a sickle to your neighbor’s grain.
- Mark 2:23 One Sabbath Jesus was passing through the grainfields, and His disciples began to pick the heads of grain as they walked along.
- Luke 6:1 One Sabbath Jesus was passing through the grainfields, and His disciples began to pick the heads of grain, rub them in their hands, and eat them.