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Matthew 12: 1-8 – Chiasm
A – 1. At that time Jesus passed through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick and eat some heads of grain. 2. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath! ”
B – 3. He said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry — 4. how he entered the house of God, and they ate the sacred bread, which is not lawful for him or for those with him to eat, but only for the priests?
C – 5. Or haven’t you read in the Law that on Sabbath days the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent?
C’ – 6. But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here!
B’ – 7. If you had known what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent.
A’ – 8. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
- C’ is the rational for C – This proves David did not sin in eating the bread because of the need for mercy over sacrifice.
- B’ is the reasoning for B – This is a lesser to greater argument much like Jesus uses in vv.11-12.
- A’ is the explanation for A – Jesus’ disciples can eat of the grain because Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath meaning, He correctly understands and explains it.
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