Matthew 12:1-8

Now in Mark's account, he had something important that Jesus said that is left out here in Matthew's account. You do not have to turn there, but in Mark 2:27, he adds, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." So, he tells us the Sabbath was made on account of man with the specific purpose of being a service to mankind. The Sabbath is the promised, thoughtful gift of rest from the Creator to His created beings. The Sabbath's purpose goes far beyond just a physical rest from burdensome work. God ties the Sabbath to His spiritual creation which does not stop on the Sabbath but rather is put into a higher gear on the Sabbath with even more spiritual work and focus on the Sabbath than on the other days of the week. The Sabbath is intended to ensure both mankind's physical and spiritual well-being.