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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mar_2:23-28
23And it happened that He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while picking the heads of grain. 24The Pharisees were saying to Him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" 25And He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions became hungry; 26how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?" 27Jesus said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."
Mar_2:23 "He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath" This referred to the footpaths through the grain fields which surrounded the villages and towns. These "grainfields" could refer to any kind of cereal grain (i.e., barley, wheat).
Mar_2:24 "'why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath'" The Pharisees considered the disciples' actions as (1) harvesting; (2) winnowing; and (3) preparing food on the Sabbath, which was illegal according to their oral traditions based on Exo_34:21. Jesus' disciples were not doing anything illegal in their actions according to the gleaning laws of the OT (cf. Deu_23:25); the problem was the day (cf. Gen_2:1-3; Exo_20:8-11; Exo_23:12; Exo_31:15; Deu_5:12-15) on which they did it! It seems that the Gospel writers record Jesus' actions on the Sabbath to show (1) the controversies they caused or (2) that Jesus did these kinds of things everyday and the Sabbath was no exception.
Mar_2:25-28 This famous statement (cf. Mar_2:27) by Jesus is unique to Mark. It expresses His authority to reinterpret OT traditional understandings and guidelines (cf. Mat_5:17-48). This was in reality another sign that Jesus was claiming to be God's Messiah.
Mar_2:25 Grammatically this question expects a negative answer. It refers to an account of David's life recorded in 1 Samuel 21. Jesus often used the OT to illustrate His teachings (cf. Mar_2:25-26; Mar_4:12; Mar_10:6-8; Mar_10:19; Mar_12:26; Mar_12:29-30; Mar_12:36).
Mar_2:26 ' "the house of God'" This referred to the portable Tabernacle located at Nod.
▣ "'Abiathar'" There is a historical problem between 1Sa_21:1 ff, when compared to 2Sa_8:17 and 1Ch_18:16 over the name Abiathar or Abimelech: (1) both the father and the son are called High Priest and (2) Jesus used a preposition, epi, with a genitive in the sense of "in the days of" which meant "during his time" (cf. Act_11:28; Heb_1:2). We know that shortly after this event King Saul killed Abimelech and Abiathar fled to David (cf. 1Sa_22:11-23) and became one of two recognized high priests (i.e., Abiathar and Zadock).
This is one example of the kinds of problems that simply cannot be explained away. This is not Greek manuscript variation. If it was one has to assume an early scribal error before the papyri manuscripts were hand copied (which is speculation). It bothers all Bible teachers that Jesus misquotes a part of the OT history, especially since in this context Jesus is chiding the Pharisees for not reading the Scripture.
There are some books that try to deal with the conservative options in interpreting difficult texts.
1. Hard Sayings of the Bible by Walter C Kaiser, Jr., Peter H. Davids, F. F. Bruce and Manfred T. Branch.
2. Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties by Gleason L. Archer.
3. Answers to Questions by F. F. Bruce.
▣ "'consecrated bread'" The loaves weighed about 6 pounds each! There were 12 loaves replaced weekly and the week-old loaves symbolizing YHWH's provisions for the twelve tribes of Israel were to be eaten by the priests only (cf. Exo_25:23-28; Lev_24:5-9). God made an exception to the rule in this case. Jesus is claiming to have the same authority as the High Priest and the same right as the soon-to-be king, David!
Mar_2:27 The Sabbath regulations had become the priority. These traditions had become the issue of religion, not love for humans made in God's image. The priority of rules had replaced the priority of relationship. Merit had replaced love. Religious traditions (i.e., the Oral Law) have replaced God's intent (cf. Isa_29:13; Col_2:16-23). How does one please God? A good OT analogy might be sacrifice. God intended it as a way for sinful, needy humanity to come to Him and restore broken fellowship, but it turned into a ritual, liturgical procedure. So too, Sabbath law! Mankind had become the servant instead of the object (i.e., the reason for the laws).
The three statements of Mar_2:27-28 are, in one sense, parallel (i.e., all use the general terms for humanity). The term "son of man" in Mar_2:28 is the Semitic idiom for "human person" (cf. Psa_8:4; Eze_2:1). It became Jesus' self-designation. Jesus, the Man, reveals the ultimate dignity and priority of humanity! God became one of us, for us! Human need precedes religious tradition. God is for us individually and collectively.
Mar_2:28 "Son of Man" See note at Mar_2:10.
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