At that time Jesus went through the fields on a Sabbath day. His disciples became hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and eat.
This passage describes the actions of Jesus and His disciples on the Sabbath, which according to Jewish law was a day of rest and a prohibition of work. As they were passing through the fields, the disciples, feeling hungry, began to pluck heads of grain and eat, which for the Pharisees was considered a violation of the law, because according to their interpretation it was work. Jesus, as their Teacher, allows the disciples to do this simple act, and as we will see next, Jesus will explain that the true purpose of the law is to serve people’s good and to meet their needs, not unnecessary harshness.