Digging Deeper: Nourishment
6 On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. 2 But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” 3 And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” 5 And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
6 On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. 8 But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. 9 And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” 10 And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored. 11 But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
Luke 6:1-11 (NLT)
NOURISHMENT
In order for the human body to function and grow properly, it must consume six essential nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. I am not sure about you, but for me, coffee is rather essential as well.
There are a variety of things these nutrients provide. Carbohydrates are a key source of energy, proteins help with muscle repair, and fats are for energy storage. Coffee, of course, is for sanity. Our bodies are incredible creations, finely tuned to support our daily function and needs, as long as we receive the right nutrients along the way.
So, when the disciples were hungry, Jesus simply allowed them to eat. In Luke, it is recorded that they “plucked and ate some of the heads of grain” as they were walking through grainfields (Luke 6:1). When challenged for condoning this “work” on the Sabbath, Jesus reminded the Pharisees of David, who once ate the “bread of the Presence” in the temple while running for his life from King Saul.
The story, recorded in 1 Samuel 21, details how David was fleeing from Saul and sought refuge in the temple. Hungry, he claimed to be on a secret mission at the king’s behest and asked the priest to provide bread for him. The only bread available, the bread of the Presence, was consecrated and forbidden by Levitical law to be eaten by anyone except the priests (Leviticus 24:9).
At David’s request, the priest Ahimelech willingly provided him with the bread. Before he left, David noticed the king’s men in the town and asked if there was a weapon available to protect himself. In what is my favorite part of this story, the priest simply said, “The only weapon we have is the sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed” (1 Samuel 21:9).
David was hungry, so he was fed. David needed protection, so the Lord provided—in a serendipitous way. The rule was that the bread of the Presence was for the priests, yet this rule was set aside to care for God’s chosen. And the sword, which was only available because of David’s obedient courage when he slew Goliath, became his means of protection.
This story would have been very familiar to the Pharisees, which is why Jesus was quick to remind them of it. They did not truly care that the disciples were eating grain; they cared that Jesus challenged their rules and their way of living, and they wanted Him gone. This was simply another instance of their eagerness to remove Him from their midst.
We very much live in a world filled with people who want to remove Jesus from their midst as well. We see it in conflicts, wars, political gridlock, and even in the smaller, personal heartbreaks that ripple through our days.
In spite of whatever challenges you may face today, it is important to remember that, as believers, God will provide for us just as He did for David. Our true nourishment, our bread, our sword—it is Jesus.
Lee Wilson and his wife, Deanna, have been NorthStar Church members since 2010. They are parents to Everett, Henry and Roselyn. Lee is passionate about sports (Go Braves, Go Dawgs) and has the pleasure to serve on the worship team as a bassist.