Mark 2:26 Meaning and Explanation
“How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Jesus recalls how David ate the consecrated bread, lawful only for priests, and shared it with his men.
What Does Mark 2:26 Mean?
Jesus completes the example: David entered the house of God and ate the shewbread—the holy loaves set before the Lord, reserved by law for the priests alone—and gave it also to his companions. A revered king, in genuine need, received what the letter of the law restricted, and Scripture records it without rebuke.
The precedent is pointed. If David could be given the sacred bread to meet real hunger, the disciples' plucking of grain on the Sabbath is no crime. Jesus shows that God's law was never meant to be a cage that starves his people; mercy and human need are woven into its very fabric. The God who gave the law delights in compassion, and his Son reads that law with the heart of its Author.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 2:26
What does Mark 2:26 mean?
Jesus recalls how David ate the consecrated bread, lawful only for priests, and shared it with his men.